Loudoun’s Waterford Fair: a View into the Past

Under bright autumn skies, hundreds of vendors, craftspeople and entertainers greeted thousands of fair-goers, continuing a long tradition of historical appreciation, fine handcrafts, original art, a variety of food, and fascinating house tours..”

“Waterford is a National Historic Landmark not because of a single event that occurred here, but rather the village and its surrounding rural landscapes have been preserved as an example of everyday life in an agricultural village in the 18th and 19th centuries,” wrote Susan Sutter, president of the Waterford Foundation. “Caring for our 13 buildings and 195 protected areas of open space is a great responsibility, but one we embraceNew this year is the restored Old School Classroom Building, which was damaged by fire in 2007, when the school’s auditorium – used for indoor art exhibits -was destroyed. The “Raise the Roof” fundraising campaign is currently underway to rebuild the auditorium, but for now, a large tent is put up for the fair. “Due to the dedication of our supporters, we have raised half of the funds needed to begin rebuilding our auditorium,” notes Sutter.

This year, 12 Waterford homes were open for tours during the three-day fair, including the Hague Hough House, which was originally a stone cottage dating to 1745, but was expanded over the years. Also on the tour was “The Dormers,” which dates back to the early 19th century, and has been carefully added-to over the years by its owner.

 Re-enactments, including the Living History Program at the Second Street School and several Civil War encampments and maneuvers, highlighted the weekend. Scattered throughout the village were vintage photographs depicting Waterford in the early days of the fair, part of the Education Committee’s “A Fine Imprint” exhibits.

Even with the continuing soft economy, vendors were positive about the sales of art, furniture and accessories at the fair. One furniture maker was heard to say, “We did well with sales, and there were people who said they would get back to me after they go home and took some measurements, and I really think they will.”

The uniqueness of the village was explained by Nancy Doane, executive director of the foundation. “Typically, early centers of such robust economies led to more economic growth, which led to destruction of the old buildings and nearby pastures to accommodate pressures to expand,” she said, adding that the village suffered during the Civil War for its Northern sentiments, and was further isolated in later years when new roads bypassed the village, placing it in “a time capsule, devoid of change.”

This was a message stressed by the many docents conducting the house tours, as well. And for those who enjoy the old ways, Waterford was the place to be last weekend. For more information on future activities at Waterford, visit www.WaterfordFoundation.org