The origins of NY 418 date back to the 19th century when Thurman Station and Warrensburg were first connected by way of a road. This highway was reconstructed by the state of New York during the early 1910s and added to the state highway system in 1915. It was designated as NY 418 as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York. The highway has remained mainly unchanged since, save for the replacement of its bridges over the Schroon and the Hudson Rivers in the 1930s and 1940s, respectively.