But every cloud has its silver lining. Waterford's stagnation as a commercial center meant it was not worth demolishing the old to make way for the new. The old town and its surrounding farms were able to slumber undisturbed, like Rip Van Winkle, for many years.

Many of the buildings in the village appear as they do today because of those decades of neglect, when few residents could afford to modernize or replace their homes. World War I and the Depression led to further decline.

In the 1930's people began buying and restoring houses. To complement the renovation of derelict structures, the Waterford Foundation was formed in 1943. Their aim was and still is to preserve and protect the Historic Landmark and to help people learn about the history and preservation of the area. The Foundation works to shape the pace, scale, and design of surrounding development. Beginning in 1943, the Foundation started an annual homes tour and arts and crafts festival which every October attracts 30,000 visitors during the three day event.

All is not old in Waterford. The Good House and The Cranch House are two fine examples of how to build a new house that fits into a historic setting.

[The properties pictured are representative of those in Waterford and are not necessarily for sale. Click on the photos to open a window with a larger photo.]

The Good House
The builder of this 1995 home and its barn used local architectural elements to harmonize them with their older neighbors. The stone foundation, white weatherboard siding, and metal roof all appear in many 19th-century structures in the village. The Good House exemplifies "history-friendly construction" in a National Historic District.

The Cranch House
This newer addition to Waterford-built in the 1990s-harmonizes with its older neighbors. Like many of the earliest dwellings, it is brick laid up in a Flemish bond with a mousetooth cornice on the front elevation and five-course American bond on the sides. The curving brick stoop recalls the one on the Edward Dorsey house on the Big Hill. To the rear is a frame wing clad in German siding. It replaced a house that burned early in the twentieth century.

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