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Newspaper
Bedford Times Press
Location
Bedford, Iowa, United States of America
Date
Jun 14, 1973
Page
7
Bedford sits at the junction of Iowa highways 2 and 148 in southwestern Iowa, about ten miles from the Missouri line, offering a calm slice away from bustling traffic.
Returning campers and visitors to the Lake of Three Fires near Bedford will note improvements this season. Park ranger Larry Aldridge cites added touches since last year, with Dennis Shackelford assisting at the park. New water heaters and stainless sinks greet six cabins, the old shower building was remodeled, underground wiring completed, and 425 dead elms removed with new tree planting. Beach sand, rock for roads, a wide road to the boat dock, and plans for a bridal trail are outlined with mid June work and ongoing reseeding near the lake.
Noon break finds park ranger Larry Aldridge on a residence patio near the park entrance with wife Lois and their ten month old son Jason Dean. The photograph captures a quiet domestic moment during a mid day break.
A poem titled Bedford Iowa expresses local pride as Aldridge notes shoreline work including 500 tons of rip rap and roof and beam repairs for the beach and shelter houses. The piece mentions a teenager Wendy Blakemore from Denver and recalls summer scenes around Bibbin's Park and Lake of 3 Fires.
In April 1932 Bedford locals formed a group linked to a town league to pursue a Bedford lake. Officials announced a southern Iowa artificial lake to be managed by state agencies for regional use. An Iowa Conservation Board engineer visited sites, CCC and WPA programs aided development, and the lake opened March 24 1988 with an estimated 125 acres.
The name Iowa likely derives from an Indian word meaning this is the place or beautiful land. Hawkeye State derives from a guide in The Last of the Mohicans. The name was popularized 1886 to 1889 by Judge David Rorer and James G. Edwards in Burlington Iowa.
Eight modern explorers depart St Ignace Michigan to follow the 3000 mile Mississippi route in replica canoes. They stop in Iowa June 17 27 before continuing to Green Bay Dubuque Clinton Quad Cities Muscatine Keokuk Fort Madison Burlington and Fort Madison. The trip marks the tricentennial opening of the Midwest with festival events and artifacts loaned from Quebec France and U.S. libraries and universities. Representatives from the French and Canadian embassies and U S agencies participate in planning and coordination.
Bedford's city park features a modern see saw whirley-gig jungle gym walking ladder merry go round slides and swings along with two cement tennis courts and two croquet courts located about three and a half miles from the Lake of Three Fires. A separate query asks how many phone calls a person makes yearly, noting personal averages around 701. This item appears in This N That from Bayard News.
May 6 brought good fishing at Lake of Three Fires with a nine and a half pound blue catfish by Jim McPher ron and a six and a half pound channel cat caught by Austin Whipple. Bedford men used night crawlers. Memorial Day added a two and a quarter pound crappie by an unidentified Gravity angler and a one-pound crappies by a Kansas City fisherman.
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