Fort Edward Village Hall is located at 118 Broadway, Fort Edward NY 12828.
Phone: 518‑747‑4023.
Since before the days of its recorded history, Fort Edward was a vital link in northeastern New York's transportation network and the last and northernmost navigable point along the Hudson River. It was here that the Native American overland route (or portage) to Lake George, Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River north to Montreal began. Later, it was recognized by the European settlers — the Dutch, the French and the English — as a strategic and critical trading and transportation route between Albany and Montreal. This early route paved the way for the development of additional types of transportation systems that would include the Champlain Canal, rail systems, trolley service and a prominent system of highways developed throughout the 20th century.
Beginnings [1]
The village received its name from the fortifications on the west side of the Hudson River and opposite the site of the village. These were constructed by Colonel Miller. The credit for the early development of the place is given to Judge William Duer, whose influence brought many settlers. He purchased a tract of land, including the falls, in 1768, and put up a gristmill. Afterwards he put up snuff mills and a powder mill.
The pioneer stores at Fort Miller were those of Ashbel Meacham, Jesse Patrick, and Thomas Carpenter.
The village of Fort Edward was incorporated in 1849. Frederick D. Hodgeman served as the first president. The first manufacturing carried on at Fort Edward was by Timothy Eddy, who erected and conducted a cloth mill. Through a series of successive owners, the mill became a paper mill, one of the premier businesses in the area. The first saw mill was erected by M. Wheeler and J. Martin about 1822. The first grist mill was built about 1824 by D. W. Wing, S. B. Cook and John McIntyre. In 1845 a number of men of the village organized to form the Fort Edward Manufacturing Company, whose object was to promote manufacturing in the village. By 1900 the principal industries were a paper company, a Shirt and Waist factory, a Brewing Company, and a Pottery Works.
The Fort Edwards Waterworks Company was incorporated in 1845. The first post office was opened in 1800 with James Rogers as postmaster. [Note: later in the same chapter on Fort Edward [1], the following appears: "The post office was established in 1815. S. G. Bragg was the first postmaster."] The village was connected with Glens Falls and Sandy Hill by the Glens Falls, Sandy Hill and Fort Edward Street Railroad. A trolley also connected it to Greenwich, Schuylerville, Troy, and Albany.
A Reformed Church was organized in 1822 with Reverend Philip Duryea as pastor. A Presbyterian church was organized in 1853 with Reverend A. G. Cochrane as pastor.