Publisher's Synopsis
Before the post-World War II construction boom, Bedford, Massachusetts, was considered little more than a sleepy farming community, yet it was host to a series of remarkable institutions. In the late 1800s, the Bedford Springs resort on Fawn Lake was a summertime haven for wealthy Bostonians. From 1902 to 1918, large crowds traveled by streetcar to Lexington Park in Bedford to enjoy its zoo, restaurant, and rustic outdoor theater. In 1900, Bedford's reputation as a rural "temperance town" attracted a hospital for the treatment of alcoholism. Ten years later, the Willard Hospital was succeeded by Llewsac Lodge, a rest home and country retreat for women from the city. Proximity to Boston and the needs of both military and civil aviation led to the construction of the Laurence G. Hanscom Airport in 1941. Today, Bedford is an integral part of the Boston area's high-technology industry while still retaining a small-town character that its residents cherish.
