The name Auchinstarry is derived from the old stepping stone burn crossing of the primitive track or road from Croy / Nethercroy, Dunbartonshire into Kilsyth, Stirlingshire. The old Toll House is still inhabited. A Statistical Account quotes the population as being 698 inhabitants and water was obtained via pillar wells from a natural spring located at the south end of the village.
 
At times some local people would refer to Auchinstarry as "the Port" due to the fact that at one time locals would set off on their emmigration journey to America or Canada by canal boat from here. 
 
Major developments which led to the formation of the village of Auchinstarry were:-
The Forth and Clyde Canal
The drainage of this part of the Kelvin Valley known as Dullatur Marsh
The establishment of whinstone quarrying, coal & ironstone mining and the associated mineral railway coming from Currymire.
 
The first of the 'new' housing' was built to accomodate business associated with the canal and consisted mainly of a bridgekeeper's house, stables and a basic hotel.
 
The largest development came with the growing coal and ironstone mining in the area. To accomodate the large workforce needed for these industries, five rows of houses were built. Although quite basic, these houses were of a better standard than other miners rows in Croy, Smithston and Kilsyth. The establishment of the miners rows was to create a vibrant new community with its own identity.
 
Two football team were established, the Auchinstarry Collegians and
the Port Boys. The community room was well patronised with music and other entertainments of the time. Great rivalry existed between the local area football teams and this rivalry still existed among the inhabitants of the new village of Croy into the 1950's.
 
There were three farms in the area, Langhill, Langside and Auchinstarry which still exists and the present barn was originally one of the miners rows.
 
Some bridge keepers were, Joke Ditty, Mr Walker, Henry Gilmour,
Willie Mitchell, Andy Gump, David Thompson aka Davie Tamson.
The 1930's bridge keepers house is still maintained in very good condition by
ex Croy man Syd McCann and his wife Mary ms Coyle from Nethercroy.
In older days, the bridge was a popular social gathering point for the men of Auchinstarry aka Akinsterrie (silent K).  Originally there was an old manually operated wooden Bascule Bridge complete with parafin oil lamps, but this was replaced in the 1930's by a steel structure with electrically operated movement. 
 
Canalside at the west end of Auchenstarry was the coal loading berth for coal coming down from the Beugh Pit at the top of the Glen Brae. Coal was taken down to the barges via a "Hare Run" pulley system where the weight of the full hutches was used to pull the emptied hutches back up the hill to the mine entrance.  
 
Today, Auchenstarry has become one of the busiest establishments on the re-vitalised Forth & Clyde Canal and many future developments are planned.
 
Sadly the nearby old mansionhouses of Auchenvole and Nethercroy have been demolished.