Margaretville Village Hall is located at 77 Church Street, Margaretville NY 12455.
Phone: 845‑586‑4418.
Margaretville Village was incorporated in May, 1875.
Beginnings [1]
Margaretville is located on the East Branch of the Delaware, at the foot of Mount Pakatakan, a lofty verdure crowned peak of the Catskills, and near the center of the Town of Middletown. It was named in honor of the daughter of Governor Morgan Lewis, who at one time owned the tract of land by inheritance from her mother. Her mother was a daughter of Chancellor Livingston. At the time of the Revolution, Livingston was the owner of all this section of the country. The first settler on the site of the village was Ignos Dumond in 1784. He sold the land to a Mr. Tompkins who built the first saw mill. Tompkins sold to Jephtha Seager and Solomon Scott.
In 1843 Margaretville contained three buildings — a saw mill, mill house, and the house of Solomon Scott, the father of the venerable Methodist minister Russell S. Scott and grandfather of S. F. Scott. The mill house was a frame building enclosed with plank. The first hotel was built by David Ackerley (Ackerly) in 1844. It was enlarged by his son J. B. Ackerley in 1871, and again in 1883 and fitted for the accommodation of city boarders.
The first store was kept in the office of Dr. O. M. Allaben. The Doctor and the Reverend Ananias Ackerley, his partner, conducted business here. In 1847 a larger store was built on the corner opposite the Ackerley hotel and it was occupied in 1849 by Burhans & Decker. Mr. Decker continues business there until 1855 when he built a more commodious store nearer to his house. In 1876 he sold the business to his son-in-law, Orson A. Swart.
In 1863 a weekly newspaper called the Utilitarian was launched by Dr. Allaben. The doctor edited the paper for 5 years when he sold it to A. R. Henderson and H. T. Becker.
When the village was incorporated in 1875 Dr. Smith W. Reed was elected president, and A. Olmstead, G. G. Decker, and A. P. Carpenter trustees.
By 1898 Margaretville had 3 churches, four lawyers, several doctors, and a common school. A Water Company was established in 1885. In 1887 and shortly thereafter two fire companies were formed, Excelsior Hook and Ladder and Pakatakan Hose Company. A state bank was organized in 1891.
By 1898 Margaretville's popularity was growing as a summer resort. In 1896, Margaretville native John Grant was elected as the youngest member of the New York State Senate.