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History

Waterford Borough lies at the head of Lake LeBoeuf, where the French fort of 1753 was located. LeBoeuf is one of the three inland lakes in the county. Prior to the establishment of Erie County, the area played an active part in the great struggle for the New World between the French, their Indian allies and the British.

In 1794 the town was surveyed and laid out. The town of Erie was laid out the following year using the same plan. Waterford was sectioned into rectangular blocks arranged in a grid pattern, with a town square at the intersection of the two principal streets. The grid was rotated 25 degrees from true north. This was done to follow the land route of the French trail from Erie to the waters of Lake LeBoeuf and French Creek. This overland portage route continued to be the route used during the heyday of the salt trade - from 1800 to 1819 - until the improved Waterford Turnpike (Route 19) was completed in 1809. Stores, mills, taverns, a post office, various service-related businesses and a hotel soon were built and conducting a lively business. A stagecoach line began regular service between Erie and Pittsburgh and by 1826 it made three trips a week each way. Stagecoach passengers disembarking at the hotel was a regular occurrence. The town came to the nation's attention when in 1825 the Marquis de Lafayette stayed overnight at Reed's Tavern on his way to Erie for a banquet in his honor. More than 45 years earlier, Lafayette had proven to be a brave officer and a true friend to the fledgling country in its fight for independence.
In 1826 the Eagle Hotel was built to accommodate this lively traffic. 

The hamlet was well on its way to a community of great importance and in 1833 was incorporated as a borough. Another visitor of national importance was Zachary Taylor during his brief presidential administration.
But, Waterford saw a decline in its importance during the Erie Extension Canal era (1844-1871), when passengers and freight moved easily and at an inexpensive rate between Beaver and Erie on a route in the western part of the county. The Erie - Waterford Plank Road was laid out during the 1850's, which did little to revive the water route trade of French Creek. Waterford continued to be regarded as an important military location, however, when the headquarters for northwestern Pennsylvania was established here at the beginning of the Civil War.

By 1900 employment opportunities as well as population had declined somewhat. The community and surrounding township stabilized as an agricultural area with potato farming, dairy and cattle production growing in importance.

Three significant dates indicate the importance of the community's history to its residents. The first is 1922 when the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) dedicated a statue of George Washington, erecting it in the middle of High Street (Route 19) near the Eagle Hotel. It is the only know statue of Washington in a British uniform. 

About 1948, due to increased traffic, it was moved to the grounds on the south side of the Eagle Hotel.
The second date was 1973 when a group of history-minded residents organized the Fort LeBoeuf Historical Society. Their purpose was to preserve and restore the historical legacy of the area. Their tangible evidence of this was to purchase the old Eagle Hotel and restore it to its former glory. Since its purchase in 1977, it has been restored and is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. Today it is in operation as a restaurant and has two dedicated rooms available on the second floor. The Society meets in the historic Amos Judson House, built in 1820, across the street from the hotel. Judson operated the Eagle Hotel from 1842 to 1853. The Society administers this house and the George Washington Statue for the PHMC.

The third date was 1990 when Waterford became a national recognized Historic District. Today the borough retains its early character and charm and its historic significance in the county is widely acclaimed. The stories of those early forts and the visit of George Washington are aptly told at the Fort LeBoeuf Museum, which is administered for the PHMC by Edinboro University. The Eagle Hotel still serves visitors as well as local residents; and the Town Square, long used for public events, games and demonstrations, continues to be the focal point for such events as the community's "Heritage Days" each July.