This unique 1733 village was settled by Amos Janney, a Quaker from Bucks County, Pennsylvania and is one of only a few National Landmark Villages in the nation. Known by various names, Milltown and Janney's Mill until the 1780s, the name became Waterford when so named by a homesick Irishman named Thomas Moore who dubbed the town after his hometown in Ireland. Many buildings still in use in Waterford were built before 1840. Residents of the village have worked diligently since its inception to preserve and protect its history and beauty.

In the late 1930s members of old Waterford families, beginning with brothers Edward and Leroy Chamberlin, began buying and restoring buildings. These restorationists established the Waterford Foundation in 1943 to "revive and stimulate a community interest in re-creating the town of Waterford as it existed in previous times with its varying crafts and activities.

The Foundation has played an important role in revitalizing the physical fabric of Waterford as well as increasing the public's knowledge of life and work in an early American rural community. In 1970, Waterford and 1,420 surrounding acres were designated a National Historic Landmark.

Another 1943 milestone was the creation of the Waterford Homes Tour and Crafts Exhibit. This annual event now draws some 30,000 visitors the first weekend every October. Also known as the Waterford Fair this event celebrates the history, homes, and arts of this unique community. The village holds both a concert and lecture series in the historic, newly restored mill. Waterford offers a free self-guided walking tour booklet titled "Walk With Us Through Waterford, Virginia" at the Waterford Foundation in Waterford.

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