Historically, Malta has been primarily an agricultural town with many prosperous farms. However, its earliest settlement was Maltaville (c. 1764), which boasted some small shops and mills. It was the home to a malt brewery (leading to the name “Malta”) and also had a few mills (saw, grist, and woolen), powered by nearby streams. As the town of Malta grew toward the beginning of the 19th century, it had wagon and carriage shops, many inns, and two hotels.
Malta’s economic and cultural heritage reflects the settlement patterns and building types of 18th and 19th century rural America. Malta experienced none of the commercial bustle of the Saratoga County towns located along the Erie and Champlain Canals. It was relatively remote from the resort activities of Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa. However, the Route 9 and (eventually) Interstate 87 (the Northway) corridors impacted Malta’s economic growth and fostered the establishment of service stations, restaurants, and motels. Development consisted primarily of farmhouses, churches, small commercial enterprises, and local industries to serve a self-sufficient rural community. Only recently has the character of the town begun to change, with accelerating suburbanization resulting from easier access to the urban centers of the Capital District and the North Country.
