Waterford is a town in Oxford County, incorporated on March 2, 1797 from Waterford Plantation. The Artemis Ward house commemorates the birthplace of Charles Farrar Browne, the 19th century humorist better known under his pen name. Settled in 1775, the town has been known for its orchards and small wood products businesses. The community features three villages. North Waterford, at the junction of Routes 35 and 118, is home to the town's fairgrounds. This general store provides gas and basic groceries. The North Waterford Congregational Church, a historic structure, rests pleasantly on a hill on Green Street, just off Route 35. The main village lies on the shore of Keoka Lake, and State Routes 35, 37 and 118 provide easy access to lakesides, and to the larger communities to the south. Waterford features a nationally recognized historic district that incorporates the Town Common surrounded by late 18th- and early 19th-century structures. Many summer camps for young people dot the countryside and lakefronts, which include McWain Pond, Bear Pond and Mud Pond.