Elizabethtown was established on February 12, 1798 and named for the daughter of William Gilliland at the first town meeting held on April 3rd, 1798.  Before the naming, the area was known as Pleasant Valley settlement.  As its prior name describes, settlers found Pleasant Valley a pleasant place to live.   Their wealth laid in the forest and iron ore for the early settlers; and soon saw, grist and forge wheels were powered up with large wooded wheels.  New England settlers came with their traditions of workshop and education; log schoolrooms were erected, and barns served as meeting houses.   As the population grew, roads developed as well as other nearby settlements.

Prior to 1798, Clinton county had just four towns (Champlain, Plattsburgh, Willsborough and Crown Point).  An Act in 1798 was passed to divide the region.  Elizabethtown was set off from the Crown Point area.  When Essex County was formed, Elizabethtown's boundaries were changed to be included in the Essex County lines.   Again, in 1808, Elizabethtown's boundaries were changed when Moriah was formed from Crown Point and Elizabethtown land.    And again in 1818, when Westport was formed, Elizabethtown land mass was changed.

Essex County's court house was first located in the northern outskirts of Essex as a block house because of the Indian scares (known as the Willsborough Blockhouse).  It wasn't until 1808, that a courthouse was erected in Elizabethtown.

Chronology (provided by Elizabethtown Bi-Centennial Committee) - time lines are fun to scan; however, there is much more activity of happenings in this unique Adirondack town.  Learn more about this charming town and visit the Adirondack History Center Museum located 7590 Court Street.  It will be a treat to learn about your community.

1798		Elizabethtown, formed from Crown Point, February 12, 1798, was named in honor of the wife and daughter of William Gilliland
1798		On September 11th Azel Abel bought land and put up a log building which served as Elizabethtown's first hotel.  It was in the area of that is now Egglefields Garage
1799		Essex County was set off from Clinton County March 1, 1799 with Willsboro as the County seat
1807		Elizabethtown became the County Seat
1808		The Essex County Courthouse was built
1808		Keene was formed from Elizabethtown and Jay, March 19, 1808
1810		Elizabethtown's population - 1,362
1811		The New York State Arsenal was built
1812		The Reveille, the first newspaper in the county was started in Elizabethtown by Luther Marsh, the printer and William Ray, the editor
1815		Westport was formed from Elizabethtown, March 24, 1815
1815		The first direct route from Elizabethtown to Westport was opened
1825		Basil Bishop built his famous cold blast forge at Split Rock Falls on the Boquet River
1825		Samuel Williams, the father of Charles N. Williams, was engaged in the manufacture of hats on  Water Steet
1830		Severe summer floods - much property damage
1833		Ozro Finel established a match factory on the bank of the Little Boquet just across the stream from where th4e Circulating Library building stands.
1833		The newspaper, "Essex County Times" was founded by R.W. Livingston.
1837		February 28th - The Total Abstinence Temperance Society of Elizabethtown was formed.
1845		New Russia was given its name by Col. Edmund F. Williams, Essex County Clerk
1846		The Valley Forge was erected.
1847		The Canal was dug from the dam on the Boquet River north of Fisher Bridge to the Valley Forge on the Wadhams Road.
1849		The Essex County Agricultural Society was organized.
1850		The Elizabethtown and Westport Plank Road was constructed.
1850		Elizabethtown's population - 1,635
1851		The Essex County Far was held in Elizabethtown on Fair Street, not Hand Ave, until 1865.  From then on it was held in Westport
1851		The newspaper "Elizabethtown Post" was started by Robert Wilson Livingston and Sewell Sergeant.
1856		September 30th - Flood destroyed bridges and buildings
1860		Elizabethtown's population - 1,343
1861		Bainbridge Bishop located the last pack of wolves in Elizabethtown.
1866		January 19th - Adirondack Lodge, No 602 F. & A.M. was chartered
1866		The Elizabethtown Union Free School was built.
1866		Elizabethtown organized its first baseball team.
1875		The Village of Elizabethtown was incorporated.
1882		The Enterprise Hose Company was formed.
1883		April 27th - Henry Debosnys was hanged in the Essex County jail yard
1884		The Elizabethtown Circulating Library was established.
1893		August 29th - Flood.
1895		January 24th - The Bullard Block was destroyed by fire.
1896		Cobble Hill Golf Course was established.
1898		Water power was harnessed at Rice's Falls for lighting the village with electricity.  The Power House was just below the site of the old Twin Bridges on Upper Water Street
1901		Local telephones were installed by the Lewis and Elizabethtown Telephone Association
1909		Construction of the Elizabethtown Terminal Railroad was started from Westport to Elizabethtown - never completed.
1912		Route 9 to Underwood was blacktopped
1914		November 10th - the Elizabethtown Union Free school was destroyed by fire
1924		Flood
1926		The Elizabethtown Community  Hospital opened in the former Kellogg Home
1928		The New York Telephone Company office building was constructed.
1932		The Cautin Bock was destroyed by fire
1938		The Elizabethtown Kiwanis Club was formed.
1939		November 10th - The Social Center was opened.
1947		Denton's Dam broke - the village was flooded.
1948		The newspaper, the "Valley News" was established by William D. Denton.
1949		The Elizabethtown-Westport road was built.
1950		Elizabethtown population - 1,208
1952		January 28th - the Prime Block was destroyed by fire.
1952		The new Elizabethtown-Lewis Central School building was completed.
1953		December 31st - Marvin's Furniture Store was destroyed by fire.
1955		The Adirondack Center museum was opened.
1956		April 11th - Cobble Hill Inn was destroyed by fire - rebuilt shortly after
1956		September 17th - The Capital Theater was destroyed by fire
1957		The new Post Office was built on Water Street
1958		The Army Reserve Training Center was built on Water Street
1965		The William Block and Judd House was razed.
1966		The Elizabethtown Community Hospital was constructed on Park Street.
1968		November - The Windsor Hotel was razed.
1968		December - The Deer's Head Inn was razed.
1971		June 18th - the Underhill Service Station was destroyed by fire - rebuilt shortly after.
1971		July 8th - the Wakefield Block was destroyed by fire.
1971		October 12th - Egglefield's Garage was destroyed by fire, rebuilt & had grand opening on September 1973.
1978		January - Flood in downtown business section and other areas
1979		June - The people voted to dissolve the village of Elizabethtown
1980		January 13th - The Little Tavern was destroyed by fire
1981		The Denton Publication building was constructed on High Street
1990		Elizabethtown population - 1,314
1996		January 19th - Flood
1996		November 9th - Flood
1997		The new Essex County Courthouse was constructed and opened
1998		January 7th - Elizabethtown escaped major devastation caused by the Ice Storm of 1998.
1998		June 27th - Elizabethtown held its Bicentennial Celebration.