Library – 1807

32 Village Green
This center hall colonial was Bedford Academy, one of Westchester’s first classical schools. It operated from June 6, 1809 until the year 1902. Many well-known men received their schooling here, including the first United States Cardinal, John McCloskey; John Jay II, grandson of John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the United States; and William H. Vanderbilt of railroad fame.

In 1903, after the Academy closed, Miss Eloise P. Luquer began a Library in one room of the building; it has been the home of the Bedford Free Library ever since. Like many older buildings, this structure’s many windows provided daylight for reading and oil lamps were used to supplement on darker days or in the evening. In 1912 a single electric light was installed but as the library expanded to fill the rooms on the first floor, so did electric service. Indoor plumbing was another matter. Despite the fact that the Librarian lived in the rooms on the second floor until the late 196o’s, a proper bathroom was not installed until the late 1950’s and the Librarian made use of an outhouse behind the building.

Two American Sycamores seen in the older photos were planted in front of the Academy building shortly after its construction. It is believed that their planting was part of a larger planting project as many other Sycamores of the same age still stand along Route 22. The trees grew to majestic heights but began to rot and for the safety of the Library and passersby, they were removed in 1998 and 2008.

The Corporation of Bedford Academy donated the building to the Historical Society in 1972 to continue its preservation. The Bedford Free Library leases it for $1 a year and assumes responsibility for the building’s maintenance.Additions in 1989 and 2001 have allowed the Library to expand to better serve the growing needs of the community.