Saratoga Springs, NY (5B2)

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY (5B2)

Long before the founding of the United States, the area around what is now Saratoga Springs was celebrated for its bubbling, mineral-rich waters. The Iroquois Indians called the area Sarachtogue, meaning “hillside of a great river” or “place of the swift water.” The first white settlers arrived in 1776, and by 1800 entrepreneurs had started building grand hotels to accommodate well-heeled visitors seeking the health benefits of the waters. 

The Village of Saratoga Springs was established in 1826, and its popularity grew as a destination for the rich and powerful, including such notable visitors as President Martin Van Buren and Stephen Douglas, who famously debated Abraham Lincoln. And in 1864, the upper crust had a new reason to come: the opening of Saratoga Race Course, a Thoroughbred track catering to the upper crust of society. 

Between the 1860s and the 1890s, the twin draws of spa waters and gambling in an elegant setting turned Saratoga Springs into a luxury resort city. Elegant Victorian hotels and spas were built, and the town gained the nickname Queen of Spas. Among these luxurious establishments was Morrissey's Club House, now known as the Canfield Casino, constructed in 1870. Men were welcomed into the exclusive club house to play faro, roulette and other games in the large gambling room – but women were not allowed. 

Saratoga Springs made culinary history as well. In the summer of 1853, a dinner guest at the Moon Lake Lodge complained about the thickness of the French fries on his plate. Chef George Crum sent out a thinner batch, and when that was rejected too, he fried up a batch too crispy and thin to pierce with a fork. The paper-thin potatoes were an instant success and became a house specialty known as Saratoga chips. Crum opened his own restaurant featuring his chips, and the snacks eventually became a regional, and then a national, favorite. 

Just outside town is Saratoga National Historical Park, site of the Revolutionary War Battle of Saratoga. Fought during September and October 1777, the battle marked a crucial victory for the Americans and is considered the turning point of the war. After the patriots’ victory, France decided to enter the war, reinvigorating the Continental Army and providing critical supplies and support. 

Today, Saratoga Springs has a population of about 28,000 and retains its air of opulence. Beautiful Victorian mansions abound, including the Canfield Casino – which today houses the Saratoga Springs History Museum. The Travers Stakes, the oldest Thoroughbred race in the country, is still the highlight of the season, and the race track is home to the National Museum of Racing. On the grounds is a statue of Seabiscuit, the Thoroughbred racing legend. It was in Saratoga, in 1936, that Charles and Marcella Howard bought the horse after a claiming race. Seabiscuit’s new owners would turn him into one of the greatest Thoroughbreds of all time. 

Three miles southwest of town is Saratoga County Airport, a nontowered field, elevation 433, pattern altitude 1,433. The airport has two asphalt and concrete runways: 5-23, 4,700 x 100 feet, and 14-23, 4,000 x 100 feet. There are two FBOs: North American Flight Services (518-885-5470/888-359-7912).

Saratoga Chamber of Commerce     http://www.saratoga.org 

FBOs      http://www.nafsinc.com  

Other Connections of Interest:

http://www.saratoga.com/aboutSaratoga/battle-of-saratoga 

http://www.saratoga.com/HotSpot_SaratogaRacetrack.cfm

http://battle1777.saratoga.org

http://www.saratogasprings-historymuseum.org