Edward T. Bedford, an industrialist and Westport benefactor, channeled his family’s wealth into projects that shaped the town’s civic core. In 1917, he funded Bedford Elementary School on Myrtle Avenue, a landmark with an auditorium meant to serve both pupils and public events. As school needs shifted decades later, the building was repurposed as Westport’s Town Hall, keeping Bedford’s gift at the center of local government and community life.
Bedford’s philanthropy also helped launch the Westport YMCA in 1923, giving the town a hub for youth programs, recreation, and public health. Those two gifts have anchored civic activity and helped the town grow in education, wellness, and shared spaces, continuing to pay dividends for Westport today.
