A village from another century. Waterford has for diverse reasons---philosophic, economic and geographic---remained isolated over the centuries.  This distancing has enabled Waterford to survive.  The houses, shops, churches, schools, barns and fields all evoke a simpler way of life and preserve the unspoiled image of a 19th-century village.

Waterford was settled in 1733 by Quakers from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, who established a community of small farms.  They were soon joined by Scotch-Irish craftsmen, also from the Pennsylvania colony, whose skills were responsible for the elaborately carved interiors of many of the Waterford homes.  The community remained largely Quaker, however, and few took part in the American Revolution.  Those who did fight were read out of meeting (see South River Meeting House selection).  After the war and on through the early part of the 19th-century Waterford prospered.  Many of the homes and shops you'll see date from this period. 

It is interesting to discover that during the Civil War years the only organized troops in Virginia to fight for the North were the independent Loudoun Rangers, a group formed by Samuel Means, a miller from Waterford.  After continued Confederate harassment, Mr. Means abandoned the Quaker principle of non-violence.  He organized the fighting brigade.  The town came under Union fire because of its southern location.  This crossfire resulted in numerous farms being torched by both sides.

Its geographical isolation left Waterford behind when the railroad brought new business to the nearby town of  Leesburg.  Many commercial establishments in Waterford failed because customers could buy cheaper machine-made goods “from outside.”  The arrival of the railroad was a boon to the farmers, most of whom were able to expand their markets.  Many of those fields are still being farmed today, and form the setting for the village.

Restoration of the houses in the village was attempted on a small scale in the 1930s, but the real impetus to improvement came in 1943 with the establishment of the Waterford Foundation.  For more than 50 years the foundation has been sponsoring an annual fair held the first weekend in October.  It started small with the villagers gathering together to sell their handicrafts. Now it's called "the fairest of fairs."  It's the oldest juried craft fair in Virginia and the three-day event is one of the best on the East Coast.  More than 140 craft demonstrators take part.  There is also entertainment as well as tours of  18th-and 19th-century private homes in the village.  Fair time is one of the few times during the year that residents open their doors to visitors.  During the fair 10 to 12  private homes can be explored.  The fair admission is used to continue the foundation's renovation and restoration work and many educational programs.  Efforts thus far have been successful, as you will discover. 

The foundation has been rewarded by having Waterford included on the Virginia Historic Landmark Register and the National Register of Historic Places.  The entire village and surrounding farmland is listed as a National Historic Landmark.

Although fair week in October is the best time to visit, there is one home in Waterford that operates as a bed and breakfast inn.  The Pink House in the center of town was once used to billet troops during the Civil War; it now offers art, antiques and a pretty garden.  To arrange a visit call (540) 882-3453. 

Waterford's tree-shaded streets are ideal for an old-fashioned walk.  This town is not commercial, nor a museum; it's a community and visitors get a warm welcome.  It's nice to know towns like this still exist.