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is a city in Warren County, New York, United States. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,354 at the 2000 census. The name is taken from a large waterfall in the Hudson River, located at the southern border of the city.
Glens Falls is located in the southeast corner of Warren County, surrounded by the town of Queensbury to the north, east, and west, and by the Hudson River and Saratoga County to the south. Glens Falls is known as "Hometown U.S.A.", a title given to it by
in 1944. The city has also referred to itself as the "Empire City."
As a halfway point between Forts Edward and William Henry, the falls was the site of several battles during the French-Indian War and the Revolutionary War. The hamlet was mostly destroyed by fire twice during the latter conflict, forcing the Quakers to abandon the settlement until the war ended in 1783. Fire also ravaged the village in 1864, 1884, and 1902.
The area was originally called "Chepontuc" (Iroquois; "difficult place to get around"), also referred to as the "Great Carrying Place," but was renamed "The Corners" by settlers. In 1766 it was renamed Wing's Falls for Abraham Wing, leader of the group of Quakers that established the permanent settlement. Wing's claim to the name of the hamlet was transferred to Colonel Johannes Glen of Schenectady in 1788, either on collection of a debt, as a result of a game of cards, or in exchange for hosting a party for mutual friends, depending on which local legend is believed.
Colonel Glen was delighted to change the name to "Glen's Falls," sometimes spelled "Glenn's," which was later abbreviated to "Glens Falls."
A post office was established in 1808. Glens Falls became an incorporated village in 1839, and was re-incorporated in 1874 and 1887, expanding the village to the present-day city limits. The city charter was granted by the state legislature in 1908 at which time, the city became a separate entity from the town of Queensbury.