Taken in part from the writings of Captain Franklin Ellis, 1878
Mellenville is a small but pleasant hamlet at the meeting of Claverack and Eastern creeks.
It is a mile west from Philmont, and eight miles northeast from Hudson.
It was a station on the Hudson and Albany railroad and once had an active though limited trade. Formerly the place was locally known as Centerville, receiving its present name in 1837, in compliment to a Mr. Mellen, who built the railroad through this point. Settlement here was made very early, among the families being the Millers, Storms, Philips, Harders, and Hortons, but no special importance attached to the place until after it had the railroad.
Among the first to engage in trade were George Philip and Stephen Miller, in a small red building in the lower part of the place. After many years successful merchandising they were succeeded by their sons, and afterwards by William Philip, who was long in trade. Other pioneer merchants were Storms & Miller, Jeremiah Groat, and Herman Best.
One of the centerpieces of Mellenville is the Mellenville Grange, which is the former railroad building which opened for travel on September 26, 1838.
The original Mellenville passenger station was constructed of wood and in the 1880s burned purportedly from a spark from a steam locomotive. The station was replaced with a brick building with a slate roof. After being closed and sold in 1933 to Mellenville Grange #1255, the facility has since hosted Grange meetings and events.
In 2000, the Grange Hall/ Railroad Station was put onto the New York State and National Historical Registry. There is a post office in Mellenville, along with an active volunteer fire company.