The Village of East Nassau was incorporated in 1998 as a self-governing municipality. The reason for the incorporation was this: the Lane mining company was threatening to level Snake Hill (aka Snake Mountain) for greywacke, a valuable stone for use in construction, fill, and road surfacing. The Town of Nassau did not at the time prohibit such mining, and so, after much research, many meetings, and a public referendum, the Village of East Nassau formed as a separate entity in order to protect its rural character and an important scenic feature of its landscape, and it prohibited commercial mining within its boundaries.

For more history and information about the village, look at the Village Handbook on this site.