Waterford Historical District

Just down the street from the crystal company was the river and port and the old town. We'd seen the 11th-12th century tower on the way in, but were astonished and gratified to see much more...

I should observe here that Thomas Francis Meagher (pronounced
Marr) was the first governor of territorial Montana (our home
state); he was a leader of the Irish rebellion in 1848...

But caught and sentenced to death; the sentence was commuted
to life at a penal colony in Tasmania ("G'day, mate!")

But wait, there's more...he escaped the penal colony and made
his way to the US, studied law, enlisted in the Union Army,
helped organize the Irish Brigade, led it as a Brigadier General
into a number of famous Civil War battles and campaigns...

Was not known for his military skill or leadership (it was a time
when no one in the eastern portion of the Union Army was known
for military skill or leadership; only Grant, in the west); left the
army to become first secretary, then governor, of the new Territory
of Montana--a statue much like this stands in front of the Montana
Capitol--and then, shortly after antagonizing practically every
constituency in the new territory, either fell or was pushed,
apparently drunk, off a river boat into the Missouri River, near Ft.
Benton; his body was never recovered;  sic transit, Gloria...right
here in Waterford...

As I said, we noticed the Viking tower en route to the crystal
thing

Thus, 11th-12th century

Replica Viking ship

Me, in fierce replica Viking mode

Waterford must have had a great lecture series back then...