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Plattsburgh, New York

Plattsburgh is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, New York, United States, situated on the north-western shore of Lake Champlain.
Population 19,841

Top Events in Plattsburgh History

1
1609Culture
Samuel de Champlain was the first ever recorded European that sailed into Champlain Valley and later claimed the region as a part of New France in 1609.
2
1785Government
== History == === Plattsburgh's founding under American rule === Plattsburgh was founded by Zephaniah Platt in 1785 after he was granted the land by George Clinton.
3
1805History
Platt (1805–1884), farmer, banker, and politician Henry A.
4
1808History
Lucretia Davidson (1808–1825), renowned poet whose work before her death by tuberculosis at the age of 16 received accolades and the praise of prominent contemporaries such as E...
5
1810History
Pierce (1810–1882), member of the New York State Assembly Zephaniah C.
6
1812Military
Plattsburgh was the site of the amphibious Battle of Plattsburgh in the War of 1812, a key American victory that marked the end of hostilities in the Northern United States.
7
1814Military
Many historic documents relating to the famous naval engagement between the United States and Britain in 1814 refer to the Battle of Plattsburg.
8
1815Civil Rights
=== Split from the Town of Plattsburgh === On March 3, 1815, an act was passed by the New York State legislature incorporating the Village of Plattsburgh out of an area that was...
9
1828History
United States Postal Service records show that the name of the post office was originally Plattsburg but was changed to Plattsburgh by 1828.
10
1837Military
Tom Lecky, antiquarian bookseller, musician, artist Stephen Moffitt (1837–1904), military officer and politician John White Moore, rear admiral of the United States Navy, noted ...

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Historical Timeline

1609Culture
Samuel de Champlain was the first ever recorded European that sailed into Champlain Valley and later claimed the region as a part of New France in 1609.
1785Government
== History == === Plattsburgh's founding under American rule === Plattsburgh was founded by Zephaniah Platt in 1785 after he was granted the land by George Clinton.
1805History
Platt (1805–1884), farmer, banker, and politician Henry A.
1808History
Lucretia Davidson (1808–1825), renowned poet whose work before her death by tuberculosis at the age of 16 received accolades and the praise of prominent contemporaries such as E...
1810History
Pierce (1810–1882), member of the New York State Assembly Zephaniah C.
1812Military
Plattsburgh was the site of the amphibious Battle of Plattsburgh in the War of 1812, a key American victory that marked the end of hostilities in the Northern United States.
1814Military
Many historic documents relating to the famous naval engagement between the United States and Britain in 1814 refer to the Battle of Plattsburg.
1815Civil Rights
=== Split from the Town of Plattsburgh === On March 3, 1815, an act was passed by the New York State legislature incorporating the Village of Plattsburgh out of an area that was...
1828History
United States Postal Service records show that the name of the post office was originally Plattsburg but was changed to Plattsburgh by 1828.
1837Military
Tom Lecky, antiquarian bookseller, musician, artist Stephen Moffitt (1837–1904), military officer and politician John White Moore, rear admiral of the United States Navy, noted ...
1844Military
Reed (1844–1930), US Army brigadier general, born in Plattsburgh David Allen Sibley, author and ornithologist David A.
1889Government
Plattsburgh Normal School was founded in 1889.
1891History
In 1891, the Postmaster General ordered that post offices follow the standards set by the newly created United States Board on Geographic Names, which decided that the "h" shoul...
1895Sports
The Plattsburgh Brewers team was based in Plattsburgh between 1895 and 1907.
1900Culture
Jean Arthur (1900–1991), comedy actress of the 1930s and 1940s and the star of her own CBS television series in 1966, The Jean Arthur Show.
1903Government
The village incorporated as a city in 1903.
1906Sports
Baseball Hall of Fame member Eddie Collins played for Plattsburgh in 1906.
1915Military
In 1915, the Preparedness Movement established the first and best-known of its training camps for prospective military volunteers at Plattsburgh.
1929History
It burned in 1929, and relocated to City Hall for three years.
1932Education
In 1932, the college moved into the current Hawkins Hall which became the base of the modern campus.
1948Education
In 1948 it became State University of New York at Plattsburgh.
1951History
As a result of the 1951 investigation, the name of the city post office was changed back again to Plattsburgh.
1961History
On September 1, 1961, the 556 Strategic Missile Squadron was activated at Plattsburgh AFB.
1962History
The squadron played an active role in the 1962 Cuban Missile crisis, giving President Kennedy a powerful negotiating tool in dealing with Nikita Khrushchev.
1965History
The 556 SMS began inactivating in the spring of 1965, completing that task later that year.
1970History
A scene from the Joe Cocker documentary Mad Dogs & Englishmen was filmed in and around his April 7, 1970, concert at SUNY Plattsburgh.
1975Education
on the campus of SUNY Plattsburgh on November 22, 1975.
1995Military
Despite its numerous awards for performance excellence, PAFB was closed on September 29, 1995, in a round of national base closures in the early 1990s as the Air Force began to ...
1996Culture
In August 1996, the rock band Phish, which was based across Lake Champlain in Burlington, Vermont, held the first of its ten weekend-long festivals at the former Plattsburgh Air...
2000History
In office 2000–2006.
2007Architecture
The airport terminal was completed in February 2007 with the building being dedicated on April 27, 2007.
2008Crime
"War fever ran high in the New England town to which we new, young officers from Plattsburgh were assigned." === Films === The crime film Frozen River (2008) was filmed in Pla...
2010History
Notes == Demographics == As of the census of 2010, there were 19,989 people, 7,600 households, and 3,473 families residing in the city.
2011Education
In September 2011, the British-Irish band One Direction filmed part of their music video "Gotta Be You" on the SUNY Plattsburgh campus.
2025History
He assumed office on January 1, 2025.

Did You Know?

1
Plattsburgh is located in the state of New York.
2
Plattsburgh has a population of 19,841 residents.
3
The population was 19,841 at the 2020 census.

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Famous People from Plattsburgh, New York

IG
Israel Greene
Military Officer · Born Jun 17, 1824 · Died May 25, 1909 (age 84)
MA
Michael P. Anderson
Astronaut, Scientist · Born Dec 25, 1959 · Died Feb 1, 2003 (age 43)
CF
Chris Finwood
Baseball Coach · Born Jan 20, 1966 · Age 60
GB
Gertrude Berkeley
Actress
WD
William G. Distin
Architect · Born 1884 · Died 1970 (age 86)
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