List of New York State Historic Markers in Fulton County, New York Facts for Kids

New York State is full of history, and one way to learn about it is through special signs called Historic Markers. These markers are like outdoor history books, telling stories about important people, places, and events that happened right where you're standing.

In Fulton County, New York, there are many of these markers. They help us discover the exciting past of this area, from brave settlers and famous leaders to important battles and old buildings. Let's explore some of the cool stories these markers tell!

Historic Markers in Fulton County
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Historic Markers in Fulton County

Broadalbin Markers

FRENCHMANS CREEK: In 1810, a man named Duncan McMartin built a saw mill, a grist mill (for grinding grain), and a woolen mill on this creek. He was a very busy and important person, working as a surveyor, a lawyer, a judge, and even a state senator!
HANS' CREEK: This creek got its name from Sir William Johnson, a very important figure in colonial New York. He named it after a fishing trip with his friend, John Conye, who almost drowned. "Hans" was a common nickname for John back then.

Johnstown Markers

Johnstown is a city with a rich history, and many markers tell its tales.

The Drumm House (1763): This house was once the home of Edward Wall, who was the schoolmaster for Sir William Johnson's Free School. Imagine learning your ABCs in a house from 1763!
CANNON: There's a marker about a cannon that was taken from Johnson Hall by Sir John Johnson. He was Sir William Johnson's son. During the American Revolution, he fled to Canada in May 1776, leaving the cannon behind in the Adirondack mountains.
Colonial Courthouse (Erected 1772): This marker points to a very special building. It's the only colonial courthouse still standing in New York State! The first court meeting for Tryon County happened here on September 8, 1772.
FORT JOHNSTOWN: During the American Revolution, Fort Johnstown was a crucial place. It served as a prison for both regular people and soldiers. Even George Washington, who would become the first President of the United States, inspected it in 1783!
JAMES BURK'S INN: This old inn was moved to its current spot around 1788. The land it sits on used to belong to Sir William Johnson. Later, it became the Younglove family home from 1812 to 1926, and then a chapter house for the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.) in 1926.
JOHNSON HALL (1762): This marker points to the grand home of Sir William Johnson. Built in 1762, it's one of the most historic colonial buildings in the entire United States. It was like a huge estate where he lived and worked.
JOHNSON TRAIL: Sir William Johnson used this trail between his two homes, Fort Johnson and Johnson Hall, from 1726 to 1774. In 1938, people celebrated 200 years since he first arrived in America.
UNION HALL: This building was a famous tavern (like an inn or hotel) after the American Revolution. It was built in 1798 by Captain Jean Batiste Vaumane De Fon Claire, who was a former officer in the French army. It was a popular spot for people like "Nick" Stoner.

Markers Pointing the Way

Many markers in Johnstown are "ARROW" markers. These don't tell a story themselves, but they point you towards other important historical sites!

ARROW (to Johnson Hall): Several arrows point to Sir William Johnson's Baronial Home, Johnson Hall, reminding visitors that it was built in 1762 and is open for tours.
ARROW (to Sir William Johnson's Grave): One arrow directs you to the grave of Sir William Johnson, who lived from 1715 to 1774. He was a very important person in the colonial period, often called the "Builder of an Empire."
ARROW (to Battlefield): This marker points to the site of the Battle of Johnstown, which happened on October 25, 1781. This was one of the last big battles of the American Revolution.
ARROW (to Colonial Cemetery): This arrow leads to a colonial cemetery where many important people from Johnstown's colonial and Revolutionary past are buried.
ARROW (to First St. John's Church Site): This marker points to where the first St. John's Church stood in 1760. It was built by Sir William Johnson and was the first Church of England north of the Mohawk River.

Mayfield Markers

The town of Mayfield also has its share of historical markers.

BAPTIST CHURCH: The Baptist Church of Mayfield and Broadalbin was started here in 1792. This spot was the home of Caleb Woodworth, a soldier from the American Revolution and one of the first settlers in the area.
INDIAN RAID: This marker tells a sad story from April 1779. Jacob Dunham and his son, Samuel, were killed here during an Indian raid. Other family members survived by hiding in the woods. This was the site of their home.
RICE HOMESTEAD: The Rice Homestead was built around 1790 by Oliver Rice, who was a soldier in the American Revolution and served under General George Washington.
SITEOF Romeyn's Mill: This marker shows where Romeyn's Mill once stood. It was built in 1773 by Sir William Johnson and later rebuilt by Colonel Abraham Romeyn, who led the Montgomery County Militia.

Mayfield Burying Grounds and Cemeteries

Several "ARROW" markers in Mayfield point to old burying grounds and cemeteries, where many early settlers and Revolutionary War soldiers are laid to rest.

Burying Ground of Major Harmon and Francis Van Buren: These two were part of the Seventh Albany County Regiment during the Revolutionary War and were early settlers on this land.
Riceville Cemetery: Here you can find the graves of many Revolutionary War soldiers and pioneers, including Johathan Fisk, Oliver Rice, William Woodworth, Samuel Woodworth, Jesse Foote, Isaac Bemis, and Jonathan Canfield.
King Cemetery: Henry King and his son John settled here and are buried in this cemetery. It also holds the graves of Revolutionary soldiers and pioneers from 1788 to 1815.
Burying Ground of Captain Gershom Woodworth: This cemetery is the resting place of Captain Gershom Woodworth, who fought in both the French and Indian Wars and the Revolutionary War. His son, Sergeant Selah Woodworth, a Mayfield pioneer, is also buried here.
Site of Dutch Reformed Church of Mayfield: This marker shows where the Dutch Reformed Church of Mayfield stood from 1793 to 1826. The churchyard contains the remains of many pioneers from this area.
Woodworth Farm: This farm was given to William G. Woodworth in 1786 by the Commissioners of Forfeiture (who handled lands taken from loyalists during the Revolution). William served in the Revolution. The farm then passed to Hiram Woodworth, who owned it from 1810 to 1910.

Northampton Markers

Northampton also has fascinating markers, especially about Sir William Johnson's "Fish House."

"FISH HOUSE": This marker tells about Sir William Johnson's "Fish House," built in 1762. It was about 1500 feet northeast of the marker. The village of Northampton got its name from this lodge. Sadly, Tories (people loyal to the British) and Native Americans burned it down in 1781 during the Revolution.
COVERED BRIDGE: A covered bridge was built here in 1818 by the State, over the Sacandaga River. D. Stewart was the builder, and Jacob Shew was an assemblyman at the time. The bridge was torn down in 1930 and was located about 2000 feet north of the marker.
GODFREY SHEW: Godfrey Shew was the first settler at Fish House under Sir William Johnson in 1762. His sons, John, Stephen, and Jacob, were captured during a raid by Tories and Native Americans on June 3, 1778, and taken to Canada.
MARVIN HOUSE: The Marvin House was built in 1815 on the site of Sir William Johnson's Fish House. It was built by David Marvin, a Revolutionary War soldier from Connecticut. His son, Dr. L.I. Marvin, became an assemblyman for Fulton County in 1840. The house was moved in 1929.
SHEW HOUSE: This house was built in 1784 by Godfrey Shew and his sons John, Stephen, and Jacob. They built it after they returned from Canada, where they had been prisoners of Colonel Ross after the raid on June 3, 1778.
SHEW'S HILL: On June 3, 1778, Godfrey Shew placed his son Jacob on this hill to watch for Tory and Native American raiders led by Colonel Ross. Unfortunately, the Shew family was later captured and made prisoners.
ST JOHN HOUSE: The St. John House was built in 1795 by Alex. St. John. It was built on land that used to belong to Colonel Guy Johnson, who was Sir William Johnson's nephew. This land was taken from him because he was a Loyalist during the Revolution.

List of New York State Historic Markers in Fulton County, New York facts for kids

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