Waterford Foundation

Abigail Zurfluh

Women’s History & Historic Preservation

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This Women’s History Month, we are reminded that women’s history and the start of the early historic preservation movement in the United States are intrinsically linked. The story of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and the start of the early historic preservation movement, while not happening in Waterford, has deeply impacted the Waterford that we see today.

Mount Vernon, which is only a little over fifty miles from Waterford, was the plantation home of first president George Washington and Martha Washington. After Martha Washington’s death, the house and four thousand acres were willed to the Washington’s nephew Bushrod Washington- who passed away in 1829. He left the property now consisting of 1,200 acres to John Augustine Washington II, whose widow in 1840 left the property to John Augustine Washington III. John Augustine Washington III tried to make money on the property in multiple different fashions- growing crops such as wheat, selling lumber, renting land, and being involved in selling and renting out enslaved people. He, however, was not successful in turning a profit for multiple different reasons. He attempted to sell the property to both the Virginia and federal governments, but was unsuccessful. Washington was also consistently inundated with visitors and tourists who wanted to come learn more about George Washington and see his house.

One of those passerby’s in 1853 was Louisa Bird Cunningham, who wrote in a letter to her daughter Ann Pamela Cunningham, “if the men of the United States would not save the home of its greatest citizen, perhaps it should be the responsibility of the women.” (Cunningham, Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, Mount Vernon) Taking this sentiment and running with it, Ann Pamela Cunningham founded the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association of the Union, and set out to raise $200,000 (or a little over $5.7 million in today’s money) for the purchase of Mount Vernon.

Cunningham wrote under the pen name “A Southern Matron” (Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, Mount Vernon) to first convince fellow women in the Southern United States then in all states to save Mount Vernon. Along with her, the membership of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association set off in their circles as well to raise money all over the United States for the purchase of the property. The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association was and still is comprised entirely of women. The chairman, or Regent, was selected from the membership as well were Vice Regents. Boards of Ladies’ Managers were appointed by the Vice Regents to help raise money in different states. These Ladies’ Managers and clubs would purposely target organizations that Washington had been a part of or associated with such as the Freemasons and Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and even military groups, fire companies, and surveyors. Ladies’ Manager groups would also host or attend dramatic readings and plays, concerts, fairs, and festivals to raise funds.

The Mount Vernon Ladies Association was able to purchase the mansion and approximately 500 acres to make up the Mount Vernon we know today, and took full possession of the property in 1860. The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association continues on today and remains integral in the preservation of George Washington’s Mount Vernon. This group, and the advocacy and fundraising efforts to purchase Mount Vernon is often attributed to the beginning of the historic preservation movement in the United States.

We could not talk about the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association without paying homage to Sheila B. Coates- Waterford descendant and active contributor to the John Wesley Community Church and Waterford’s preservation and interpretation. In 1983, Sheila Coates established the annual Slave Memorial Wreath-Laying Ceremony at Mount Vernon that has since been internationally recognized and continues to this day. Two years later, she founded Black Women United for Action to advance education, economic opportunities, historic preservation, and public policy leadership nationwide. In 2023, she was integral in establishing the Black Women United for Action Fellowship at the George Washington Presidential Library to support research into African American history and leadership with the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association. To recognize her achievements and accomplishments, Sheila Coates was awarded the Ann Pamela Cunningham Medal this year on George Washington’s birthday- the highest award given out by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association. She is only the fifth person to receive this award.

The work of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association is often contributed to the start of the early preservation movement in the United States. This movement would grow and shift throughout the years before coming here to Waterford. This women’s history month, we also want to highlight Sheila Coates and thank her for her contributions to the Waterford National Historic Landmark, Mount Vernon, and beyond!

Sources:

Early History of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, Mount Vernon: https://edit.mountvernon.org/preservation/mount-vernon-ladies-association/early-history

The Ann Pamela Cunningham Medal. Mount Vernon. https://www.mountvernon.org/preservation/mount-vernon-ladies-association/ann-pamela-cunningham-medal

The Birth of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, Mount Vernon: https://edit.mountvernon.org/preservation/mount-vernon-ladies-association/early-history/birth-of-the-mount-vernon-ladies-association

The Kindness of Strangers, Mount Vernon. https://edit.mountvernon.org/preservation/mount-vernon-ladies-association/early-history/the-kindness-of-strangers

2026 Preserving Black Churches Grant Announcement

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Exciting news! We are proud to share that we received additional grant funding for the John Wesley Community Church Restoration project from the Preserving Black Churches grant program of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund presented by the National Trust for Historic Preservation! These funds will be used to support interior restoration work in the sanctuary: including plaster work, restoration and protection of original woodwork, and work to secure the interior envelope.

You can learn more about this year’s grantees of the Preserving Black Churches fund linked here (including a story map of churches receiving funds across the country!), and learn more about the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund below!

About the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund

The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a division of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, seeks to make an important and lasting contribution to our nation’s cultural landscape by elevating the stories and places of Black resilience, activism, and achievement. Supported by investments from the Ford Foundation, Mellon Foundation, Freedom Together Foundation, Lilly Endowment Inc. and other partners, it has raised over $200 million and supported over 400 preservation projects to date.

Preserving Black Churches Program Overview:

Preserving Black Churches (PBC) is a cornerstone initiative of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, which is dedicated to the preservation of historic African American sites across the United States. The PBC program, backed by generous philanthropic support from Lilly Endowment Inc., is a $60 million initiative designed to uplift and preserve these historic places and the communities they serve. Since its launch in 2023, the program has supported historically Black churches in addressing preservation challenges, safeguarding their spiritual and cultural legacies, and providing vital social services.

PBC grants range from $50,000 to $500,000, and are awarded to support capital projects, programming and interpretation, endowments and financial sustainability, project planning, and organizational capacity building.

What Does Historic Preservation Mean?

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When you walk around places like Waterford, you can feel the history of the place. That is by design. The care and protection of historic areas like Waterford is called historic preservation. Historic preservation is largely agreed to be defined as the identification, interpretation, care of, and protection of historic artifacts and objects, sites, buildings and structures, landscapes, and districts. There are multiple different fields of preservation (that often intersect with other fields and interests) in which preservationists dive into that definition: including archaeology, architecture, museums, planning, building technology, advocacy, material culture, conservation, public history, and more. What the definition of historic preservation means and how they interpret it in their work can differ from preservationist to preservationist.

So, what does historic preservation mean to preservationists in Loudoun County? Below learn a little bit about the insights of what preservation means to them from Margaret “Margie” Salazar-Porzio, Ph.D. of Oatlands Historic House and Gardens, Ian MacDougall of the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area, William Milone of Loudoun County Planning and Zoning, and Jana Shafagoj of Morven Park.

Margaret “Margie” Salazar-Porzio, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of Oatlands, a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Loudoun County. With more than 15 years of experience in museums and public humanities, she previously served in leadership roles at the Smithsonian Institution, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. At Oatlands, she is leading a community-centered transformation focused on descendant engagement, education, land stewardship, and long-term sustainability.

What does historic preservation mean to you?

“To me, historic preservation is about stewarding places in ways that protect their historical and cultural significance while also inviting active engagement, inquiry, and connection to the present. Preservation to me is about honoring the people and their lives that are embedded in a landscape, including those that are difficult or complicated. At Oatlands, preservation means holding complexity, centering descendant voices, and ensuring that the site remains relevant and meaningful to the communities it serves today and in the future. As stewards, we must treat the site as a shared inheritance that extends beyond any one generation. Our choices today must therefore be guided by the long view, made with the understanding that others will inherit this place and continue its care.”

How did you get interested in historic preservation?

“My path into historic preservation came through public history and museum work. I’ve spent my career thinking about how history is interpreted, who gets to tell those stories, and how institutions can better reflect the full American story. Working at places like the Smithsonian and now at Oatlands has deepened my belief in the power of place: that historic sites are not simply lovely backdrops; they are places where civic learning, dialogue, and connection can unfold. With thoughtful interpretation, these places draw people into history as a lived experience, encouraging reflection and honest engagement with our shared past.”

Ian MacDougall joined the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area in June 2021. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2017. After completing his degree, Ian worked for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s Military Programming department from 2017- 2021, focusing on organizing museum programming concerning Virginia’s role in the American War for Independence, as well as researching the experience of the British Army in the Commonwealth. Ian served as Public Programs Coordinator for VPHA from 2021-2025, managing the many public programs offered by the organization, including the popular Annual Conference on the Art of Command in the Civil War. He also served on the LoudounVA250 Committee in the role of Programs Chair from 2022-2025, having recently overseen the committee’s bicentennial commemorations of the Marquis de Lafayette’s visit in 1825. Ian became VPHA’s Executive Director in 2025, and oversees the Association’s daily business, development, fundraising, membership, and preserving the integrity of the historic landscape of the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area. He and his wife Christine share a home in the bucolic village of Taylorstown in Loudoun County, and he spends his free time traveling to historic sites across Virginia and the east coast.

What does historic preservation mean to you?

“To me, historic preservation is the act of curating a living, outdoor museum where the landscape serves as the gallery floor and the structures act as its artifacts. Rather than just saving an old building simply because it’s been around a long time , it is about protecting the integrity of a site so that the relationship between the environment and its history remains visible and can be learned from. By treating a landscape as a museum, We ensure its exhibits are not obscured by modern encroachment but are instead maintained as immersive educational tools. To be able to take someone through a historic village, house, battlefield, or ancient road can and will inspire a sense of place and the moments in history it witnessed. There’s no better way to learn about ourselves and our history than to step into the places in which these events transpired and feel it around you.”

How did you get interested in historic preservation?

“I became engaged in history from a young age, from spending my time with my mother reenacting at Fort Loudoun State Historic Park in Tennessee. Sleeping in a wooden barracks building and watching muskets and cannons fired can do a lot to inspire curiosity in history. Growing up later in Williamsburg, I was surrounded by history and preservation. From my time in the Fife and Drum Corps, to some fantastic history teachers in school, and parents that fed that love of history, you could say there was little chance I wouldn’t pursue historic preservation as a career. I found a perfect home in the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area in that way, matching my love of history with a passion to protect it for future generations.”

A local to this region, William Milone grew up in Alexandria’s Old and Historic District and fell in love with old places at an early age. William attended the University of Virginia (UVA) in Charlottesville, where he graduated with a Bachelors in Architectural History and a Masters of Architectural History. He lives with his wife Emily in Downtown Leesburg in a mid-19th century home.

What does historic preservation mean to you?

“To me, historic preservation- the effort to protect and interpret cultural resources in the face of visible and invisible change across society- is an imperative because it is the most socially responsible way to manage our constructed environment. Historic preservation offers people an immersive opportunity to understand their past, with physical evidence of past lives, cultures, social movements, wars, etc. to back up childhood history lessons. Preservation saves mountains of materials and energy by motivating us to reuse high-quality older buildings mostly produced with renewable, natural materials rather than replacing them with new buildings that may prove less physically durable or well-loved with time. Historic landscapes are an economic boon for local governments, and more importantly, create an irreplicable sense of place and quality of life for locals and visitors alike.”

How did you get interested in historic preservation?

“I grew up in an 1898 Queen Anne Victorian row house in the Old and Historic
District in Alexandria. For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved our old pine
floors with their rich wood grain pattern, the steep staircase with its decorative
newel posts and turned balusters, the door and window trim profiles that change
as you move up the house from floor to floor, and those wavy old window and
transom panes. My dad briefly worked in historic preservation locally and
remains involved at an advocacy level, so I was aware of the historic
preservation field from an early age. I’ve always cared deeply about historic
places and I knew I wanted to work in historic preservation just about as soon as
I realized I had the option.”

Jana Shafagoj holds a B.A. in Historic Preservation & History from Mary Washington College and a M.A. in Archaeology of Old Buildings from the University of York, UK. During her almost 30-year career, she has been lucky enough to explore, research, and preserve buildings throughout the Mid-Atlantic states and the UK. Jana accepted the Director of Preservation position at Morven Park in 2010 after being contracted by Morven Park in 2000 to determine the construction phasing of the Davis Mansion, a 6-month project, and again in 2009, to manage the Davis Mansion rehabilitation project. In her current role, Jana is responsible for the preservation of Morven Park’s historic structures and museum collections, and the interpretation of the site’s history to the public. She also manages Morven Park’s latest ground-breaking initiative, the 246 Years Project.

What does historic preservation mean to you?

“At its most basic, historic preservation is the study and protection of historic buildings. I don’t entirely agree with the word “preservation” which sounds like we are trying to stop all change and treat the building like an artifact in a museum, only to be carefully handled with white gloves. Instead, historic preservationists manage the evolution and adaptation of our built environment. As preservation professionals, we are called upon to identify the elements of each building that convey its history and must be maintained versus the ones that can be sacrificed to ensure the building’s continued relevancy to society. When properly done, historic preservation enables our historic built environment to continue to serve our community and remain a physical reminder of the community’s past for future generations. The old buildings and natural landscapes surviving within our communities allow us to subconsciously orientate ourselves in time and place, providing a sense of awe for the passage of time and a connection to our unique landscapes.”

How did you get interested in historic preservation?

“I love old houses. Ever since I was a kid, I have loved crawling around attics and cellars, looking for hidden rooms and old finishes. As I grew, this turned into a passion for understanding the evolution of our expectations for “home”. Although I appreciate buildings that have survived mostly untouched for a long time, I care more for the houses that have been shaped by each generation that called them home. Those buildings, like the Davis Mansion at Morven Park, are the ones where you find forgotten hidden spaces. That endless possibility of discovery is what I love most about this field.”

Staff Spotlight: Leadership in Preservation and Public History

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One of the most important parts about historic preservation is stewarding that love and care for history and the environment for future generations. Our Historic Preservation Director, Abigail Zurfluh, exemplifies this through her service on the inaugural Youth Advisory Council for another Loudoun County National Historic Landmark- Oatlands Historic House and Gardens!

The purpose of the Oatlands Youth Advisory Council is to advise Oatlands staff and the larger advisory council on interpretation, outreach, programming, and engagement with families, children, and young adults and professionals. The Youth Advisory Council has brought together people with multiple different backgrounds including historic preservation, art history, public history, archives and libraries, museums, and marketing. Together, they create, advise, and support the creation of new interpretive materials, programs, and more aimed at engaging families, children, and young adults and professionals with Oatlands. Finally, members of the Oatlands Youth Advisory Council will also serve as mentors to students interested in historic preservation, public history, and environmental conservation as they enter the field.

We are excited for Oatlands for this new chapter, and can’t wait to see what comes from the Youth Advisory Council!

Diving into the John Wesley Community Church Restoration Project

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In 2002, a long term capital rehabilitation and restoration project began at the John Wesley Community Church. Boots are now ready to be back on the ground in the Church this February for the final stage of this long term project! The goals of this final stage is to finish returning the building to its period of significance and to finish making historically sensitive capital improvements to the building to improve accessibility and long-term stability. As well, the Foundation aims to implement interpretive materials in the space that shares the story of the African American community of Waterford, with the involvement and support of the descendant community. This would support the long-term preservation of this integral property to the Waterford National Historic Landmark and help in sharing the history of the church and its congregation to the public.

Whether the restoration and rehabilitation project is for a house, church, mill, or barn- there is a lot of planning work involved from the decision to move forward with a restoration project to boots on the ground construction works starts. Read on below to learn more about the planning work undertaken to get to the point we are at now in the John Wesley Community Church Restoration project. 

Documentation: The Historic Structures Report

The first step in any project is to understand the full scope of it. When it comes to properties like the John Wesley Community Church, that means the production of a historic structures report (HSR). A historic structures report is a deep dive into the building to understand the totality of the property: compiling historic and archival research, documentation of the physical building from the roof to the foundation, expert evaluations of the current condition, and recommendations for work. These reports are pulled together by a team of experts from architectural historians, archaeologists, architects, and engineers. 

In 2019, the HSR for the Church was created. This HSR is what was used to determine what restoration work remained at the John Wesley Community Church in this final stage. The entire report is 150 pages and documents the Church from the foundation to the steeple through the use of historic research, expert analysis, engineering assessments, and high tech imaging including laser scans and drone images. We pass along our gratitude for the entire team of specialists who created the HSR from SmithGroup, Robinson & Associates, and TYLIN (then Silman).

Creating Architecture and Engineering Plans

After the completion of the HSR, the next step is to determine the scope of work and create architectural and engineering plans for the project. For the John Wesley Community Church, the scope of work was determined to be restoring the exterior stone retaining wall, sanctuary balcony restabilization, creation of new entry paths at both the sanctuary and basement entrances, finish work in securing the exterior envelope, finish work in preserving the original wood elements (including pews, balustrade, floors, and altar) in the sanctuary, and a plaster restoration in the sanctuary as well. We can’t thank the team at SmithGroup- Susan Pommerer, Jim Shepherd, and Chris Wood- who has worked in creating and finalizing plans with us over the past year and a half pro-bono! 

Funding Work: Grant Applications

The priorities and analysis of the John Wesley Community Church in the HSR, and further developed with architecture and engineering plans have also supported grant applications for funding for this project, including the $225,000 grant received from the Virginia Black, Indigenous, People of Color Fund managed by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

Engaging with Stakeholders and the Public

An important and integral stakeholder group of the John Wesley Community Church is the descendant community of the Church. We are so thankful for the support of the descendant community in this project: from sharing stories and images with us of the Church, writing letters of support in grant applications, providing comments and suggestions in plans, coming and sharing in design and approval meetings, assisting in plans to lead interpretation, and more! This vital restoration work would not be possible without your support! 

The public were also invited to provide comments and ask questions about the project before finalizing the plans for the Church in 2025- at the John Wesley Community Church Restoration Open House and the Waterford Foundation Annual Meeting. Thank you to everyone who came to these events, asked questions, and provided feedback!

Easement Holder Review

For properties under easement like the John Wesley Community Church, all changes within the scope of the easement have to be approved by the easement holder. For the John Wesley Community Church, the easement holder is the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (VDHR). The easement stewardship team at VDHR were engaged throughout the design process, and approved of the finalized plans. Thank you to the easement stewardship team for your support! 

Certificate of Appropriateness

The John Wesley Community Church is also within the County’s Waterford Historic and Cultural Conservation District, and therefore is subject to the guidelines of the Waterford Historic District. If a project is within the historic district boundaries and falls within the purview of the guidelines, a Certificate of Appropriateness is needed. A Certificate of Appropriateness is an official document authorizing exterior alterations (including restoration and rehabilitation work), new construction, or demolition subject to the historic district guidelines. In Loudoun County, the Historic District Review Committee issues Certificate of Appropriateness for the County’s historic districts (Aldie, Beaverdam Creek Historic Roads, Bluemont, Goose Creek, Oatlands, Taylorstown, and Waterford). A Certificate of Appropriateness was received for the Church project in January 2026. We appreciate the support of Loudoun County Planning and Zoning staff that supported us through the process of receiving a Certificate. 

Choosing a Contractor

The final piece to the puzzle for a restoration project is choosing a contractor. For projects like this, a contractor specializing in historic restorations is required. After releasing a request for bid period this past summer, Carpenter Beach Construction was chosen as the contractor for the project. We look forward to working with them again!

What comes next? Construction work (depending on weather) is slated to begin in February 2026, and the timeline shows that work will be completed by the end of 2027. During this time, we will be working in collaboration with the descendant community of the Church to create a permanent exhibit about the African American community of Waterford and the history of the John Wesley Community Church to be displayed in the Church after the project is complete.

How to follow along: We look forward to updating you regularly about the project and sharing pictures of the project on social media and in the monthly Foundation newsletter. 

Descendants of the John Wesley Community Church: sign up here to receive our descendants newsletter to get regular updates about the project and more!

How to support the project:

We can’t wait to see what comes next for the Church!

Glossary of Terms:
  • Capital Infrastructure:  large-scale physical assets to a community such as buildings, roads, bridges, and utilities
  • Conservation or Preservation Easement: a legal document between a property owner and an accepting and qualified organization or locality that aims to protect the historic, environmental, and/or cultural significance and heritage of the property. 
  • Historic District: a defined geographic area that is recognized for being historically and culturally significant to the region. Properties within this district can be (depending on locality and jurisdiction) subject to guidelines for preserving historic structures.
  • Historic Structures Report (HSR): a comprehensive document prepared for a historic structure that documents the history, architecture, current conditions, and significance to support further preservation work on the property.
  • Period of Significance: the recognized span of time where a property receives its’ historic significance
  • Rehabilitation: work that aims to preserve portions or features of a project while making the property compatible for a new use
  • Restoration: work that aims to return a building or environment to a certain period of time (period of significance)
  • Secretary of Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties: often shortened to Secretary of Interior Standards, these are the nationally recognized guidelines for historic preservation projects to follow, sorted into four categories: preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction. 
  • Stakeholder: a person or group with documented interest in a subject

What is a National Historic Landmark?

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When driving into the Village, you might have seen signs welcoming you to the Waterford National Historic Landmark. These signs are placed at the roads along the borders of the 1,420 acres that have been deemed the National Historic Landmark of Waterford, Virginia. You might have also seen a plaque on stones at various sites around the United States, including here in the Village of Waterford at the Village Green, marking the site as a National Historic Landmark. But what does that even mean?

What does “National Historic Landmark” mean?

A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a designation bestowed to places that are deemed by the Secretary of the Interior to be both (a) nationally significant in interpreting American history and/or culture and (b) possesses a high degree of historic integrity in factors such as setting, materials, craftsmanship, and feeling. It’s the highest historic designation that a place can receive- surpassing the local, state, and federal historic register designations. In short, NHLs are places that have been deemed to be incredibly preserved and integral in sharing the American story. Like the National Register of Historic Places, the program is managed by the National Park Service.

As of 2026, there are over 2,600 historic buildings, sites, structures, objects, and districts that have been designated a National Historic Landmark since the program creation in the early 1960s. Virginia alone has 126; including Mount Vernon, Monticello, Natural Bridge, Williamsburg Historic District, and of course the Waterford District. Other local NHLs you can explore include the Ball’s Bluff Battlefield, Alexandria Historic District, the General George C Marshall House, and Oatlands.

How does a National Historic Landmark get chosen?

First, the considered district, site, building, structure, or object must meet the qualifications of the NHL program. This means that the nomination must be able to exhibit and interpret American history, architecture, technology and innovation, and/or culture (this being it’s significance). The considered nomination must meet at least one of the six criteria for national significance: connected to major events in American history (EX: Ball’s Bluff), associated with individuals that have made significant contributions to American history (EX: Mount Vernon), represent a great idea or ideal of the American people, exceptional design and architectural importance (EX: Fallingwater), environmentally significant, and possesses significant archaeological potential. Secondly, the proposed nomination must also possess a high level of historic integrity (the seven aspects being location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association) to support the interpretation of the site. A district, site, building, structure, or object that meet these qualifications can be nominated to the National Historic Landmark program by being identified through theme or special studies (like women’s history, labor history, Civil War, or the American Revolution) conducted by the National Park Service; or through being nominated by other federal agencies, State Historic Preservation Officers (in Virginia, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources), and/or other historic agencies and individuals.

Once a complete nomination is received by the National Park Service, it is reviewed by the NPS and the National Park System Advisory Board. The Advisory Board is put together of national leaders in preservation and conservation. When they meet, they look over the nominations and make recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior on which nominations to become a National Historic Landmark. The Secretary of the Interior makes the final decisions in which of the nominations are accepted into the National Historic Landmark program.

Diving into the Waterford National Historic Landmark

In 1970, 1,420 acres including the historic village of Waterford and the surrounding forested area and farmland (known in the application as the Waterford Historic District) was designated a National Historic Landmark. It was one of the first nominations to include the surrounding landscape as part of the significance. The Waterford Historic District was determined to be nationally significant as an intact example of an early American rural industrial village and surrounding landscape. The preserved architecture, materials, setting, and feeling supported the application.

The Waterford Historic District went back in front of the National Park System Advisory Board in 2023 to update the Landmark designation. Between 1970 and 2023, the Landmark program was expanded and nomination documents became more in-depth. This update dived deeper into the history and architecture of the area to include more properties as significant to the Landmark, and to include the preservation story of Waterford as a period of significance as well. The Landmark nomination was officially updated in 2023; highlighting again the importance of the intact rural village and the history of the area, but as well the community led preservation movement of the area.

As stated in the 2023 updated Landmark nomination, “The Waterford Historic District is significant under National Historic Landmark Criteria 4 and 5 as an exceptionally well-preserved example of a common settlement type- an agricultural service village- that emerged in rural areas during the American market revolution of the first half of the nineteenth century, especially in grain-based farming regions like the Upland South. Though villages serving farm communities are common throughout the United States and still form much of its cultural fabric today, early forms of these agricultural villages, originating in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries and still exhibiting their architecture, setting, and layout from that era, rarely survive intact- especially without substantial later intrusions or loss of their rural settings. Waterford is exceptional for its retention of not only its village core, including its early street patterns and architecture, but also the surrounding open space and agricultural area. Waterford survives an intact agricultural service village landscape able to evoke the economic, architectural, aesthetic, and cultural patterns characteristic of America’s pre-urbanized history.

The Waterford Historic District is also nationally significant under National Historic Landmark Criterion 1, for the sustained and creative, locally-led twentieth-century historic preservation campaign that ensured its present high degree of integrity. Waterford’s remarkably intact village architecture and expansive agricultural setting survives with such high integrity due to a multipronged and intensive campaign that employed several emerging preservation approaches and a diverse set of preservation tools. Spearheaded by private citizens that, in 1943, formed the community non-profit Waterford Foundation, this decades-long collaborative effort represents a laboratory for experimental private preservation strategies that resulted in the conservation of a living landscape where most properties, unlike in a museum restoration like Colonial Williamsburg, have remained in private ownership.” (Waterford Historic District National Landmark Nomination 2023, Page Three)

Sources:
National Park Service, National Historic Landmark Program

Waterford Historic District National Historic Landmark Nomination, 2023, National Park Service: https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/702383

Waterford and the Revolution

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Imagine yourself 250 years ago as the then English colonies on the coast of North America were heading towards revolution. Do you think of Massachusetts with the Minutemen and Paul Revere; or do you think about closer to home in Williamsburg and Patrick Henry’s exclamation of “give me liberty or give me death!”? While there were no Revolutionary battles or skirmishes known here in Loudoun, its residents still found themselves involved and impacted by the events and ideas of the Revolution during the eight years of the American Revolution and beyond, including here in Waterford.

The Waterford that would have heard the news of Patrick Henry’s speech in Williamsburg looks different from the Village we know now. First off, if you were to ask someone in Loudoun where Waterford was at the time, they might be a bit confused. The name “Waterford” didn’t start appearing until later in the century. People probably knew the area as “Janney’s Mill,” based on the mill and the road leading to the Village. Many of the landmark buildings we think of here were several decades away from construction, including the John Wesley Community Church, Corner Store, and Chair Factory. The Village had a population of approximately 150, mostly made up of Quakers coming from Pennsylvania and New Jersey as those colonies were filling up, including the influential Hague, Hough, and aforementioned Janney family. Scots-Irish immigrants, merchants, and craftsmen largely made up the rest.

So what was here during the Revolutionary War? As the name suggests, Janney’s Mill was most known for milling wheat, making it part of the English colony’s breadbasket. Mahlon Janney, son of original settler Amos Janney, had built his grist mill approximately twelve years prior and had placed a dam across the Catoctin Creek to shunt water to his mill and others. His mill would have most likely been somewhere near where the Waterford Mill stands today. Later on, he would also be responsible for the construction of the Schooley Mill before selling it to the Schooley family. Another note of this area’s milling prowess comes in Francis Hague and John Hough. These two were among the first flour inspectors in Loudoun County.

Of course, to be renowned for milling, there had to be things to mill. The majority of the community surrounding Janney’s Mill were farmers. These farms were based on the English tenant-leasing system, meaning many farmers in Loudoun did not own the land they farmed. Early farmers grew cash crops of tobacco and wheat, raised livestock, as well as food for their families.

This time period also set the precedent for craft in the Village. Craft trades, namely tanning, blacksmithing, and carpentry, were growing in the Village around the mills. These early craftsmen would take in apprentices from around the area to teach their craft. An apprentice was usually a teenager who entered into a years-long contract to work and learn the trade of a certain craft before going to work on their own. Some of these apprentices would go on in future years to open their own businesses in the Village.

Something that might be similar to Waterford now is the traffic and roads coming through the Village. Roads in the county were built first to connect mills and customers. Vestal’s Gap Road, connecting Alexandria and Winchester, came right through the center of Waterford, making trade and production for the mills, craftsmen, and farms along the Catoctin Creek easier.

Now in 2025, people all over the country are preparing to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Loudoun’s committee, created in 2022 to plan the commemoration, is made up of representatives from historical and preservation organizations, historic sites, museums, libraries, Loudoun County Public Schools, Visit Loudoun, and interested incorporated towns that together represent all of Loudoun—past, present, and future. Together, the committee’s goal is to cultivate an understanding and appreciation of Loudoun’s past and a deeper investment in its future, and foster a space where everyone can see themselves in the American Revolution and how its ideas have shaped the County. Waterford connects to this story because the roots of what we know today as Waterford were laid during the years leading up to and including the American Revolution. Every resident of Waterford has grappled with what the founding principles laid out in this time period mean to them and how they can find themselves in the vast history of the region—from the original millers and farmers, Samuel C. Means and the Loudoun Independent Rangers, the John Wesley Community Church congregation, to Waterford’s preservation story starting with the ideas of Colonial Revival.

The Waterford Foundation is proud to be involved with other history and historic preservation organizations in the County to plan the commemoration of the American Revolution! Work has begun to commemorate the Revolution around the entire county. The committee has sponsored events and programs all over the county, from sign dedications, walking tours, open houses, lectures, and children’s programming, to introduce the public to life in Loudoun during the American Revolution. Activities to commemorate the American Revolution and learn more about this time period have been incorporated into this year’s Waterford Fair!

This is a continuation of a page in the Waterford Fair Booklet! If you want to learn more about the 81st Waterford Fair, check out the Fair page at waterfordfairva.orgre about the 81st Waterford Fair, check out the Fair page at waterfordfairva.org

Waterford Bingo!

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Hey parents and kids! Looking for a free and fun way to explore Waterford? Try out our new Waterford bingo! Take a walk around Waterford and keep an eye out for different parts of the trail, plants and animals, and different architectural features to get bingo!

How it Works:

  • Print out one of the themed bingo cards below, or pick them up at the Waterford Old School when the Foundation offices are open (T-F 10am-2pm)
  • Take a walk through Waterford and mark down what you see (everything on the list can be seen from the public right of way and the trails!)
  • Once you get bingo, print out a certificate (linked here) or send your bingo card to oldschool@waterfordfoundation.org to get a Waterford Adventurer certificate! You can also bring your card up to the Old School when the Foundation offices are open to get your certificate!

Bingo Cards!

Phillips Farm Trail!
Architecture (level One)!
architecture (level two)!
Plants and Animals!
Waterford Landmarks!

Happy exploring!