1530, the area on the western shores of Lake Champlain were inhabited by Mohawk people of the Iroquois confederacy, with substantial Abenaki (Algonquian) contact.

The region was first settled around 1765 with the intention of forming a baronial estate like those of the lower Hudson River for landowner and investor, William Gilliland.

It was an important shipbuilding location and port, but that economy collapsed after 1849 with the beginning of railroad lines in the region.

[6] The eastern border of Essex is the Vermont state line in the middle of Lake Champlain.

Additionally, some travel across Lake Champlain to Vermont or drive north to Plattsburgh for private school.

For twenty years, the Essex Theatre Company, located near the ferry dock in the Masonic Lodge, has continuously produced stage plays and broadway musicals for summertime enjoyment – and also occasional winter entertainment programs.

Most notable for their placement on the National Register of Historic Places, the entire town is included on the Registry.

Periodically there are adult education programs, such as a history lecture series, at the Whallonsburgh Grange.

Infrequently traveled side roads throughout the entire town lend themselves to casual walks through serene and beautiful areas.

On the lake, sailing, swimming, stand-up paddleboarding (SUPs) and kayaking are favorite summer pastimes.

Both Lake Champlain and the Boquet River have excellent and easy to access areas for anglers of all ages.

Ferry service between Essex and Charlotte, Vermont, is provided by the Lake Champlain Transportation Company.

[18] Essex is in a rural area in the Adirondack Park, so most of its access to medical care is via the ferry operated by Lake Champlain Transportation.

An important fully staffed hospital and full-service emergency department is at CVPH Medical Center, in Plattsburgh, approximately 35 miles (56 km) to the north.