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Town History

The Historian is an official of the local government appointed by the Supervisor and Town Board. Duties of the historian consist of collecting, preserving and making available materials relating to the history of the community. The historian also is responsible for preserving current records for the future.

Contact James Schaefer, PH.D., Town Historian
Email historian@rotterdamny.org

History of Rotterdam, NY

The area that is now the town of Rotterdam, New York was first settled predominately by the Dutch, about the year 1661. The town, named after the city of Rotterdam, The Netherlands, was formed from a ward of the city of Schenectady on April 14, 1820.

The fertile soil along the Mohawk River was responsible for a thriving broom corn industry during the mid-1800’s. With the advent of the Erie Canal in 1825 and later, with the coming of railroads to Rotterdam, hamlets began to spring up, including Rotterdam Junction, South Schenectady, and Pattersonville. Rotterdam was an important part of the Northeast’s railroad system. The Erie Canal traversed the entire length of northeast Rotterdam, with two locks located in the town. Athens Junction and Mohawkville were quiet, pleasant settlements in the southeastern part of town.

Rotterdam, a thriving suburban community, began as a frontier town, and now boasts hundreds of agricultural, industrial, and commercial businesses. The population has grown from 1,529 in 1820 to more than 28,000.

Established as a first class town in 1942, Rotterdam has since adopted the seal of the Old World Rotterdam, along with its motto, "Stronger Through Effort." Through diligent application of this motto, Rotterdam looks confidently to the future.

Town Supervisors

2022-present
Mollie A. Collins
2022-Present
Mollie A Collins
2016-2021
Steven A. Tommasone
2012 - 2015
Harry C. Buffardi
2010 - 2011
Francis Del Gallo
2006 - 2009
Steven A. Tommasone
2002 - 2005
John J. Paolino
1998 - 2001
Joseph Signore
1984 - 1997
James Constantino
1967 - 1983
John F. Kirvin
1964 - 1966
Charles P. Burke
1958 - 1963
John F. Kirvin
1955 - 1957
Benjamin N. Williams
1954 - 1955
James R. Olin
1948 - 1953
William L. Alheim
1946 - 1947
James J. O'Connor
1942 - 1945
Carl Brown
1938 - 1941
James A. Riley
1936 - 1937
John Roberts
1934 - 1935
Roy Hamilton
1932 - 1933
James Hotaling
1930 - 1931
Roscoe C. Vanderbilt
1922 - 1929
James Hotaling
1916 - 1921
James A. Levy
1912 - 1915
John H. Veeder
1910 - 1911
Elwin J. Haskins
1904 - 1909
Anson H. Cady
1899 - 1903
Alanson Robison
1896 - 1898
Andrew J. McMillan
1894 - 1895
Amel F. Hake
1891 - 1893
Peter VanDyke
1888 - 1890
Isaac Wemple
1884 - 1887
John C. Myers
1883 - 1883
Simon J. Schermerhorn
1881 - 1882
Samual A. Weast
1878 - 1880
James Turnbull
1876 - 1877
Isaac Wemple
1875 - 1875
Jacob D. Wemple
1874 - 1874
Seeley Patterson
1870 - 1873
John M. Veeder
1869 - 1869
H.M. Akin
1868 - 1868
James Clute
1866 - 1867
James McMillan, Jr.
1865 - 1865
Jacob D. Wemple
1861 - 1864
James McMillan, Jr.
1860 - 1860
James T. Wasson
1859 - 1859
William Akin
1857 - 1858
Henry M. Crane
1856 - 1856
Simon J. Schermerhorn
1855 - 1855
Moses Chism
1854 - 1854
George Veeder
1853 - 1853
N.I. Schermerhorn
1852 - 1852
George Veeder
1850 - 1851
N.I. Schermerhorn
1848 - 1849
John W. Conklin
1847 - 1847
James T. Wasson
1846 - 1846
Abram N. Bradt
1845 - 1845
James Allen
1844 - 1844
James T. Wasson
1841 - 1843
Abram Warren
1840 - 1840
John C. Becker
1838 - 1839
Simon Schermerhorn
1837 - 1837
H.A. Vanslyck
1836 - 1836
J.I. Schermerhorn
1835 - 1835
J.B. Schermerhorn
1832 - 1834
H.A. Vanslyck
1828 - 1831
Simon Schermerhorn
1826 - 1827
B. Schermerhorn, Jr.
1824 - 1825
Peter Becker
1823 - 1823
John Pangburn
1822 - 1822
H.A. Vanslyck