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History of Glens Falls, New York, USA
Journey back in time to Glens Falls, New York, USA
(Glenn's Falls)
Visit Glens Falls, New York, USA. Discover its history. Learn about the people who lived there through stories, old newspaper articles, pictures, postcards and genealogy.
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Glens Falls, Warren, New York, USA
As a halfway point between Fort Edward and Fort William Henry, the falls was the site of several battles during the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. The then-hamlet was mostly destroyed by fire twice during the latter conflict, forcing the Quakers to abandon the settlement until the war ended in 1783. Fire also ravaged the village in 1864, 1884, and 1902.
The area was originally called Chepontuc (Iroquois; "difficult place to get around"), also referred to as the "Great Carrying Place," but was renamed "The Corners" by European-American settlers. In 1766 it was renamed Wing's Falls for Abraham Wing – the leader of the group of Quakers who established the permanent settlement – and for the falls on the Hudson River. Wing's claim to the name of the falls and the hamlet was transferred to Colonel Johannes Glen of Schenectady in 1788, either on collection of a debt, as a result of a game of cards, or in exchange for hosting a party for mutual friends, depending on which local legend is believed. Colonel Glen changed the name to "Glen's Falls," though it was often printed with varying spelling such as "Glenn's," or "Glens". The spelling "Glens Falls" came to be the common usage.
A post office was established in 1808. Glens Falls became an incorporated village in 1839, and was re-incorporated in 1874 and 1887, expanding the village to what would become the city limits when the city charter was granted by the state legislature in 1908, at which time the city became independent from the town of Queensbury.
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There is MUCH more to discover about Glens Falls, New York, USA. Read on!
- General Henry Knox and his troops passed through here in the winter of 1775-76 with a load of 59 cannons pulled by teams of oxen.
The cannons were captured from the British at Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point. They were transported from Lake Champlain to Dorchester Heights, Massachusetts and used by George Washington's army on March 17, 1776 (Evacuation Day) to free Boston from British control during the American...Read MORE... - 1854 - Glenn's Falls
Glenn's Falls, a thriving post-village of Warren county. New York, on the Hudson river, about 60 miles N. from Albany. It contains churches for the Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists, 2 banks, 1 or 2 academies, 2 newspaper offices, and several factories. The river is crossed by a bridge at...Read MORE... 
1869 - A few days ago, George Frost, of Lansingburg, N. Y., walked to Glens Falls, N. Y. and back, a distance of 104 miles,
in twenty-three hours and forty-five minutes, arriving in Lansingburgh at 12 o'clock noon, not all that tired. He finished the day working at his trade.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
May 29, 1869- 1871 - Queensbury and Glens Falls
QUEENSBURY was incorporated by patent as a township, May 20, 1762, and embraced 2,300 acres. It was reorganized as a town March 13, 1786. Luzerne was taken off in 1792, and a part of Caldwell in 1810. A strip of territory one mile wide was taken from Luzerne and added to this town in 1802. It lies...Read MORE... - 1890 - THE BRIDGE GAVE WAY. TWO LIVES LOST, TWO PERSONS INJURED, AND TWO MEN MISSING.
Troy, N.Y., March 15. - At about 10:30 o'clock this morning the Queensbury span of the old Queensbury-Moreau Bridge at Glens Falls fell into the Hudson River, carrying down the workmen who were upon it. The bridge was being demolished for the purpose of constructing an iron bridge, and only the...Read MORE... - 1895 - Glens Falls
Glens Falls, or Glenn’s Falls, a post-village in Queensbury township, Warren co., N.Y., on the Hudson River, and on a branch of the Rensselaer & Saratoga Railroad (connecting with the main line at Fort Edward), 60 miles by rail N. of Albany, 22 miles S.S.W. of Whitehall, 18 miles N.N.E. of Saratoga ...Read MORE... 
Hotel Ruliff and Empire Theatre
Postcard
Paper Mills, a Busy Industry, Glens Falls N.Y.
Postcard
View on Glen Street, Glens Falls, N.Y.
Postcard
Glens Falls Insurance Building, Glens Falls, N.Y.
Postcard
Christ M.E. Church and Parsonage
Postcard
Glens Falls, N.Y. Municipal Building, 1907
Postcard- 1909 - LAKE GEORGE LOSES HOTEL. THE FORT WILLIAM HENRY, THE LARGEST RESORT IN ADIRONDACK REGION, TOTALLY DESTROYED.
(By United Press.)
Glens Falls, N. Y., June 24. - The Fort William Henry Hotel, the largest resort on Lake George and the Adirondack region, was destroyed by fire early this morning, with a loss of half a million dollars. The great structure was entirely consumed one hour after the blaze was...Read MORE... 
Glen Falls, N.Y., Finch-Pruyne & Co.'s New Paper Mill
Postcard
Glens Falls, N.Y. Halfway Brook, Crandell Park
Postcard- 1912 - AIRMAN HURLED INTO BARN.
Spaulding Hurt When Biplane Is Wrecked at Glens Falls
Special to The New York Times.
GLENS FALLS, July 4. - Ira D. Spaulding, an aviator of Brattleboro, Vt., while giving an exhibition for the Clawson & Hamilton Aviation Company at League Park at Glens Falls this afternoon, was badly hurt when...Read MORE... - 1916
Glens Falls, a banking post-village of Warren co., N.Y., on the Hudson River and on the Delaware and Hudson R., 61 miles N. of Albany. The river here falls about 50 feet and presents picturesque scenery. The manufactures comprise shirts and collars, paper and pulp, flour, cigars, brick and...Read MORE... 
Coopers Cave
Postcard
High School
Postcard
Hudson River Falls, Glens Falls, N.Y.
Postcard
Presbyterian Church
Postcard
St. Mary's Church
Postcard
Post Office
Postcard
St. Mary's Academy
Postcard
Commodore Restuarant
Postcard
Old Photos, Pictures, Advertisements and Postcards from Glens Falls, New York, USA
Glens Falls, New York, USA
Postcard
 - Hotel Ruliff and Empire Theatre)
Hotel Ruliff and Empire Theatre
Glens Falls, New York, USA
Postcard
 - Paper Mills, a Busy Industry, Glens Falls N.Y.)
Paper Mills, a Busy Industry, Glens Falls N.Y.
Glens Falls, New York, USA
Postcard
 - View on Glen Street, Glens Falls, N.Y.)
View on Glen Street, Glens Falls, N.Y.
Glens Falls, New York, USA
Postcard
 - Glens Falls Insurance Building, Glens Falls, N.Y.)
Glens Falls Insurance Building, Glens Falls, N.Y.
Glens Falls, New York, USA
Postcard
 - Christ M.E. Church and Parsonage)
Christ M.E. Church and Parsonage
Glens Falls, New York, USA
Postcard
 - Glens Falls, N.Y. Municipal Building, 1907)
Glens Falls, N.Y. Municipal Building, 1907
Glens Falls, New York, USA
Postcard
 - Glen Falls, N.Y., Finch-Pruyne & Co.'s New Paper Mill)
Glen Falls, N.Y., Finch-Pruyne & Co.'s New Paper Mill
Glens Falls, New York, USA
Postcard
 - Glens Falls, N.Y. Halfway Brook, Crandell Park)
Glens Falls, N.Y. Halfway Brook, Crandell Park
Glens Falls, New York, USA
Postcard
 - Coopers Cave)
Coopers Cave
Glens Falls, New York, USA
Postcard
 - High School)
High School
Glens Falls, New York, USA
Postcard
 - Hudson River Falls, Glens Falls, N.Y.)
Hudson River Falls, Glens Falls, N.Y.
Glens Falls, New York, USA
Postcard
 - St. Mary's Church)
St. Mary's Church
Glens Falls, New York, USA
Postcard
 - Presbyterian Church)
Presbyterian Church
Glens Falls, New York, USA
Postcard
 - Post Office)
Post Office
Glens Falls, New York, USA
Postcard
 - St. Mary's Academy)
St. Mary's Academy
Glens Falls, New York, USA
Postcard
 - Commodore Restuarant)
Commodore Restuarant
History, News and Stories of Glens Falls, New York, USA
Add History/News/Story-
General Henry Knox and his troops passed through here in the winter of 1775-76 with a load of 59 cannons pulled by teams of oxen.
The cannons were captured from the British at Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point. They were transported from Lake Champlain to Dorchester Heights, Massachusetts and used by George Washington's army on March 17, 1776 (Evacuation Day) to free Boston from British control during the American... Read MORE...
-
1854 - Glenn's Falls
Glenn's Falls, a thriving post-village of Warren county. New York, on the Hudson river, about 60 miles N. from Albany. It contains churches for the Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists, 2 banks, 1 or 2 academies, 2 newspaper offices, and several factories. The river is crossed by a bridge at... Read MORE...
1869 - A few days ago, George Frost, of Lansingburg, N. Y., walked to Glens Falls, N. Y. and back, a distance of 104 miles,
in twenty-three hours and forty-five minutes, arriving in Lansingburgh at 12 o'clock noon, not all that tired. He finished the day working at his trade.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
May 29, 1869
-
1871 - Queensbury and Glens Falls
QUEENSBURY was incorporated by patent as a township, May 20, 1762, and embraced 2,300 acres. It was reorganized as a town March 13, 1786. Luzerne was taken off in 1792, and a part of Caldwell in 1810. A strip of territory one mile wide was taken from Luzerne and added to this town in 1802. It lies... Read MORE...
-
1890 - THE BRIDGE GAVE WAY. TWO LIVES LOST, TWO PERSONS INJURED, AND TWO MEN MISSING.
Troy, N.Y., March 15. - At about 10:30 o'clock this morning the Queensbury span of the old Queensbury-Moreau Bridge at Glens Falls fell into the Hudson River, carrying down the workmen who were upon it. The bridge was being demolished for the purpose of constructing an iron bridge, and only the... Read MORE...
-
1895 - Glens Falls
Glens Falls, or Glenn’s Falls, a post-village in Queensbury township, Warren co., N.Y., on the Hudson River, and on a branch of the Rensselaer & Saratoga Railroad (connecting with the main line at Fort Edward), 60 miles by rail N. of Albany, 22 miles S.S.W. of Whitehall, 18 miles N.N.E. of Saratoga ... Read MORE...
-
1909 - LAKE GEORGE LOSES HOTEL. THE FORT WILLIAM HENRY, THE LARGEST RESORT IN ADIRONDACK REGION, TOTALLY DESTROYED.
(By United Press.)
Glens Falls, N. Y., June 24. - The Fort William Henry Hotel, the largest resort on Lake George and the Adirondack region, was destroyed by fire early this morning, with a loss of half a million dollars. The great structure was entirely consumed one hour after the blaze was... Read MORE...
-
1912 - AIRMAN HURLED INTO BARN.
Spaulding Hurt When Biplane Is Wrecked at Glens Falls
Special to The New York Times.
GLENS FALLS, July 4. - Ira D. Spaulding, an aviator of Brattleboro, Vt., while giving an exhibition for the Clawson & Hamilton Aviation Company at League Park at Glens Falls this afternoon, was badly hurt when... Read MORE...
-
1916
Glens Falls, a banking post-village of Warren co., N.Y., on the Hudson River and on the Delaware and Hudson R., 61 miles N. of Albany. The river here falls about 50 feet and presents picturesque scenery. The manufactures comprise shirts and collars, paper and pulp, flour, cigars, brick and... Read MORE...
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Glens Falls, New York, USA Genealogy
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