The village was founded in 1759 as Skenesboro Captain Philip Skene of the British army. It was the first settlement on the shores of Lake Champlain and became an important trade center. On May 9, 1775 Lieutenant Samuel Herrick, acting as an advance party for Ethan Allen's attack on Fort Ticonderoga surprised Major Skene and his small garrison. While he intended to use Skene's boats to ferry men across the lake they didn't arrive in time. Skene's schooner was used later to capture St. Johns.
