Waterford's Historical Timeline

A chronology of major events.
Waterford's commercial development timeline »

Waterford's Historical Timeline
1722
Treaty of Albany: Indians not to cross south of the Potomac River nor East of the Blue Ridge Mountains Waterford land grants
1733

Amos Janney arrives from Bucks County, PA and settles"Janney's Mill"

First settlers
A Quaker settlement
Quakers shape the town 
Development by the mill
1740
1757

Loudoun County formed from Fairfax County. Leesburg made county seat

1764

1st (of 3) Presbyterian church(e)s built

1776

Declaration of Independence

Waterford Mills
Ice houses
1780s

"Janney Mill" changed to Waterford by Thomas Moore

Waterford tannery 
1801

Jefferson became President in new capital, Washington, DC. Waterford incorporated as a town

Agriculture 
Waterford farmers
Cemeteries
The Jail
Post Office opens
Library opens
African-Americans
1803

Louisiana Purchase. Jefferson mentions Loudoun method of crop rotation

1815

Waterford formed first bank in Loudoun County

1818

Fire company started

 

1819

 

Loudoun Auxiliary Society of American Colonization Society (to repatriate freed slaves to Liberia) formed with James and Asa Moore, and Jacob Mendenhall of Waterford among the officers

Before the Civil War
Furniture industry
 

1820s

 

Area from Patrick Street to Factory Street including both Second and High Streets plotted- and sold, beginning "New Town."

 

1830-1840

 

Railroads and roads bypass Waterford
 

1836

 

Waterford incorporated with town council of 9 men

 

1838/9

 

Covered bridge built with county funds near Mill

 

1840s

 

Methodist congregation organized

 

1849

 

Loudoun Mutual Insurance company formed

 

1853

 

Baptist Church built. Yardley Taylor 1854 map

 

1859

 

John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry

 

1861

 

Waterford voted 221-36 against secession (Loudoun County voted 2-1 for)

 

1862

 

Spring: Capt. Means formed Loudoun Rangers. August: Mean's Rangers attacked by and surrender to Col. White's Confederates at the Baptist Church
Civil War 1861
Civil War 1862
Waterford Civil War battle in 1862
Civil War 1863
Civil War 1864
Civil War 1865
 

1863

 

Emancipation Proclamation frees slaves (few in Waterford)

 

1864

 

Waterford News published (first county paper outside of Leesburg).

 

1868

 

"Colored School" built and opened

 

1870s

 

Railroad at Clarke's Gap bypasses Waterford.
1875 map drawn for Charles Phillips Janney of Leesburg

Shopping in 1870
 

1879

 

Edison invented first practical light bulb

 

1889

 

Bridge at Mill fell in rains that caused the Johnstown, PA flood

 

1891

 

 

1890s

 

Telephone came to Waterford

 

1910

 

First automobile comes to Waterford

Cold wave of 1912
 

1920s

 

Electricity comes to Waterford. Route 7 paved from Washington to Leesburg

New bride's comments on rural life
 

1929

 

Quaker meeting "laid down;" building vacant 1929-39; sold for private use in 1939

Waterford tornado
 

1936

 

Waterford dropped its town charter for lack of funds

Waterford in the 1930's
 

1937

 

Edward and Leroy Chamberland begin restoring houses

 

1939

 

Old Mill closes

 

1942

 

Waterford Foundation incorporated. Annual Fair begins

 

1947

 

 

1957

 

"Colored School" on Second Street closed

 

1970

 

Waterford designated National Historic Landmark