Gloversville City Guide

About Gloversville

Gloversville, a city in Fulton County, New York, was once the hub of the United States' glovemaking industry, with over two hundred manufacturers in Gloversville and the adjacent city of Johnstown. In 2010, Gloversville had a population of 15,665.

The region, historically known as "Kingsborough", was acquired by Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet. In 1752, Arent Stevens bought land. Puritans from New England settled there at the end of the 18th century. The proximity of hemlock forests to supply bark for tanning made the community a center of leather production early in its history. It earned its name for being the center of the American glovemaking industry for many years. Upon the establishment of a United States post office in 1828, "Gloversville" became the official name of the community. Prior to that Gloversville had been known as "Stump City" because of the large number of trees that had been cut down. In 1890–1950, 90% of all gloves sold in the United States were made in Gloversville.