The village of Waterloo developed along both sides of the Rappahannock River in the mid-19th century with stores, warehouses, and two woolen factories. The settlement was the terminus of a canal system that transported goods to and from Fredericksburg, and the first bridge here was built in 1851. During the Civil War, the crossing changed hands several times, and Union forces burned the woolen factories, which produced uniforms for Confederate troops. In 1878, an iron Pratt through-truss bridge was installed on stone piers. Rehabilitated in 2020-21, it is the oldest metal truss bridge in service in Virginia.
