The first settlement of European peoples in the area began circa 1800. Watkins Glen was the northern terminus of the Chemung Canal, started in 1830 and completed in 1833, connecting Seneca Lake to the Chemung River. Catharine Creek, flowing into the lake through the village, was used to help create the canal. The village was incorporated in 1842 as Salubria, then Jefferson, but was renamed Watkins after Dr. Samuel Watkins, the founder, for his contributions to the community. The current name Watkins Glen was adopted in 1926.
For the first half of the 20th century, the village was primarily known as the site of Glen Springs Sanitarium, one of the leading spas in the United States.
