Mechanicville dates to 1764, and 45% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 89% of U.S. towns · #275 of 758 in New York. What drives it
Its Register listing is the Ellsworth, Col. Elmer E., Monument and Grave. Its Register listing is the Ellsworth, Col. Elmer E., Monument and Grave. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1884 on, and the census since 1870.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1815.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Mechanicville’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Mechanicville is more historic than 89% of U.S. towns, #275 of 758 in New York. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Mechanicville’s overall grade.
New York towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New York town has 12.3 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Mechanicville’s 2.0 sits below most of its state (25% of New York towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1764.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.5 points).
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Mechanicville’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Mechanicville. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1893Cohoes 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 Mechanicville.
Every building
Mechanicville, building by building, 1884–1911
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
The first listing of a settlement on Tenandeho Creek (Anthony Kill) is in 1721. At that time, Cornelius Van Buren had a sawmill at the mouth of the creek where it emptied into the Hudson River.
The first documented occurrence of the name "Mechanicville" dates back to 1829. The name comes from the early settlers, who were independent mastercraftsmen such as millers, carpenters, or butchers, whose professions were commonly known as the "mechanical arts" at the time.
About 35 years later, small flour mills were already established. When the Champlain Canal reached the settlement in 1823, and especially when the Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad laid a track through the area in 1835, Mechanicville became an important commerce interchange.
Passages that mention Mechanicville, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Saratoga County, New York1893 · page 559Read the page →
Read the text
Henry D. Safford received his education in the public schools, and was then employed successfully as a clerk in H. S. Miller’s hardware store and the Mechanicville postoffice. Leaving the postoffice he learned telegraphy, and was successively employed as operator and agent at Fitchburg station, westbound freight operator at Troy, check clerk and after-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Saratoga County, New York, with illustrations biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers1878Read the page →
Read the text
In 1872, Mr. Smith was chosen president of the village of Mechanicville, and has been elected every year since, most of the time without opposition. Many improvements have been made under his administration : brick sidewalks have been laid down, an engine-house built, a good fireengine purchased, and other measures taken to make Mechanicville one of the most attractive and beautiful villages in the State.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Saratoga County, New York1893 · page 144Read the page →
Read the text
ates what was known as the Troy & Boston Railroad Company — Hoosic tunnel route — with branches in Saratoga county, extending from Mechanicville to Saratoga Springs, from Saratoga Springs to Schuylerville, and from Mechanicville westward to Rotterdam, connecting with the West Shore in the Mohawk valley. This is a favorite route in the
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Saratoga County, New York, with illustrations biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers1878 · page 348Read the page →
Read the text
The village of Mechanicville, about a year since, provided against fire by procuring an engine and erecting an engine-house at an expense of $3500. The company consists of about sixty men ; H. S. Sheldon, captain. Another company is recently organized.
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.
Timeline
Mechanicville, 1764 to 1977
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1764, according to Wikidata. Mechanicville’s post office opened in 1815, and the census of 1870 counted 1,075 people here.
How does Mechanicville rank for history?
Mechanicville is more historic than 89% of U.S. towns, #275 of 758 in New York. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Mechanicville?
One place: the Ellsworth, Col. Elmer E., Monument and Grave (listed 1976).
How old are the homes in Mechanicville?
45% of Mechanicville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.5 points), against a typical 27% for a New York town; the median home was built in 1945.
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).
From Wikimedia Commons (6), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) 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.
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