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History · Galway

Galway’s post office opened in 1802, and 88% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1899 on and the census since 1800.

1802first post office
0on the National Register
88%homes built before 1940
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Photo: Tyler A. McNeil · CC BY 3.0
Quick answers

How Galway began

When was Galway founded?

1802

The Galway post office opened in 1802, the earliest record of the town by name.

First census: 2,310 in 18002020 census: 165224 years
Founding year: the first Galway post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Galway’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Galway are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Shrank, then grewLost half of its people between 1830 and 1920, then grew 3-fold.On the map since 18994 editions of the USGS map, 1899 to 1970. Watch Galway change.Old housesHalf of Galway’s homes were built before 1938.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Galway’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Galway’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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People over time

Galway, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,000180018501900195020002,710 in 1830Low: 1,101

Lost half of its people between 1830 and 1920, then grew 3-fold.

23 censuses, 1800–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Galway’s Wikipedia page.

On the map

Galway on the map, 1899 to 1970

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Galway. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Galway on the 1899 USGS mapGalway on the 1902 USGS mapGalway on the 1945 USGS mapGalway on the 1970 USGS map1899Broadalbin 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 Galway.

The story

How Galway came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Galway.

Read it all →

The region was first settled in October 1774 on the corner of what is today known as Donnan and Sacandaga Roads in the southern section of town, outside of Galway village.

The town was formed from the town of Ballston in 1792 as the town of "New Galloway." The town of Providence was taken off the north part of Galway in 1796.

The Mead House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Galway, 1878–1893

Passages that mention Galway, cut from the printed page as they were published.

engaged in farming in his native town of Galway for several years, is a son of Reuben and Ruby (Coffin) Wait, and was born in the town of Galway, Saratoga county, New York, February 5, 1841. He received his education in the common schools of the town of Galway.
History of Saratoga County, New York1893 · page 220Read the page →
Read the text

engaged in farming in his native town of Galway for several years, is a son of Reuben and Ruby (Coffin) Wait, and was born in the town of Galway, Saratoga county, New York, February 5, 1841. He received his education in the common schools of the town of Galway.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Amsterdam, in Montgomery county, where he was actively engaged for five years and where he achieved good success. He was then transferred to Galway parish, becoming its first resident pastor. Entering upon his field of religious duty as spiritual director of the parish of Galway in 1888, Father Qui…
History of Saratoga County, New York1893 · page 331Read the page →
Read the text

Amsterdam, in Montgomery county, where he was actively engaged for five years and where he achieved good success. He was then transferred to Galway parish, becoming its first resident pastor. Entering upon his field of religious duty as spiritual director of the parish of Galway in 1888, Father Quinn lias labored earnestly and zealously ever since in

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The first meeting-house was built before 1794, and stood on the southeast corner of John McKindley's farm, adjoining the town line of Galway and Charlton. It was in the town of Galway, 41 This was a frame building, was never lathed and plastered or artificially warmed, and yet here in the coldest w…
History of Saratoga County, New York, with biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers1878 · page 321Read the page →
Read the text

The first meeting-house was built before 1794, and stood on the southeast corner of John McKindley's farm, adjoining the town line of Galway and Charlton. It was in the town of Galway, 41 This was a frame building, was never lathed and plastered or artificially warmed, and yet here in the coldest weather of our rigorous winters the people

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The first meeting-house was built before 1794, and stood on the southeast corner of John McKindley's farm, adjoining the town line of Galway and Charlton. It was in the town of Galway. This was a frame building, was never 41 lathed and plastered or artificially warmed, and yet here in the coldest w…
History of Saratoga County, New York, with illustrations biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers1878 · page 321Read the page →
Read the text

The first meeting-house was built before 1794, and stood on the southeast corner of John McKindley's farm, adjoining the town line of Galway and Charlton. It was in the town of Galway. This was a frame building, was never 41 lathed and plastered or artificially warmed, and yet here in the coldest weather of our rigorous winters the people assembled and listened to the dispensing of the Word of

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

By decade

Galway, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Galway, New York2010Galway, New YorkGalway, New York2010Galway, New YorkGalway, New York2010Galway, New YorkGalway, New York2010Galway, New YorkGalway, New York2010Galway, New YorkGalway, New York2010Galway, New York

Questions about Galway’s history

What year was Galway founded?

The Galway post office opened in 1802, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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Sources

Where this page comes from

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 Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikipedia, 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.