The village is in a region where the Mohawk had four major villages along the Mohawk River in the 17th century. They historically had occupied territory west of the Hudson River and extending up to the St. Lawrence River and south to the Delaware Water Gap, but their main villages were located close to the Mohawk River. Tionondogue, also called Tionnontogen, was located approximately north-west of Fort Plain. It was said to be the largest, and is sometimes listed as the principal town of the Mohawks. Due to losses from a smallpox epidemic in 1634, the Mohawk reduced their villages to three. By the early 18th century they had two major villages.