Fort Johnson (formerly known as Akin) is a hamlet and former village in Montgomery County, New York, United States. It is located on the north side of the Mohawk River in the town of Amsterdam. The population was 401 at the 2020 census,
History
Around 1710, Palatine Germans began trying to settle here. Most were working in an English camp along the Hudson to pay back their passage by ship from London. In 1716, the Mohawk sold a portion of the land to Philip Groat (it is now in the eastern part of the town of Amsterdam). This part of New York was Mohawk territory for centuries before European colonization. In 1739, William Johnson, a British Army officer from Ireland and colonial administrator who had previously lived closer to Amsterdam, purchased land including the site of the village. He established a mill in 1744. The original name of the settlement was "Mount Johnson".
The community was the original seat of power of William Johnson before he moved on to found the city of Johnstown further west. He rose to become the British Superintendent of Indian Affairs in the northern colonies and was highly influential because of his strong relationships with the Iroquois, especially the Mohawk. His former home here is preserved as Old Fort Johnson. Johnson had Molly Brant, a Mohawk woman, as his longtime consort.
The village of Fort Johnson was officially incorporated in 1909. However, in November 2022, due to a lack of interest in participation in the government, villagers voted to dissolve the village effective December 31, 2023.
Old Fort Johnson was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
Geography
Fort Johnson is located in northeastern Montgomery County at (42.958303, -74.236018), in the western part of the town of Amsterdam. It is bordered to the east by the city of Amsterdam and to the south by the Mohawk River, across which is the town of Florida.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which are land and , or 12.75%, are water.
As of the census of 2000, there were 491 people, 198 households, and 139 families residing in the village. The population density was . There were 220 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 98.17% White, 0.61% African American, 0.20% Native American, and 1.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.04% of the population.