▁the ▁Qu akers ▁remained ▁loyal ▁to ▁the ▁Union ▁throughout ▁the ▁war . ▁Water ford ▁was ▁the ▁scene ▁of ▁a ▁fier ce ▁fight ▁between ▁the ▁county ' s ▁Union ist ▁and ▁Confeder ate ▁part isan ▁units , ▁the ▁L oud oun ▁R angers ▁and ▁White ' s ▁Reb els , ▁respectively . ▁ ▁In ▁those ▁days , ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁home ▁for ▁mostly ▁Qu akers ▁who ▁helped ▁slaves ▁escape ▁to ▁the ▁North . ▁ ▁Water ford ▁today ▁ ▁After ▁falling ▁into ▁dis rep air ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁the ▁Water ford ▁Foundation ▁was ▁formed ▁to ▁help ▁save ▁and ▁preserve ▁Water ford ▁and ▁its ▁history . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁the ▁Water ford ▁Foundation ▁helped ▁create ▁an ▁innov ative ▁land ▁pres ervation ▁program ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁historic ▁properties ▁of ▁Water ford ▁are ▁protected ▁through ▁open ▁space ▁and ▁fa ç ade ▁eas ements . ▁More ▁than ▁ 6 0 ▁eas ements ▁have ▁been ▁granted . ▁ ▁The ▁town ▁today ▁is ▁largely ▁resident ial , ▁although ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁business es ▁are ▁based ▁in ▁the ▁village . ▁The ▁L oud oun ▁Mut ual ▁In sur ance ▁Company ▁has ▁been ▁located ▁in ▁Water ford ▁since ▁ 1 8 4 9 . ▁ ▁National ▁Historic ▁Land mark ▁The ▁village ▁was ▁listed ▁as ▁a ▁Virginia ▁Historic ▁Land mark ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁Water ford ▁and ▁a ▁significant ▁portion ▁of ▁its ▁surrounding ▁coun tr ys ide ▁was ▁declared ▁a ▁National ▁Historic ▁Land mark ▁in ▁ 1 9