3S HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



The village of Bedford is delightfully situated a little north of the 

 Mehanas River, in a large and fertile vale almost environed by high 

 hills. The surrounding country, is well wooded, and watered by several 

 streams tributary to the Croton. The principal of these are the Myanos 

 the Pepemighting, misnamed the Kisco, the Cisqua or Beaver dam, and 

 the Peppeneghek or Cross River. Bedford was for a long time a half 

 shire town with White Plains, (which is located sixteen miles south), 

 but within a few years last past, the courts have been held entirely at the 

 latter place. 



Court House, Bedford. 



"The present Court House was built in 1787. Courts had been held 

 in Bedford in the Presbyterian Church to that date, and Bedford con- 

 tinued to be a half shire town of the county until 1868. The Board of 

 Supervisors frequently met at Bedford about the end of the last century. 

 In 1723, Richard Holmes, collector of this town, was "required forth- 

 with" to collect a tax upon the "freeholders, Residents, Inhabitants and 

 Sojourners" within the town of Bedford for the purpose of "finishing 

 ye Court-House and Gaol in ye County." This Court-House was 

 probably the one at Westchester, for White Plains was not made the 

 County seat until 1758. The tax for this town amounted to the enor- 

 mous sum of two pounds one shilling and nine-pence. " a 



As early as 1680 the proprietors of the Hop-ground (then residing at 

 Stamford) appointed a committee "for the purpose of laying out a town 

 spot, and house lots, the latter to consist at least of three acres each, 

 also a town common, field or park, Avas directed to be laid out." At 



a Address by Joseph Barrett, July 4. 18T6, Recorder, Katonah, July 7. 



