"Waterford is the eighth largest city of the nine incorporated cities in Stanislaus County, California, United States. The population was 6,924 at the 2000 census, but is believed to number over 9,000 today. It is part of the Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Trivia
The city received its first stoplight in 2001 at the intersection of Yosemite Blvd. and Reinway Ave.
A second stoplight was installed at the intersection of Yosemite Blvd. and "F" Street/Hickman Rd.
The founder of Waterford, W.W. Baker, from which the original city got its name Bakersville, can be found buried miles east of Waterford in the Roberts Ferry Cemetery just off Yosemite Blvd. Mr. Baker came to Waterford from his native Arkansas.
The city's only known visit by a U.S. President occurred when then Congressman Richard M. Nixon made a quick campaign visit during the 1950 election for U.S. Senate. On May 10, 1950, Fager and Ted Brooks were cutting hair inside the Waterford Barber Shop which was located in what is now a vacant lot next to the floral shop on Bentley Street. Fager recalls the heavy-jowled Nixon walk through the door with others, introduced himself and handed them campaign literature and asked for their vote. “I don’t remember anything particular about Nixon, only that he seemed friendly,” Fager recalled. “I admired him at the time for making an effort to visit such a little town as Waterford.”
Other celebrities who have visited include Slim Pickens (who bought some nails at the hardware store), future California Lieutenant Gov. John Garamendi (rode in the 1980 Western Heritage Day Parade), actors Richard Kiel and Daniel Roebuck, and country western singers Hal Ketcham and Hank Thompson, who performed at Big Bear Park-waterslides (no longer open).
The first mayor of Waterford was the late Richard Moon. The current mayor is William Broderick-Villa (2006 through present).
Waterford once was home to Big Bear Park, a waterslide and RV park. However, the park was sold by the Bearden family for development of River Pointe, a gated community developed by Kimball Hills and Grupe development companies." (
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