Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Fort Montgomery. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1899West Point sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Fort Montgomery.
The town is named after the first Fort Montgomery, a fortification of the American Revolution stormed by the British on October 6, 1777. Although a loss for American forces, the battle delayed the British from sailing up the Hudson River in time to relieve Burgoyne's forces at Saratoga. After the fort's demolition, American defenses centered on West Point, New York, upriver, and the location was not re-used militarily.
Passages that mention Fort Montgomery, cut from the printed page as they were published.
An outline history of Orange County1846 · page 569Read the page →
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In the Geological survey of the county, the Ramapo is said to have its rise in "two ponds." This we think is an error, as "two ponds" are on the east mountains, and their waters run into the Hudson near Fort Montgomery. Round Pond, in the west part of the town, is doubtless the head of the Ramapo, the outlet of which runs west, and is seen at Monroe Village, Seamanvillc and Turner's Depot, where it is called the Ramapo.
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An outline history of Orange County1846 · page 573Read the page →
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er in the first place, to the attack, defence and reduction of Forts Clinton and Montgomery. The former was a small affair, and could only accommodate a garrison of 300 or 400 men. Fort Montgomery was as large again, and could hold a garrison of 600 or 800. When these forts were assaulted by the English, the troops in Fort Clinton were principally militiamen, and full half of those in Fort Montgomery were of the same description, under the command of Gov. George
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The history of Orange County, New York1908 · page 186Read the page →
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ward known as Slott Towai. Cornelius Slott engaged in farming. In 1777, while serving as an orderly sergeant with his military company, ni the active defense of Fort Montgomery, he was taken prisoner and confined in the old Sugar House, New York, by the British forces for ten months. In 1785, on regaining his liberty, he sold his farm and lived in New York for the next five years. Then he bought the mill site in Pine Bush and erected his saw mill just below the mouth of the Paughcaughnaughsinque stream. The next year he also built a grist mill. There was
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Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
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Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
