Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1797.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Stillwater’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Stillwater is more historic than 78% of U.S. towns. 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 Stillwater’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 Stillwater’s 5.3 sits near the middle of its state (36% 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 1791.
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 (±8.3 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 Stillwater’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The area was occupied by Iroquois and Mahican natives when the colonial period began. In 1709, Peter Schuyler built Fort Ingoldsby in town because of its location on the frontier of the French and Indian Wars. A replica of Schuyler's fort currently serves as the Stillwater Blockhouse Museum. Settlers began arriving after 1730. During the American Revolution residents participated in the war, and part of the Battle of Saratoga was fought in the town so that the town now refers to itself as the turning point of the American Revolution.
Passages that mention Stillwater, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Saratoga County, New York, with illustrations biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers1878 · page 383Read the page →
Read the text
the town of Stillwater. This, with thirteen other items of settlement between the two towns, was arranged and signed by Samuel Clark, Samuel Gates, and William Dunning on the part of Malta, and John Hunter, William Strang, and Thomas Morey on the part of Stillwater.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Saratoga County, New York, with biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers1878 · page 261Read the page →
Read the text
The founders of the Friends' monthly meeting are also among the first settlers before the Revolution. Gabriel Leggett and Isaac Leggett settled within the present limits of Stillwater, and were prominent men in the new settlement, as well as in the society of Friends. Thomas Wilbur and Fones Wilbur settled in the vicinity of the Basin, since known by their name, within the limits of the present town of Stillwater. David Shepherd's pioneer home was
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Saratoga County, New York1893 · page 634Read the page →
Read the text
ent farm in the town of Stillwater, where he has resided ever since and been engaged in agricultural pursuits. His farm contains one hundred acres of good agricultural land, and lies not far from the village of Stillwater. He is a republican in politics.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Saratoga County, New York1893 · page 421Read the page →
Read the text
Ljmian Smith was reared on his father’s farm, received a good English education in the common and private schools of his native town and the village of Stillwater, and then was engaged for several years in teaching in the common schools. Upon quitting teaching he embarked in the livery business at Stillwater, and also opened a store at that place, under
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
Stillwater, decade by decade
5 decades in the archive, from the 1770s to the 1970s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
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.
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.
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 1791, according to Wikidata. Stillwater’s post office opened in 1797.
How does Stillwater rank for history?
Stillwater is more historic than 78% of U.S. towns. 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.
How old are the homes in Stillwater?
28% of Stillwater’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±8.3 points), against a typical 27% for a New York town; the median home was built in 1976.
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), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people 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.
1933