HISTORY

William Cooper founded the village of Cooperstown in 1786 in an area that at the time was the western frontier. The settlement grew under his stewardship, and Cooper later served two terms as a Congressman representing the local district.

William Cooper’s son James Fenimore Cooper became one of America’s earliest literary figures. His works, including The Leatherstocking Tales and The Deerslayer, were often set in the wild beauty of surrounding Otsego County.  

Cooperstown’s historical landmarks include the site of a key battle early in the Revolutionary War, and, of course, the world famous shrine to baseball that is the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which includes priceless artifacts from the origins of the game right up to the present day.