[1] The village was first settled in 1820 by Scottish immigrants who named it after the town of Lanark in Scotland.

In 1959 a major fire destroyed many of the main commercial structures and a number of homes in the village's centre.

The village has the Lanark and District Museum featuring exhibits of local history.

Lanark has in the past been the location for the Canadian Big League Baseball Championships.

This highly regarded baseball tournament features 18-year-old players from across the country to play at Clyde Memorial Park.