Editing Waterford, Maine (section)

==History==
[[Image:Waterford, ME from Table Rock.jpg|thumb|left|Waterford from Table Rock in 1905]]
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 [[William Phips|Sir William Phipps]] during the 1690 expedition against [[Battle of Quebec (1690)|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.<ref name=Coolidge>{{Cite book  | last = Coolidge  | first = Austin J.|author2=John B. Mansfield   | title = A History and Description of New England| publisher = A.J. Coolidge  | year = 1859| location = Boston, Massachusetts| pages = [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ/page/n381 343]–344| url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ| quote = coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859.  }}</ref>

The land was surveyed in 1774; in spring of 1775, David McWain of [[Bolton, Massachusetts]] arrived with his dog at a lot he bought for $40. He cleared land and built a [[log cabin]], returning to Bolton for two winters until he settled permanently at Waterford in spring of 1777. McWain preferred solitude, and was deeply annoyed when he first saw smoke rising about {{convert|12|mi|km}} away at [[Paris, Maine|Paris Hill]]. "Humph," he said, "I would like to know who is settling over there right under my nose!" Other grantees arrived nevertheless, most from the Massachusetts towns of Bolton, [[Harvard, Massachusetts|Harvard]], [[Stow, Massachusetts|Stow]], [[Northborough, Massachusetts|Northborough]] and [[Rowley, Massachusetts|Rowley]]. Indeed, the northwestern part of the plantation was once known as Rowley after the inhabitants' former hometown.<ref>[http://history.rays-place.com/me/waterford-me.htm George J. Varney, ''History of Waterford, Maine;'' Boston, Massachusetts 1886]</ref>

On March 2, 1797, Waterford was incorporated, with land annexed from [[Albany, Maine|Albany]] in 1811. The surface of the town is uneven and somewhat mountainous. It was well-suited for [[pasturage]] and [[orchard]]s, and [[agriculture]] became a principal occupation. [[Sawmill]]s were built at streams to manufacture the region's abundant [[timber]] into [[lumber]]. Wood products included [[window sash]]es, [[barrel|barrel staves]], salt boxes and [[bucket]]s. There was also a [[gristmill]], [[carriage]] factory and [[Tanning (leather)|tannery]]. Today, [[Waterford Flat]] is a resort area, and home to [[The Lake House (Waterford, Maine)|The Lake House]], a 1797 inn set among antique buildings listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref>[http://maine.gov/local/oxford/waterford/ Maine.gov -- Waterford, Maine]</ref>