The history of Theresa begins with the Native American cultures who lived in the area as early as 841 B.C.

The first of the Native tribes to inhabit the town of Theresa was a group called the Meadowood Phase, who were early Woodland Indians according to the categorization of Dr. William A. Ritchie.

Evidence of the tribe existing in the area was found at Muskellunge and Red lakes with finds of weapon points, nets, sinkers, and other various tools from needles to a beaver tooth wood scraper.

Evidence supports that at one point the Iroquois had villages in the surrounding area and used the waterways of Theresa for trade and travel.

The Indian River was a highway for trade and boat traffic, the obstruction of the high falls notwithstanding.

By 1810-11 LeRay had erected mills at the falls and brought cattle to graze, but settlement was stunted by the War of 1812.

A year previous to this President Monroe had the Military Road built for frontier protection that connected Theresa and most of the surrounding towns, which helped lead to more settlers coming to the North Country.

Within two years of the improvements made by LeRay, Theresa had its first blacksmith shop, brick maker, merchant, and physician.

[4] Despite the fire in 1859, the town of Theresa was one of the most popular manufacturing and trading hubs in the North Country, even without a railway.

The fire also gave cause to build a town hall with businesses in the bottom and the upper floor being used for meetings and entertainment.

In 1896, the Theresa Town Board appointed William Cheeseman the first attendance officer for schools outside the village because of the education laws of 1894.

Six years later the first U.S. Standard Voting Machines were purchased for the town and the election districts redrawn.

Two years later the town purchased 10 acres (40,000 m2) of land to construct a park which would contain the skating rink and then include a tennis and basketball court and other "unforeseen" facilities.

New York State Route 411 is an east-west highway that ends at NY-37, west of Theresa village.

From there he set off to Hannibal, Missouri, where he allegedly left behind a wife and then from there to San Francisco to make a name for himself.

Bart's downfall was a botched robbery November 3, 1883, when in the commotion he lost a magnifying glass, fieldglass case and a handkerchief that would ultimately lead to his arrest.

Bart spent the next four years in San Quentin State Prison for robbery and was released January 23, 1888.

Some people believe that he was paid off by Wells Fargo to stop him from hitting any more coaches, but his disappearance is a mystery.

Biggers generally knew the news from the town and world, so shopkeepers would keep an open chair for him to get the information of the day.

Nicholas Doxtater Yost, related by marriage to Governor Flower, traveled from Johnstown, New York, to the Parker Settlement, now called Theresa in 1837, purchased land and settled down.

Nicholas' son George, who become a prominent citizen, built a house that survived the great fires of Theresa.

Born in Theresa, Roscoe Drummond (1902–1983) was a political journalist known for his long association with The Christian Science Monitor and a widely syndicated column, "State of the Nation", that he wrote for more than 50 years,[10]