Phillips Farm

The 19th-century buildings and unspoiled rural character of Waterford, Virginia have qualified the entire town as a National Historic Landmark. But this historic ambience was threatened when a developer purchased 144 acres of historic Phillips Farm for the construction of fourteen houses. Led by the local Waterford Foundation, residents rallied in defense of the town’s special character. TPL secured an option to purchase the land, and the foundation began an effort to raise its $3.9 million purchase price. In December 2003, Waterford’s nineteenth-century schoolhouse rang with the voices of children singing “America the Beautiful” as the community celebrated the reaching of its fundraising goal and protecting the farm.