Through his exploration the island and the entire watershed of the Hudson River became the domain of the Dutch colony of New Netherland.

In September the army moved north to Bemis Heights and Stillwater where the Battle of Saratoga would be fought.

[4] In 1916 John E. Matton moved his ship building business south from Waterford to Van Schaick Island.

[7][8] From December 1941 to July 1943 during World War II the shipyard produced five SC-497 class submarine chasers, SC-985 through SC-989 for the US Navy, and from February–June 1944 four tugs for the US Army.

[8] The shipyard is currently owned by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) as part of the Peebles Island State Park, which is turning the shipyard into an educational center, museum, and home for historic vessels.

[8] The motor ship Day Peckinpaugh is berthed here and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

At the western gateway Ontario crosses a bridge over one of the Mohawk branches to Simmons Island and from there to NYS Route 787 and Downtown Cohoes.

[14] On Van Schaick Island is a city park with a pond which is used for ice skating; a private golf course; walking and biking trails; and a baseball field.

The current nine holes were designed in 1915 and the name was changed to Van Schaick Island Country Club the following year.