Waterford is a
town in
Saratoga County,
New York, United States. The population was 8,208 at the 2020 census.[1] The name of the town is derived from its principal village, also called
Waterford. The town is located in the southeast corner of Saratoga County and north-northwest of
Troy at the junction of the
Erie Canal and the
Hudson River.
History
The village of Waterford is the oldest incorporated village in the United States, having been incorporated in 1794 before the town was formed. Waterford has been host to "Canal Fest" and "Tugboat Roundup" celebrations for many years.[citation needed]
The town of Waterford was formed from the town of
Halfmoon in 1816.
Industrial revolution
During the
industrial revolution, Waterford became a desirable location for manufacturing due to its position at the confluence of the
Hudson River and
Mohawk River, as well as the
Champlain Canal and
Erie Canal and three railroad lines.[2] Fortunes were made here by industrialists such as the brothers Hugh and Canvas White, the Knickerbocker, Kavanaugh, Button, Breslin, and King families.[2] The Eddy family was a major influence on the area; Isaac Newton Eddy established the Franklin Ink Works, manufacturer of printing inks, in 1831.[2] His son George Washington Eddy established the Hudson and Mohawk Foundry, which produced stoves, iron castings, and steam car wheels.[2] Another son
Oliver Tarbell Eddy was a painter and inventor of an early typewriter.[2]
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 7.4 square miles (19.2 km2), of which 6.6 square miles (17.0 km2) is land and 0.9 square mile (2.2 km2) (11.59%) is water.[citation needed]
As of the 2010 census, there were 8,423 residents of the Town of Waterford. The racial makeup of the town was 94.8% White, 1.3% African-American, 0.1% Native American, and 1.5% Asian; in addition, 1.8% of residents were Hispanic or Latino.[10]
Communities and locations in the town of Waterford
Northside – Actually the south side of the town of Waterford. The name may be derived from its location on the north side of the Mohawk River. Northside may also derive its name from at one time being served by the "northside" part of the Cohoes Post Office (e.g. 123 Any Street, Northside, Cohoes, NY).[citation needed] After around 1960, all of Waterford was served by the Waterford Post Office.
The Saratogian, "Early History of Waterford", Our county and its people: A descriptive and biographical record of Saratoga County, New York. Boston: The Boston History Company, 1899, reproduced on Rays Place website