South Kortright and its surrounding region was used as hunting grounds by indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, specifically the Lenni Lenape prior to 1763.

[4] The hamlet grew in the late 1800s, with homes constructed along the main street and large estates built to the north and south of the river for Fifth Avenue Stage Line executive Samuel W. Andrews Sr. and copper baron James McLean, respectively.

The construction and maintenance of these estates brought many European craftsmen to the hamlet, which in turn led to the eventual establishment of a Catholic church in South Kortright.

In 1900 McLean funded the construction of a highly ornate stone bridge crossing the West Branch of the Delaware River with the cooperation of the Andrews Estate, reportedly costing $20,000 to build.

She created an "International Valley" on the site for teaching the arts and hosted a large gathering of women from the United Nations with Eleanor Roosevelt at the mansion in 1946.