Settled in the middle part of the 18th Century, the village grew from its agricultural roots as a stopover on the King's Highway between Philadelphia and Newburgh, New York.

During the American War for Independence, British General Burgoyne and his army camped on the outskirts of the village after their defeat at the Battle of Saratoga.

Also during the American Revolution, Martha Washington stayed at Baird's Tavern, now located on Main Street in the Village.

The Warwick Valley Railroad was chartered on March 8, 1860, and the line was completed in 1862 functioning essentially as a 10-mile long branch of the 6-foot gauge Erie.

The L&HR served as a major "bridge line" of freight traffic between Pennsylvania and the enormous railyard at Maybrook, New York where freight would be forward to New England over the vitally important Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge.

Buildings there range from the oldest in the village, the 1764 Shingle House, preserved and maintained by the Historical Society of the Town of Warwick, also known as the Warwick Historical Society, to large early 20th-century cottages built by weekend vacationers from New York City.

[4] According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.2 sq mi (5.7 km2), all land.

With the termination of the passenger railroad, the only form of public transportation to New York City is NJ Transit buses, using either the 196 (express) or 197 (local) routes.