The town was named for Erastus Root, a legislator in the early Federal period.

[3] The Town of Root is in the south-central part of the county and is southwest of Amsterdam.

The Town of Root was part of a patent of 25,000 acres (10,000 ha) granted in 1737 to William Corry, George Clark, and others.

[4] The first British settler located near Currytown (named for William Corry) before the American Revolution, but this area was very much the frontier.

During the Revolution, the small colonial community was raided and burned by Iroquois allies of the British commanded by Captain John Doxtader.

In the 20th century, the New York State Thruway was constructed through the northern part of the town, following the course of the Mohawk River.