Waterford Historic District
A 19th century rural village

The village of Waterford traces its origins to c.1733, when Amos Janney and other Quakers arrived from Pennsylvania and established a mill complex here. By the 1830s, Waterford was a flourishing community of some 70 houses with a tannery, chairmaker, and boot manufacturer, along with shops and a tavern.

As a Quaker community, Waterford did not secede from the Union; rather, it supported it.From Waterford’s Union sympathizers, the Loudoun Rangers, the only Virginia unit to serve in the Union army, was formed. On August 26, 1862, while the Loudoun Rangers were in Waterford, they were attacked by White's Comanches and besieged in the Baptist Church. The skirmish resulted in two dead on both sides and many wounded.

Commerce declined by the early 20th century, leaving Waterford a remarkably preserved hamlet free of modern intrusions. Its quiet shady streets remain lined with examples of regional vernacular styles, both freestanding and attached, in a variety of materials including brick, stone, and log. A mid-19th-century mill stands at the north edge of town. Aggressive preservation efforts by the Waterford Foundation since the 1940s have maintained the town's unique character. Some 60 properties are protected by preservation easements, and the town was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970.