Uncategorized

O’Mara, Kade

Eldara Origins

Jewelry

My art is rooted in history and the natural world around us. As a traditional silversmith, I create handcrafted jewelry using centuries old techniques and artistry. Most of my projects include repousse, etching, sand casting, and traditional chain work.

Much like the world around us, my work emphasizes the beauty of the asymmetrical and unique. When I create my pieces I want to make something of the utmost craftsmanship, elegance, and a one of a kind piece of art you can wear.

Instagram

2025 Fine Art Judge Jordan Xu

We are pleased to announce that portrait painter Jordan Xu will be judging our fine art entries this year!

Jordan began studying portrait painting at the Art League School in historic Alexandria, Virginia in 2002. Over the years, he has developed a distinctive style that combines classical realism with vibrant colors and broad, expressive brushwork. His award-winning works have been exhibited in galleries and institutions including the Alexandria Art League Gallery, Cooley Gallery, Artsquare Gallery, and the USDA building, and have been featured in online publications such as City Lifestyle Magazine.

Portraiture remains Jordan’s primary focus, as he is fascinated by the human spirit. He strives to capture the story, joy, affections, fear, anger, and all the qualities that make us human. He also enjoys depicting people in their “natural habitat,” whether it’s their favorite room, sport, book, or travel destination.

In addition to painting, Jordan is an avid musician, playing violin and banjo. He has also created a series of portraits of musicians, from bluegrass jams to concert performances.

His work can be viewed at jordanxu.com.

A Brief History of Waterford

Waterford was settled in 1733 by Amos Janney, a Quaker from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Janney was soon followed by others and Waterford became the thriving center of a community of small farms. Because the Quakers were grain farmers, a grist mill was very important to them, and the first settlement included a mill near the site of the present structure with a few houses clustered nearby. The settlement that would become Waterford grew around Janney’s Mill. From the 1760s onward, Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists would also establish a presence here.

A few residents took part in the Revolutionary War; surprisingly, not all Quakers who saw service contrary to the Quaker principles on nonviolence were read out of Meeting. After the Revolution, Waterford grew rapidly with a wide variety of businesses, and by the 1830s, Joseph Martin’s Gazeteer wrote:

“Waterford contains 70 dwelling houses, 2 houses of public worship, 1 free for all denominations, the other a Friends’ meeting house, 6 mercantile stores, 2 free schools, 4 taverns, a manufacturing flour mill, and 1 saw, grist and plaister mill, and (in the vicinity) 2 small cotton manufactories. The mechanics are 1 tanner, 2 house joiners, 2 cabinet makers, 1 chair maker and painter, 1 boot and shoe manufacturer, 2 hatters, 1 tailor, &c. Population about 400 persons, of whom 2 are regular physicians.”

Villagers even produced Shakepeare plays for local audiences.

The Quakers were joined by Scotch-Irish craftsmen from Pennsylvania who were responsible for much of the construction of the village.

While some early residents were slaveholders, the fact that Waterford had a thriving antebellum free Black community was unusual for pre-Civil War Virginia. Waterford’s Quaker roots and the abolitionist sentiments of most Quakers may have encouraged Black settlement here.

By the time of the Civil War, most Waterfordians strongly opposed secession, a stand extremely unpopular among the majority in Loudoun County. For most of the war, the Waterford area was a no-man’s land that neither Federals nor Confederates were able to control for long. As a result of Confederate harassment, miller Samuel Means formed the Independent Loudoun Rangers, the only organized cavalry troop in Virginia to fight for the Union.

In 1871, the railroad was extended from Leesburg to Clarke’s Gap (where Routes 7 and 9 meet) thus bypassing Waterford. The philosophical isolation so obvious during the war was succeeded by a geographic isolation as commercial centers easily reached by rail took business away from Waterford. By the time of the Depression, many of the buildings had deteriorated badly. In the 1930s, brothers Edward and Leroy Chamberlin, descendants of several old Waterford families, began to restore buildings in town and, in 1943, the Waterford Foundation was formed. This provided an impetus for residents, old and new, to work to preserve the village.

Today, Waterford’s buildings and rolling fields look much as they did 200 years ago. The village is a Loudoun County Historic and Cultural Conservation District. In 1970, the entire village with the farmland surrounding it was designated a National Historic Landmark.

The Pink House

40174 Main Street

Open on Friday: 10am to 5pm

In 1825, Lewis Klein opened this building as a “house of entertainment” —a tavern. He had purchased the lot from Quaker William Hough about 1815 for $80. Like many of its neighbors on Main Street, it was designed for mixed use—a store or other business below and a residence above. It therefore had no interior staircase between the first and second floors until a 1950s modernization.

The present large downstairs room was built as two rooms with a central corridor; it has seen many uses over the years. After serving as a tavern the space became variously an apothecary and hardware store. In the 1880s the building was the home and office of Dr. G. E. Connell, an enterprising physician. He introduced the telephone to the village in 1884 and charged customers ten cents to call Clark’s Gap, three miles distant at the other end of the line. A side addition was used as a barbershopin the early 20^th century. In the early 1950s, a new owner painted the house the color “of the setting sun on Waterford brick.” The paint was meant to slow weathering of the soft brick; it has been repainted in other shades since. The Pink House later was a popular bed and breakfast destination.

The present garden area has seen a succession of buildings over the past 200 years, including blacksmith and wheelwright shops and a succession of stores. A town hall and auditorium occupied the loft area of a large stable on the site. One of these shops stood where the new stone kitchen now stands. At least one of them served briefly as a residence. During an exceptionally rainy period with water pouring down the hill, a tenant joked, “I have the most modern house in Waterford— running water in every room!”

The Pink House is open through the courtesy of Isaac Johnson and Jeff Darrah.

Joseph Janney House

40154 Main Street

Open on Saturday: 10am to 5pm

Built in the 1790s on land subdivided by Joseph Janney, whose family founded Waterford in 1733, this two-story log home reflects the post-Revolutionary growth of the village. Originally a one-and-a-half-story hewn log structure over a stone ground floor, it was soon raised to a full two stories. Though made of logs, the house was never intended as a rustic cabin; clapboard siding gave it a more refined appearance, in keeping with regional building trends.

A narrow two-room wing was added around 1835, likely as a separate dwelling. Early construction methods are evident throughout, from pegged rafter joinery to steep, space-saving staircases. The home offers a rare look at vernacular architecture adapted to meet the evolving needs of a growing commercial town.

The Joseph Janney House is open through the courtesy of owners The Samide Family.

Suerdieck, Rebecca

Perrin Cottage Perfumery

Mixed Media

Living Historian Demonstrating Natural Perfumery

Rebecca Suerdieck specializes in recreating and demonstrating traditional skills from past times.

Little by little, her research and experiments have continued, as she created a unique niche for herself: the production of all-natural fragrances from flowers. This technique was in common use by Virginia women during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

She leads Garden Distilling Demonstrations and hosts workshops on Natural Perfumery, singing the praises of “floral waters” to anyone who will listen.

Rebecca is also a Living Historian and Guest Lecturer on many Subjects. She enjoys exploring the different aspects of her research with self-initiated projects.

Perrin Cottage Perfumery Website

rebeccasuerdieck.com

Fair Updates…

The 81st Waterford Fair is just a few months away! As we finalize plans for another spectacular weekend, don’t miss your chance to support this treasured event.

Many Ways to Get Involved!

Become a Sponsor or Donor: Support the Fair by becoming a booklet page donor or a business sponsor. Every contribution helps make the Fair possible!
Volunteer: Now’s the perfect time to sign up for one or more of over 400 available shifts. From guiding visitors to assisting artisans, there’s a role for everyone! Follow this link for more information.
Be a Homestay Host: Be a vital part of Fair history by opening your home to host a visiting artisan for the weekend. It’s a unique and rewarding experience! Complete this quick form and we will be in touch.
Join or Renew Your Membership: Remember the special Waterford Fair benefits for Waterford Foundation members! Join or renew now to ensure you receive your complimentary tickets and invitations to exclusive Fair events.

Member & Village Resident Tickets: Important Update!

Fair tickets are now on sale to the general public! Please share the ticket link with friends and family. Below, you’ll find important information about our new ticket process for your complimentary ticket(s).

As always, you will receive complimentary ticket(s) to this year’s event. Please note these important changes:

No discount code is needed this year. Tickets will be issued directly to Foundation members and village residents via email during the first week of September. They’ll be sent to the primary email address associated with your membership or household.
You will still need to print the e-ticket or show the ticket QR code to receive your “hanging tag” Fair ticket. You can redeem your e-ticket at the Welcome Tent or any of the three gates during Fair weekend.
If you do not receive your ticket email by Tuesday, September 9, please contact the office for assistance at 540-882-3018 x 0 or [email protected].

We can’t wait to see you there!

Fair Map