2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 28 buildings. Below: 8 old photos and papers, maps from 1896 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1800.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Waterford’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Waterford is more historic than 90% of U.S. towns. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Waterford’s overall grade.
Maine towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Maine town has 15.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Waterford’s 224 sits above most of its state (95% of Maine towns have fewer) while its 29 historic buildings outnumber those of 81% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1797.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.9 points).
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Waterford’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The township was granted on February 24, 1774, by the Massachusetts General Court to Captain Andrew Gardner and his company of soldiers for services under Sir William Phipps during the 1690 expedition against Canada. It replaced a 1735 grant called Toddstown or Township No. 6 (now Henniker, New Hampshire), which was ruled invalid when the state line was redrawn between Massachusetts and New Hampshire in 1741.
Passages that mention Waterford, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Notes on the history of Waterford, Maine1913 · page 81Read the page →
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REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSA- CHUSETTS IN GENERAL COURT ASSEMBLED Your petitioners being a Committee appointed by the town of Waterford in the County of York — Humbly sheweth That the County line as established by the old province Law divides the Town of Waterford, leaving about one fourth part in
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Notes on the history of Waterford, Maine1913 · page 79Read the page →
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Agreeable to an Order of this Honorable Cort of the 27th of January last dyrecting the Inhabitants of the Plantation of Waterford to appear and shew cause if any they have, why the Petition of Stephen Jewett and others praying that the Plantation of Waterford might be incorporated by the name of Waterford with the exception of the three Eastermost Tears of lots might not be
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The history of Waterford, Oxford County, Maine, comprising Historical address, by Henry P. Warren1879 · page 48Read the page →
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The north-west part of Waterford was for a long time called " Rowley," and the old Lovell road from North Waterford as far as the Lovell line was called " Rowley street." The road from North Bridgton to Waterford Flat was the first built in town, probably about 1787. It ran near the old Scoggin trail from the head of the pond to the old Methodist meetinghouse, thence through what is now Waterford City
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The history of Waterford, Oxford County, Maine, comprising Historical address, by Henry P. Warren1879 · page 78Read the page →
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"Waterford, April 27, 1797. I hereby certify that I have notified and warned the inhabitants of the town of Waterford to meet at the time and place and for the purpose within mentioned, in compliance with a warrant to me directed by the Hon. Simon Fry e, Esq.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Waterford, 1797 to 2020
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1797, according to Wikidata. Waterford’s post office opened in 1800, and the first U.S. census counted 154 people here in 1790.
How does Waterford rank for history?
Waterford is more historic than 90% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Waterford?
Two places: the Waterford Historic District (listed 1980) and the McWain-Hall House (1987).
How old are the homes in Waterford?
19% of Waterford’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.9 points), against a typical 19% for a Maine town; the median home was built in 1982.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (11), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1908
c. 1930
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2014
2014
2005