HISTORY OF GLENS FALLS

Glens Falls, New York is located at the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, in Warren County, mid-way within a 200-mile radius of Montreal, Canada, New York City and Boston, Massachusetts. Used as an Indian war trail from Ticonderoga to Saratoga Springs, it was originally known as "Chepontuc". Later known as "The Corners", in 1766 it changed names again to "Wings Falls", in honor of Abraham Wing, who developed a permanent settlement and utilized the power of the waterfalls of the Hudson River for a sawmill, gristmill and an inn known as "Wing's Tavern". The area played a significant role during the Revolutionary War due to the Hudson River and Halfway Brook. Many important generals, including George Washington, traveled and stayed in the area. In 1788, claim and title of the falls was transferred from Mr. Wing to Colonel Johannes Glen who spent summers on the Hudson River, hence the name Glen's Falls was inaugurated, now Glens Falls.

Due to the proximity of the Hudson River and Feeder Canal, (which was approved by the State Legislature and completed in 1832), at the southern border of the City was the cornerstone to the City's earliest industries: paper, pulp and machinery bi-products, limestone, cement and shirt collar and cuff manufacturers, which still flourish today. The City is home to over 15,000 people, and enjoys a wide diversity of other businesses and industries like, insurance, chemicals, medical devices and health care. Glens Falls also enjoys a host of cultural, historical, recreational and athletic organizations and activities. During World War II, the City gained notoriety when Look magazine designated Glens Falls as "Hometown, USA". Over the last several year, Glens Falls has consistently ranked in U.S. News top 300 places to live in the United States. "While much of the lore of Glens Falls is local and self-sufficient, this tight-knit community has played its part in the nation's conflicts, as well as swings of the economic pendulum. The City developed from its Quaker infancy as a pioneer sawmill settlement, through its industrial and cultural coming-of-age in the 19th century, to its present maturity as an attractive and enterprising small American city."

Reference:  http://www.cityofglensfalls.com/InGF/gf_history/GFhistory.htm