[4] Early Palatine German immigrants in the eighteenth century named the town after the Danube River[5] in Europe.

The town is in southeastern Herkimer County, southeast of the city of Little Falls and south of the Mohawk River.

They had agreed in 1712 to allow some settlement by Palatine Germans in exchange for Queen Anne helping with their defense against the French and Indian allies.

Fort Schuyler was constructed south of the Mohawk River near one of their major settlements at the time.

The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) passes across the northern part of the town.

New York State Route 169 intersects NY-5S and the Thruway in the northwestern part of Danube.