The town is on the county's western border, northwest of Saratoga Springs.

[4] The area was settled before 1786, but that was the year of any definite settlement, located by Hagedorns Mills.

The early economy was based on forestry with the harvesting of lumber, and the manufacture of pulpwood being important.

The Packer Farm and Barkersville Store was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.

The western town line is the border of Fulton County, New York.