Fort Plain, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fort Plain, New York
Village
Fort Plain, New York Location in New York
Country	United States
State	New York
Region	Central New York Region
County	Montgomery
Town	Minden
Area
• Total	1.40 sq mi (3.63 km2)
• Land	1.34 sq mi (3.48 km2)
• Water	0.06 sq mi (0.15 km2)
Elevation	305 ft (93 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,930
• Density	1,434.94/sq mi (554.22/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	13339
Area code(s)	518
FIPS code	36-26924
GNIS feature ID	0950490

Fort Plain is a small village in Montgomery County, New York, United States. In 2020, about 1,930 people lived there. The village gets its name from a fort that was built during the American Revolution (a war for independence). This fort was located where the Mohawk River meets a smaller stream called Otsquago Creek.

Fort Plain is located near the towns of Minden and Canajoharie. It is west of the city of Amsterdam. Sometimes, people use "Fort Plain" to talk about the village and its nearby communities like Nelliston and Palatine Bridge.

History of Fort Plain

A map from 1891 showing Fort Plain and Nelliston, New York, with a list of important places.

Early Settlements and Native Americans

The area where Fort Plain is located was once home to the Mohawk people. In the 1600s, they had several large villages along the Mohawk River. One of their biggest villages, Tionondogue, was about 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of Fort Plain.

In 1739, the governor of New York built a stone house in this area. Early European settlers also included Palatine Germans. The Mohawk people allowed these Germans to settle here in 1712. This was in exchange for help with their defenses from Queen Anne of England.

The Revolutionary War Fort

The fort that gave Fort Plain its name was built in 1776 during the American Revolution. A special building called a blockhouse was kept here with soldiers throughout the war. While many men from the village were away fighting, the women of Fort Plain dressed as men and helped defend the fort from attacks. The village grew around Otsquago Creek, which flows into the Mohawk River.

Growth and Development

Fort Plain officially became an incorporated village in 1832. The opening of the Erie Canal brought a lot of economic growth to the area. In the 1800s, Fort Plain became a center for making things like textiles (cloth) and furniture.

Fort Plain was also home to the Fort Plain Seminary in the 1800s. Later, its building was used by the Clinton Liberal Institute before it was destroyed by fire in 1900.

Notable People and Recent Events

Fort Plain is the birthplace of Bud Fowler. He was the first black professional baseball player. He played in a game in 1878, many years before Jackie Robinson played in the major leagues.

Many Amish families have moved to New York from Pennsylvania since the late 1900s. They came looking for affordable farmland. Many have settled in Fort Plain, and Montgomery County now has one of the largest Amish populations in the country.

Important places in Fort Plain, like the Fort Plain Conservation Area, Fort Plain Historic District, and the United States Post Office, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are recognized for their historical importance.

On June 28, 2013, Fort Plain experienced a lot of flooding from Otsquago Creek. Heavy rains caused the creek to overflow, damaging many homes and destroying bridges. The state quickly began work to repair the creek bed and roads.

Notable People

• Levi S. Backus – A newspaper editor who was Deaf.
• Betty Buehler – An actress.
• Bud Fowler (1858–1913) – The first black professional baseball player.
• Jeptha Root Simms (1807–1883) – A historian.

Geography and Location

Fort Plain is located at 42°55′51″N 74°37′29″W / 42.930846°N 74.624799°W / 42.930846; -74.624799.

The village covers about 1.4 square miles (3.6 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Fort Plain is on the south bank of the Mohawk River. This is where the Otsquago Creek flows into the Mohawk. The Erie Canal, which uses the Mohawk River, runs right next to the village. The Village of Nelliston is located across the river.

The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) passes through Fort Plain. Several state routes also meet here, including NY Route 80, NY Route 5S, and NY Route 163.

Population Information

In 2000, there were 2,288 people living in Fort Plain. There were 960 households and 599 families. The population density was about 1,680 people per square mile (648 per square kilometer).

About 30.5% of households had children under 18 years old. The average household had 2.37 people, and the average family had 2.97 people.

The population was spread out by age. About 25.8% were under 18, and 19.3% were 65 or older. The average age was 38 years.

See also

In Spanish: Fort Plain para niños