Bedford History Items

The Bedford Flag: A National Treasure
By Barbara Hitchcock
From the Bedford Historical Society

Softcover; Text, photos and illustrations; 47 pages

The original Bedford Flag is the oldest existing flag in the United States. It was made circa 1704 for the Bedford (Massachusetts) Militia. It is believed the flag was carried to the Concord Bridge on April 19, 1775. The original Bedford Flag may be viewed at the Bedford Public Library.

The book, published in 1998 by the Friends of the Bedford Flag, covers the history of the flag in vibrant text and colorful imagery. By purchasing this book, you provide support to the Bedford Historical Society.

An excerpt from the book:
"This antique, well-worn silk flag reminds us of our country's history, our growth as a nation, our challenges, adventures and opportunities. It embodies grand ideas, significant to everyday people, then and now:  freedom, self-determination, democracy."

Outdoor Nylon Bedford Flag
From the Bedford Historical Society

Measures 3 feet by 3 feet; Has gromets for display

The original Bedford Flag is the oldest existing flag in the United States. It was made circa 1704 for the Bedford (Massachusetts) Militia. It is believed the flag was carried to the Concord Bridge on April 19, 1775. The original Bedford Flag may be viewed at the Bedford Public Library.

The Bedford Flag offered for sale is a 3' by 3' copy that is made of nylon and may be used for outdoor or indoor display. It is shipped folded inside a carton. By purchasing this flag, you provide support to the Bedford Historical Society.

Bedford Flag - 12" Cloth
From the Bedford Minuteman Company

Approximately 12 inches by 12 inches; Suitable for framing

The Bedford Flag is printed on both sides of high quality textured fabric. It comes with a removeable 23-inch wooden dowel.

By purchasing this flag, you provide support to the nonprofit Bedford Minuteman Company.

A Revolutionary Town
By Louise K. Brown
From the Bedford Historical Society

Hardcover with jacket; Text, photos and illustrations; 336 pages

"...the exciting, warmly human story of Bedford's role in the War of Independence."

This is the story of Bedford, Massachusetts, from the year of its founding, 1729, to its reconstruction in the aftermath of the American Revolution. It describes in intimate detail the people and events which made this town a microcosm of New England colonial society. It tells the story of the early settlers and their way of life in the wilderness, of their servility to the land, and of the earliest houses they built and fortified against the hostile forces of man and nature. The roots of the American Revolution are traced to these Puritan settlers who developed in their town polity a new lifestyle of independence and self-sufficiency.

The book, authored by Bedford's late town historian Louise K. Brown, was published in 1975 at the time of America's Bicentennial. By purchasing this book, you provide support to the Bedford Historical Society.  (The shipping weight is 1 pound, 10 ounces.)

Bedford Minuteman Patch - Round
From the Bedford Minuteman Company

Cloth; 4-5/8 inches in diameter

This is a patch that members of the Bedford Minuteman Company wear on their uniforms. At its center is an embroidered Bedford Flag. The patch is suitable for sewing onto a garment.

By purchasing this patch, you provide support to the nonprofit Bedford Minuteman Company.

Bedford Flag Postcard - Package of 10
From the Bedford Minuteman Company

3-1/2 inches by 5-1/2 inches

This full-color postcard features a photo of the Bedford Flag and Ralph Waldo Emerson's famous quotation, "By the rude bridge that arched the flood...." On the rear side is a description of the historic flag and space for your message.

By purchasing this package of 10 postcards, you provide support to the nonprofit Bedford Minuteman Company.