Waterford's Historical Timeline
A chronology of major events.
Waterford's commercial development timeline »
| Treaty of Albany: Indians not to cross south of the Potomac River nor East of the Blue Ridge Mountains | Waterford land grants | |
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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 |
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Mill, Quaker meeting house built |
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Loudoun County formed from Fairfax County. Leesburg made county seat |
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1st (of 3) Presbyterian church(e)s built |
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Declaration of Independence |
Waterford Mills Ice houses |
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"Janney Mill" changed to Waterford by Thomas Moore |
Waterford tannery | |
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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 |
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Louisiana Purchase. Jefferson mentions Loudoun method of crop rotation |
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Waterford formed first bank in Loudoun County |
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Fire company started |
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1819
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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 |
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1820s
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Area from Patrick Street to Factory Street including both Second and High Streets plotted- and sold, beginning "New Town." |
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1830-1840
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Railroads and roads bypass Waterford | |
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1836
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Waterford incorporated with town council of 9 men |
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1838/9
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Covered bridge built with county funds near Mill |
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1840s
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Methodist congregation organized |
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1849
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Loudoun Mutual Insurance company formed |
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1853
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Baptist Church built. Yardley Taylor 1854 map |
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1859
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John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry |
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1861
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Waterford voted 221-36 against secession (Loudoun County voted 2-1 for) |
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1862
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Spring: Capt. Means formed Loudoun Rangers. August: Mean's Rangers attacked by and surrender to Col. White's Confederates at the Baptist Church
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Civil War 1861 Civil War 1862 Waterford Civil War battle in 1862 Civil War 1863 Civil War 1864 Civil War 1865 |
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1863
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Emancipation Proclamation frees slaves (few in Waterford) |
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1864
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Waterford News published (first county paper outside of Leesburg). |
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1868
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"Colored School" built and opened |
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1870s
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Railroad at Clarke's Gap bypasses Waterford. |
Shopping in 1870 |
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1879
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Edison invented first practical light bulb |
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1889
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Bridge at Mill fell in rains that caused the Johnstown, PA flood |
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1891
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1890s
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Telephone came to Waterford |
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1910
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First automobile comes to Waterford |
Cold wave of 1912 |
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1920s
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Electricity comes to Waterford. Route 7 paved from Washington to Leesburg |
New bride's comments on rural life |
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1929
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Quaker meeting "laid down;" building vacant 1929-39; sold for private use in 1939 |
Waterford tornado |
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1936
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Waterford dropped its town charter for lack of funds |
Waterford in the 1930's |
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1937
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Edward and Leroy Chamberland begin restoring houses |
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1939
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Old Mill closes |
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1942
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Waterford Foundation incorporated. Annual Fair begins |
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1947
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1957
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"Colored School" on Second Street closed |
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1970
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Waterford designated National Historic Landmark |
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