Martinsburg, founded by Gen. Walter Martin at the turn of the nineteenth century, stands hard against the Tug Hill Plateau on high ground at the western edge of the Black River Valley. From Martinsburg, the view of the surrounding country, especially towards the Black River below it on the east, is magnificent, presenting an expansive panorama across a changing tableau of graceful woodlands, well-groomed farmlands, and the green-clad Adirondacks.