The county seat of Lawrence County, Bedford is in the heart of Indiana's limestone belt and is known as the "Limestone Capital of the World." Famous buildings across the nation, including the Pentagon, the Empire State Building, and the National Cathedral, feature limestone quarried and carved in Bedford. After faltering between the Depression and World War II, the limestone industry is still going strong. Today, during the early spring when the dogwood and redbud trees are in bloom, the area is particularly scenic, and tourists flock to the rolling hills of Bedford and nearby Spring Mill State Park. Through archival photographs and historic ephemera, Bedford captures the birth of a classic Midwestern quarry town and its growth into a thriving modern community.