Editing Fort Plain, New York (section)

==History==
[[File:Fort Plain, N.Y. and Nelliston. LOC 75694772.jpg|thumb|[[Perspective map]] of Fort Plain and [[Nelliston, New York]], with list of landmarks published by [[L.R. Burleigh]] in 1891]]
The village is in a region where the [[Mohawk people]] had four major villages along the Mohawk River in the 17th century. They historically had occupied territory west of the [[Hudson River]] and extending north to the [[St. Lawrence River]] and south to the [[Delaware Water Gap]], but their main villages were located close to the Mohawk River.  Due to losses from a [[smallpox]] epidemic in 1634, the Mohawk reduced their villages to three. By the early 18th century they had two major villages.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

The village of Fort Plain developed at the foot of the hill where the fort once stood. The [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]] fort was constructed in 1776; a [[blockhouse]] was garrisoned here throughout the war. While many of the village's men were fighting elsewhere, the women, dressed as men, manned the fort and fought off Indian attacks. The village developed around [[Otsquago Creek]] at its confluence with the Mohawk River.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ward |first=Harry M. |title=Howell, Richard (1754-1802), Revolutionary War officer and governor of New Jersey |date=February 2000 |publisher=Oxford University Press |series=American National Biography Online |doi=10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.0200181}}</ref>

Fort Plain became an incorporated village in 1832. The opening of the [[Erie Canal]] was an economic boom, stimulating the village to become a center of manufacturing during the nineteenth century. It produced [[textile]]s from cotton from the [[Deep South]] and furniture. Textile mills in upstate New York depended on processing southern cotton; these products made up a major part of exports from New York City in the antebellum years.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Loske|first=Kh.|date=January 1957|title=Anwendung des LiCl-Feuchte-Meßgerätes|journal=Tm - Technisches Messen|volume=252-263|issue=JG|pages=425–426|doi=10.1524/teme.1957.252263.jg.425|s2cid=112849062|issn=2196-7113}}</ref>

[[File:The Clinton Liberal Institute in Fort Plain,NY.jpg|thumb|Clinton Liberal Institute]]
Fort Plain was the site of the 19th-century Fort Plain Seminary, which ran into hard times and whose building was acquired and used by the [[Clinton Liberal Institute]], before being destroyed by fire in 1900.

Fort Plain is the birthplace of [[Bud Fowler]], the first black professional baseball player. Fowler appeared in an exhibition game with a team from [[Lynn, Massachusetts]], in 1878, 68 years before [[Jackie Robinson]] played in a professional baseball game in the major leagues.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/may-17-1878-bud-fowler-becomes-the-first-black-player-in-organized-baseball/| last=Overmyer| first=James| title=May 17, 1878: Bud Fowler becomes the first Black player in Organized Baseball| publisher=Society for American Baseball Research| access-date=March 11, 2025}}</ref>

Numerous [[Amish]] have migrated to New York from Pennsylvania since the late 20th century, seeking affordable farm land. Many have settled in Fort Plain. Montgomery County has one of the largest populations of Amish in the country.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

The [[Fort Plain Conservation Area]], [[Fort Plain Historic District]], and [[United States Post Office (Fort Plain, New York)|United States Post Office]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2009a}}</ref><ref name="nps">{{cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/listings/20120824.htm|title=National Register of Historic Places Listings|date=August 24, 2012|work=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>

On June 28, 2013, there was extensive flooding on [[Otsquago Creek]], tearing up its streambed and damaging houses up the creek to [[Stark, New York|Stark]]. More than 100 houses were damaged or destroyed in Fort Plain, where {{convert|4|in}} of rain fell. Bridges over the creek were destroyed. Ten miles upstream, Stark received {{convert|7|in}} of rain, which entered the creek and washed its bed away. The state quickly started the extensive work needed to repair the stream bed, nearby roadways and other infrastructure. Tons of rocks were laid down to stabilize the banks.<ref name="flood">[http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Piecing-it-all-back-together-4742487.php#item-38491 Bryan Fitzgerald, "Piecing it all back together"], ''Times Union'', August 2013; accessed November 13, 2015.</ref>