Saratoga Springs, New York
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Saratoga Springs is a
city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
in
Saratoga County, New York Saratoga County is a county in the U.S. state of New York, and is the fastest-growing county in Upstate New York. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county's population was enumerated at 235,509, representing a 7.2% increase from the 2010 popu ...
, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of
mineral springs Mineral springs are naturally occurring springs that produces hard water, water that contains dissolved minerals. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the spring water during its passage under ...
in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over 200 years. It is home to the
Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actu ...
, a
thoroughbred horse racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...
track, and
Saratoga Performing Arts Center Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) is a large amphitheatre located in Saratoga Springs, New York, on the grounds of Saratoga Spa State Park. It presents summer performances of classical music, jazz, pop and rock, country, comedy, dance, opera, ...
, a music and dance venue. The city's official slogan is "Health, History, and Horses."


History

The British built Fort Saratoga in 1691 on the west bank of the Hudson River. Shortly thereafter, British colonists settled the current village of Schuylerville approximately one mile south; it was known as Saratoga until 1831. Native Americans believed the springs about 10 miles (16 km) west of the village—today called High Rock Spring—had medicinal properties. In 1767, William Johnson, a British soldier who was a hero of the
French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...
, was brought by Native American friends to the spring to treat his war wounds. (In 1756, Johnson had been appointed British Superintendent of Indian Affairs in the Northeast region due to his success in building alliances with the
Mohawk Mohawk may refer to: Related to Native Americans * Mohawk people, an indigenous people of North America (Canada and New York) *Mohawk language, the language spoken by the Mohawk people * Mohawk hairstyle, from a hairstyle once thought to have been ...
and other
Iroquois The Iroquois ( or ), officially the Haudenosaunee ( meaning "people of the longhouse"), are an Iroquoian-speaking confederacy of First Nations peoples in northeast North America/ Turtle Island. They were known during the colonial years to ...
tribes. He had learned the language and created many trading relationships. He achieved great wealth from trading and landholdings, and was knighted for his service to the Crown with the Iroquois.) The first permanent European-American settler built a dwelling in the area ''circa'' 1776. The springs attracted tourists, and
Gideon Putnam Gideon Putnam (April 17, 1763 – December 1, 1812) was an entrepreneur and a founder of Saratoga Springs, New York. He also worked as a miller and built the city's Grand Union and Congress Hotels. The Gideon Putnam Hotel in the Saratoga Spa ...
built the first hotel for travelers. Putnam also laid out the roads and donated land for use as public spaces. The Battle of Saratoga, the turning point of the Revolutionary War, did not take place in Saratoga Springs. Rather, the battlefield is to the southeast, in the Town of Stillwater. A museum dedicated to the two battles sits on the former battlefields. The British encampment before the surrender at Saratoga took place east of the city, in Schuylerville, where several historical markers delineate points of interest. The surrender of the sword of battle took place where Fort Saratoga had been, south of Schuylerville. Saratoga Springs was established as a settlement in 1819 from a western portion of the Town of Saratoga. Its principal community was incorporated as a village in 1826, and the entire region became a city in 1915. Tourism was greatly aided by the 1832 arrival of the Saratoga and Schenectady Railroad, which brought thousands of travelers to the famous mineral springs. Resort hotels developed to accommodate them. Patronage of the railroad increased steadily after the
Delaware and Hudson Canal Company The Delaware and Hudson Railway (D&H) is a railroad that operates in the Northeastern United States. In 1991, after more than 150 years as an independent railroad, the D&H was purchased by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP). CP operates D&H ...
assumed control in 1870 and began running the Empire State Express directly between New York City and the resort. In the 19th century, noted doctor Simon Baruch encouraged developing European-style spas in the United States as centers for health. With its wealth of mineral waters, Saratoga Springs was developed as a spa, generating the development of many large hotels, including the United States Hotel and the Grand Union Hotel. The latter was, in its day, the largest hotel in the world. In 1863,
Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actu ...
opened, moving to its current location the following year. Horse racing and its associated betting greatly increased the city's attraction as a tourist destination at a time when horse racing was a popular national spectator sport. In addition, the Saratoga Springs area was known for its gambling, which after the first years of the 20th century was illegal, but still widespread. Most gambling facilities were located on Saratoga Lake, on the southeast side of the city. By 1870, it was the nation's top upscale resort relying on natural mineral springs, horse racing, gambling, and luxury hotels. World War II imposed severe travel restrictions which financially ruined the tourist industry. During the 1950s, the state and city closed the famed gambling houses in a crackdown on illegal gambling. The closing and demolition in the 1950s of some premier hotels, including the Grand Union and the United States hurt tourism. However, since 1970 there tourism has revived with a renovated racetrack, a 28-day exclusive racing season, winter sports emphasis, and an influx of young professionals. The city became more accessible with the completion of the
Adirondack Northway Interstate 87 (I-87) is a north–south Interstate Highway located entirely within the US state of New York. It is most of the main highway between New York City and Montreal. The highway begins at exit 47 off I-278 in the New York ...
(Interstate 87), which allowed visitors easier access from the north and south. In addition, the construction of the
Saratoga Performing Arts Center Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) is a large amphitheatre located in Saratoga Springs, New York, on the grounds of Saratoga Spa State Park. It presents summer performances of classical music, jazz, pop and rock, country, comedy, dance, opera, ...
in the late 1960s, which features classical and popular music and dance, furthered the city's renaissance era. The
New York City Ballet New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company' ...
and the Philadelphia Orchestra have summer residencies there, together with other high-quality dance groups and musicians. Since the early 1990s, there has been a boom of building, both residential and retail, in the west side and downtown areas of the city, and Skidmore College has flourished.


Springs

Before racing began in Saratoga, the area's natural mineral springs had been attracting wealthy families for many decades. The springs occur on a line where the north-south Saratoga Fault allows water trapped in subsurface shale layers to reach the surface. Believed to have healing powers, springs can be found in multiple places around the town. Most of the springs are covered by small pavilions and marked by plaques. Others are less conspicuous, sometimes just a spigot in a rock. The springs are famous for their varied and distinct tastes: some are clear freshwater, others are saltier, and some taste strongly of a certain mineral such as sodium bicarbonate or sodium chloride. There is a sulfurous odor, but mineral analysis of the water consistently shows almost no presence of dissolved sulfur. The sulfur is in the form of the gas hydrogen sulfide, which degasses from the water very quickly. Visitors are welcome to bottle the spring water for personal consumption. Toward the end of the 19th century, excessive pumping for commercial bottling was threatening to deplete the springs. In 1911, the New York State Reservation, now the Spa State Park, was created to protect the springs, and the Lincoln and Roosevelt bath houses were built. Currently, luxury spa treatments with these waters are available in the Roosevelt Baths.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (2.17%) is water. The Adirondack Northway of New York ( Interstate 87) and US Route 9 pass alongside and through the city, respectively. New York State Route 29,
New York State Route 50 New York State Route 50 (NY 50) is a state highway in the Capital District of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 5 in Scotia. Its northern terminus is at a junction with ...
, New York State Route 9N, and New York State Route 9P lead into Saratoga Springs. NY 9N has its southern terminus and NY 9P has its northern terminus in the city. US 9 and NY 50
overlap Overlap may refer to: * In set theory, an overlap of elements shared between sets is called an intersection, as in a Venn diagram. * In music theory, overlap is a synonym for reinterpretation of a chord at the boundary of two musical phrases * O ...
in the city, joined briefly by NY 29. Saratoga Lake is slightly south of the city.


Climate


Demographics


2012

According to the
2010 U.S. Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...
Bureau: *92.5%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
*1.7%
Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...
*0.1% Native American *2.01% Asian *0.0%
Native Hawaiian Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, First Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians) ( haw, kānaka, , , and ), are the indigenous ethnic group of Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawa ...
or
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
*3.1% Two or more races *0.64%
Other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
*4.0%
Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, for example, by the United States ...
(of any race) As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2012, there were 26,711 people, 11,312 households, and 5,923 families residing in the city. The population density was 921.1 people per square mile (355.6/km2). There were 11,584 housing units at an average density of 407.5 per square mile (157.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.5%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 1.7%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.1% Native American, 2.01% Asian, 0.00%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.64% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 3.1% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or Latino of any race were 4.0% of the population. There were 11,312 households, out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.5% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.88. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 19.4% under the age of 18, 15.5% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males. In 2012, the median income for a household was $91,392, while the mean income for a family was $114,560. The median income for a household in the city was $62,766, while the mean income for a household was $81,807. Males had a median income of $61,582 versus $47,759 for females. About 3.0% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.


Economy

Saratoga Springs relies heavily on tourism as its main source of income during the summer season while the
Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actu ...
is open. Many residents commute daily to Albany via Interstate 87,
Interstate 787 Interstate 787 (I-787) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the US state of New York. I-787 is the main highway for those traveling into and out of downtown Albany. The southern terminus is, per New York traffic data, at the toll plaza ...
, and Interstate 90. The business district in Saratoga increasingly contributes to the economy year round, as the city has attracted many national and international brand retailers, as well as local boutiques. It has become an upscale shopping destination for the Albany metropolitan area. In industry, the Saratoga Spring Water Co. (a division of Anheuser-Busch InBev) is located on Geyser Road. Operating since 1872, the water has been served during many presidential inaugurations in Washington, D.C., including Barack Obama's in 2013. Quad/Graphics, offset printers of ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...
'', ''
Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely ...
'', ''
People A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...
'', ''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twi ...
'' and many other magazines, has a plant here. Ball Corporation, makers of the Mason Jar as well as aluminum cans has a large manufacturing plant in the city. Stewart's Shops, a convenience store chain, is headquartered in Saratoga Springs.


Arts and culture

The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) is a covered outdoor amphitheater located on the grounds of the Saratoga Spa State Park, with a capacity of 5,000 in reserved seating and 20,000+ on its general admission lawn area. SPAC is the summer home of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the
New York City Ballet New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company' ...
, and has hosted a weekend-long jazz festival since 1978. Since 2006, the Saratoga Native American Festival has been held on SPAC grounds each fall. SPAC is a stop for touring national recording artists: over 20 popular bands grace the stage every summer. Steps away on State Park grounds, the Spa Little Theater hosts the "Home Made Theater" as well as
Opera Saratoga Opera Saratoga (until January 2011, named the Lake George Opera) is a professional opera company based in Saratoga Springs, New York. It performs an annual summer festival of three fully staged operas and operettas. The company and its associated ...
(formerly known as the Lake George Opera) during the summer. Since 2001, The Saratoga Shakespeare Company has presented professional summer productions of Shakespeare in historic Congress Park.
Museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make thes ...
s in the area include the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, and the Saratoga Automobile Museum. There are more than 20
golf course A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". ...
s in the area. The city is notable for its vibrant night life. Caffè Lena was one of the first venues in the Eastern US at which
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
performed in 1961.
Arlo Guthrie Arlo Davy Guthrie (born July 10, 1947) is an American folk singer-songwriter. He is known for singing songs of protest against social injustice, and storytelling while performing songs, following the tradition of his father, Woody Guthrie. Gu ...
played at Caffè Lena early in his career and has returned for occasional benefit concerts, and the singer
Don McLean Donald McLean III (born October 2, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his 1971 hit song " American Pie", an eight-and-a-half-minute folk rock "cultural touchstone" about the loss of innocence of the early ...
was a frequent performer there early in his career.) Numerous other establishments are located on Broadway, Caroline Street (the Hamilton district), and the redeveloped Putnam Street. Caroline Street at Broadway has been the center of Saratoga nightlife for decades for college students, horse racing season visitors, tourists and locals. Recently, Beekman Street (four blocks West of Broadway), once the center of a working-class, primarily ethnic minority residential neighborhood for those who worked in the service jobs of the tourism economy, has become an art district, housing four galleries, a restaurant, a pub and teahouse, and a bistro. Artists live and work in co-ops and arrange social events. Saratoga Springs is home to Yaddo, a artists' community, founded by Wall Street financier
Spencer Trask Spencer Trask (September 18, 1844 – December 31, 1909) was an American financier, philanthropist, and venture capitalist. Beginning in the 1870s, Trask began investing and supporting entrepreneurs, including Thomas Edison's invention of the el ...
and his wife, author
Katrina Trask Katrina Trask (May 30, 1853 – January 8, 1922), also known as Kate Nichols Trask, was an American author and philanthropist. Life account She was born Kate Nichols in Brooklyn, New York to George Little Nichols and Christina Mary Cole. ...
. Since its inception in 1900, Yaddo has hosted 68 authors who later won the Pulitzer Prize and one
Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...
winner,
Saul Bellow Saul Bellow (born Solomon Bellows; 10 July 1915 – 5 April 2005) was a Canadian-born American writer. For his literary work, Bellow was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, the Nobel Prize for Literature, and the National Medal of Arts. He is the only w ...
. Leonard Bernstein, Truman Capote,
Aaron Copland Aaron Copland (, ; November 14, 1900December 2, 1990) was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later a conductor of his own and other American music. Copland was referred to by his peers and critics as "the Dean of American Com ...
,
Sylvia Plath Sylvia Plath (; October 27, 1932 – February 11, 1963) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer. She is credited with advancing the genre of confessional poetry and is best known for two of her published collections, '' Th ...
, and
David Sedaris David Raymond Sedaris (; born December 26, 1956) is an American humorist, comedian, author, and radio contributor. He was publicly recognized in 1992 when National Public Radio broadcast his essay " Santaland Diaries.” He published his first c ...
have all been artists-in-residence. The Yaddo grounds are adjacent to the backstretch of the Saratoga Race Course. Over
Presidents' Day Presidents' Day, also called Washington's Birthday at the federal governmental level, is a holiday in the United States celebrated on the third Monday of February to honor all persons who served as presidents of the United States and, since 1879 ...
weekend in February, Saratoga Springs draws more than 5000 attendees for the annual Flurry Festival, which features folk dance and
music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...
, including one of the largest
contra dance Contra dance (also contradance, contra-dance and other variant spellings) is a form of folk dancing made up of long lines of couples. It has mixed origins from English country dance, Scottish country dance, and French dance styles in the 17th ...
s in the United States. Saratoga's New Year's celebration ''First Night Saratoga'' is the largest New Year's Eve event in New York outside of New York City.


Museums

*The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College *Schick Art Gallery, Skidmore College *National Museum Of Dance And Hall Of Fame * National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame *New York State Military Museum And Veterans Research Center * Saratoga Automobile Museum * Saratoga Springs History Museum *Children's Museum of Saratoga *Saratoga Arts Center


Live performance

*Theater – Home Made Theater- A not-for-profit theater company located in the Spa Little Theater of Saratoga Spa State Park; Saratoga Shakespeare Company - the capital region's only professional classical theater company, established 2001 *Ballet –
New York City Ballet New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company' ...
at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga City Ballet *Opera –
Opera Saratoga Opera Saratoga (until January 2011, named the Lake George Opera) is a professional opera company based in Saratoga Springs, New York. It performs an annual summer festival of three fully staged operas and operettas. The company and its associated ...
*Music – Caffe Lena, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Music Hall


National Register of Historic Places listings

Saratoga Springs has sixteen places listed in the National Register of Historic Places: *
Arrowhead Casino Prehistoric Site An arrowhead or point is the usually sharpened and hardened tip of an arrow, which contributes a majority of the projectile mass and is responsible for impacting and penetrating a target, as well as to fulfill some special purposes such as sign ...
* Broadway Historic District * Canfield Casino and Congress Park * The Drinkhall * East Side Historic District * Franklin Square Historic District * Gideon Putnam Burying Ground * Petrified Sea Gardens * Pure Oil Gas Station *
Saratoga Gas, Electric Light and Power Company Complex The former Saratoga Gas, Electric Light and Power Company Complex is located near the northern boundary of Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It is a seven-acre (2.8 ha) parcel with two brick buildings on it. In the 1880s it became the thri ...
* Saratoga Spa State Park District * Hiram Charles Todd House * Union Avenue Historic District * US Post Office-Saratoga Springs * West Side Historic District * Yaddo


Parks and recreation


Thoroughbred racing

Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actu ...
opened on August 3, 1863. The first track was located on East Avenue (at the present Oklahoma Training Track location) which is perpendicular to the present Saratoga Race Course, which opened the following year. Founded by John Hunter and William R. Travers, the
thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...
track is the oldest continuously operating sporting venue of any kind in the United States. The track holds a summer meet lasting six weeks, from late July to Labor Day, that attracts the top horses, jockeys and trainers in America. The meet features a number of major stakes races, with the Travers Stakes, a Grade I race, being one of the most prominent of America's summer horse races.


Harness racing

Saratoga Casino and Raceway Saratoga Casino Hotel (formerly Saratoga Casino and Raceway) is an establishment in Saratoga Springs, New York. Saratoga Casino Hotel is home to a -mile standardbred race track, with a racino and hotel located inside the racetrack's grandstand. ...
, a harness (Standardbred) racetrack that includes a hotel, video gaming facility, a nightclub, an upscale steakhouse, the Racino, and a horse betting simulcast room.


Golf

*Saratoga Golf and Polo Club (private) *Saratoga National Golf (public) *Saratoga Spa Golf -Located in Saratoga Spa State Park (public) *Airway Meadows Golf Club (public) *McGregor Links Country Club (semi-private)


Polo

* The Saratoga Polo Association plays Fridays and Sundays mid-July through early September at Whitney Field in nearby Greenfield Center, New York


Saratoga Spa State Park

The Saratoga Spa State Park capitalizes on the culture and mineral springs that drove Saratoga Springs. This is a large state park and includes a hotel, 2 pool complexes, mineral baths, Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), picnic areas, hiking trails and numerous mineral springs. The Saratoga Performing Arts Center, located on the State Park grounds, has been the summer home of the Philadelphia Orchestra and New York City Ballet since 1966. Jazz and dance are featured at SPAC. The SPAC Amphitheater itself is 110 feet (34 m) high, sits in a natural, curved bowl that is bordered by large pine trees and a large lawn space, but is afflicted by the roar of nearby Geyser Creek, which creates serious acoustical problems. Inside the amphitheater is seating for 5100, the lawn can easily hold an additional 20,000 people. The park is also home to the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame, the Saratoga Automobile Museum, the Lincoln Mineral Baths and Spa, and the
Gideon Putnam Gideon Putnam (April 17, 1763 – December 1, 1812) was an entrepreneur and a founder of Saratoga Springs, New York. He also worked as a miller and built the city's Grand Union and Congress Hotels. The Gideon Putnam Hotel in the Saratoga Spa ...
Resort & Spa.


Skateboard Park

The Saratoga Skatepark (est. 1988), located in the center of the East Side Recreation area on Lake Avenue, is New York State's first municipal skatepark. The exercise facility is known for its concrete skateboard "bowl" installed with a state-of-the-art design in 2004. The skatepark has metal ramps as well. In 2010 the city filled the pool with dirt, citing problems with graffiti, vandalism and unconfirmed structural issues affecting the skating surface. In addition, the city said that they lacked funds to staff guards at the park and claimed it had spent nearly $200,000 on the park since it opened in 1988. After a group of skateboarders lobbied the city and publicly offered to dig out the pool by hand, the city excavated it in November 2011.


Government

The Saratoga Springs charter specifies a City commission government, "commission" form of city government. Recent efforts to amend the charter have not been successful. The most recent charter change proposal appeared on the ballot in the November 2020 election and was overwhelmingly defeated. Prior attempts have netted mixed results with the closest margin of votes in 2017 where a difference of 10 votes upheld the current system of government. The city is one of only three in the state of New York to have a three-tier tax district system, the inside district being what was originally the Administrative divisions of New York#Village, village of Saratoga Springs, and the outside district being the Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town of Saratoga Springs minus the village. The other two cities with a three-tier tax system are Rome, New York, Rome and Oneida, New York, Oneida.


Education

Empire State College and Skidmore College are both located in Saratoga Springs; Verrazzano College (1969–1975) was also located there. During the summer, Skidmore is one of several hosts for the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. Eastern Nazarene College, located in Quincy, Massachusetts, was founded in Saratoga Springs as the Pentecostal Collegiate Institute (New York), Pentecostal Collegiate Institute and Biblical Seminary at the turn of the 20th century. The Saratoga Springs City School District is made up of: * Six elementary schools (kindergarten through grade five) — Lake Avenue, Caroline Street, Division Street and Geyser Road in the City of Saratoga Springs; Greenfield in the Town of Greenfield; and Dorothy Nolan in the Town of Wilton * One middle school (grades six through eight) — Maple Avenue Middle School in the Town of Wilton * One high school (grades nine through twelve) — Saratoga Springs High School located on the West side on Blue Streak Boulevard in the City of Saratoga Springs. Private schools in Saratoga Springs include Saratoga Central Catholic High School, St. Clement's Regional Catholic School, The Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs, and Saratoga Independent School. Alternatively, some local children commute to Albany area schools such as The Emma Willard School, The Albany Academies, Doane Stuart School and La Salle Institute.


Media

*''Grid (formerly Saratoga Wire)'' daily online newspaper *''The Saratogian'' newspaper (daily) *Saratoga TODAY newspaper (weekly) *''Saratoga Business Journal'' newspaper (bi-weekly) *''The Spotlight'' newspaper (weekly) *''Eco Local'' magazine (monthly) *''Saratoga Seasons'' magazine *''Saratoga Living'' magazine (quarterly) *''Simply Saratoga'' magazine (by-monthly) *''The Skidmore News'' *''Skidmore Unofficial'' *Saratoga.com *Saratogabusiness.net *''Look TV'' television station


Infrastructure


Transportation

The closest scheduled air service is available at Albany International Airport, Albany International Airport (ALB). There is also a general aviation facility, Saratoga County Airport, Saratoga County Airport (5B2), located west of city limits in the Milton (town), New York, Town of Milton. Amtrak provides service to Saratoga Springs, operating its Adirondack (train), Adirondack daily in both directions between Central Station (Montreal), Central Station in Montreal and Pennsylvania Station (New York City), Penn Station in New York City and the Ethan Allen Express daily in both directions between Rutland station, Rutland, Vermont and New York City. The local station off of West Avenue was built in 1956 but was rehabilitated in 2004. The passenger area contains a coffee shop/newsstand, murals, an automated teller machine, a visitors information kiosk, an outside patio area with benches, and a children's play area. The station serves about 23,000 passengers annually. Greyhound Bus Lines serves the city frequently, sending buses every few hours towards Albany, New York, Albany or Montreal. The city Amtrak station serves as the Greyhound Bus Lines and Adirondack Trailways station. The city is also served by the Capital District Transportation Authority, which provides bus service from Schenectady, New York, Schenectady via New York State Route 50, Route 50 daily on bus route 450, service from Ballston Spa on bus route 451, service between the Wilton Mall and Skidmore College on bus route 452, and weekday service to Albany via the Northway Express line. In summers, free trolley service is provided. Low-cost curbside bus service is also provided by Megabus (North America), Megabus, with direct service to New York City and Burlington, Vermont. Long-distance motorists generally reach Saratoga via Interstate 87, which north of Albany is known as the Adirondack Northway. Three exits access the city. Exit 13-S is optimal for reaching Saratoga Lake, and 13-N for the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) and the southern and western quadrants of the city. Visitors to the Saratoga Race Course use Exit 14, which is also arguably best for reaching downtown from the south. Exit 15 serves Skidmore College, downtown if coming from the north, and the shopping malls just north of the city limits.


In popular culture

Saratoga Springs,
Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actu ...
, and Saratoga society are frequently featured on-screen and mentioned in films and television.


Films featuring Saratoga Springs

* ''12 Years a Slave (film), 12 Years a Slave'' (2013) – Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong'o, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch * ''A Dog Year'' (2009) – Jeff Bridges, Lauren Ambrose * ''Aftermath'' (2008) – Chris Penn's last film * ''Ass Backwards'' (2013) – Casey Wilson, June Diane Raphael, Alicia Silverstone, Jon Cryer * ''Billy Bathgate'' (1991) – Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman; the Kidman dancing scene was shot at the Hall of Springs * ''Feast of Friends'' (1970) – The Doors' self-produced documentary; features lengthy concert footage at SPAC (on 9/1/68) and Jim Morrison reciting poetry backstage * ''Ghost Story (1981 film), Ghost Story'' (1981) – Fred Astaire, John Houseman; houses on North Broadway were used as homes in this film. Cast included Fred Astaire, John Houseman, and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. * ''The Homestretch (film), The Homestretch'' (1947) – Maureen O'Hara, Cornel Wilde * ''Lolita (1962 film), Lolita'' (1962) – James Mason, Shelley Winters * ''My Old Man (film), My Old Man'' (1979) – Kristy McNichol, Warren Oates, Eileen Brennan; made-for-TV movie, based on an Ernest Hemingway story, was filmed at Saratoga Race Course, various locations in Saratoga Springs, and throughout Saratoga County. * ''Nobody's Fool (1994 film), Nobody's Fool'' (1994) – Paul Newman, Bruce Willis * ''Paul's Case'' (1980) – Eric Roberts, Lindsay Crouse * ''Saratoga (film), Saratoga'' (1937) – Clark Gable, Lionel Barrymore, Jean Harlow; notable for being Harlow's last film, as she collapsed on set during filming and died. Racing scenes were filmed at the
Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actu ...
. * ''Saratoga Trunk'' (1945) – Gary Cooper, Ingrid Bergman; while it was set in Saratoga, it was not filmed there. * ''Seabiscuit (film), Seabiscuit'' (2003) – Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges; racing scenes shot at the Saratoga Race Course in November 2002. * ''The Horse Whisperer (film), The Horse Whisperer'' (1998) – Robert Redford, Scarlett Johansson; special effects for the horse and rider accident were shot at the southern end of Saratoga Spa State Park. Also, a room at the Gideon Putnam Hotel was made into a shoddier motel room. * ''The Skeptic (film), The Skeptic'' (2009) – Tom Arnold (actor), Tom Arnold, Zoe Saldana * ''The Time Machine (2002 film), The Time Machine'' (2002) – Guy Pearce, Samantha Mumba * ''The Way We Were'' (1973) – Robert Redford, Barbra Streisand; scenes also shot in nearby Ballston Spa, New York, Ballston Spa * ''Virgin Alexander'' (2012) – Rick Faugno, Paige Howard, Bronson Pinchot


Radio

* Saratoga Springs was the setting for a radio soap opera by the same name, created by ZBS Foundation and written by Meatball Fulton. The 1989 series was produced as 90 four-minute daily episodes for National Public Radio. The story incorporates Saratoga Springs historical facts and utilizes local actors as well as ZBS regulars. Lena Spencer of Caffe Lena is listed as playing herself. A "Best of Saratoga Springs" compilation (c. 2004) can be purchased from ZBS (www.zbs.org). During spring and early summer, 2007, the original four-minute episodes were podcast by ZBS.


Television

* In the Western series ''Maverick (TV series), Maverick'', Saratoga Springs serves as the primary setting of the season 3 episode "Maverick Springs" in which Bret Maverick, played by James Garner, is hired to convince a wealthy rancher's brother to return home. * In the pilot episode of the 1960s sitcom ''Green Acres'', it was noted that Eddie Albert's character of Oliver Wendell Douglas was born in Saratoga Springs. * In the sci-fi series, ''The Orville'', Saratoga Springs is featured in the 11th episode of season 2, "Lasting Impressions", which first aired on March 21, 2019. A time capsule from 2015 is unearthed out of Saratoga Springs approximately 400 years in the future by the ship's crew. One of the items contributed is a smartphone by a young woman who is a native of the city named Laura Huggins, played by Leighton Meester, who wanted future discoverers to know about her and her life. She becomes the object of infatuation by the ship's helmsman, Gordon Malloy, played by Scott Grimes. Gordon uploads the phone's data to the ship's computer and requests a simulation of Laura's environment and life in Saratoga Springs.


Music

* In the song "Adelaide's Lament" in the 1950 Broadway theatre, Broadway musical ''Guys and Dolls'', Adelaide, who has an eternal cold caused by her fiancé's refusal to finally marry, sings "When they get on that train to Niagara / She can hear church bells chime / The compartment is air-conditioned / And the mood sublime... / Then they get off at Saratoga for the fourteenth time / A person can develop la grippe!" * In the 1972 Carly Simon song "You're So Vain" the singer references horseracing in Saratoga Springs: "Well, I hear you went up to Saratoga, and your horse naturally won...." * In 1987, Whitney Houston's music video for "Didn't We Almost Have It All", the second single from her second Whitney (album), studio album, was filmed at Saratoga Performing Arts Center. The video was rotated regularly on MTV and it eventually became her fifth (of a record-breaking seven) consecutive number one hits on the Billboard 100 chart. * On September 1st, 1977 Jackson Browne recorded "Rosie" at SPAC and it appeared on the platinum album ''Running on Empty'' the following year.


Food

* It is believed that the club sandwich was invented in the Canfield Casino in 1894. * Potato chips were invented at Moon's Lake House on Saratoga Lake by George Crum in 1854, in response to a customer's complaint that his potatoes were cut too thick.


Other

* Walt Disney World Resort has a themed resort called Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, whose theme and design was inspired by this city. Additionally, the Walt Disney World Railroad station at Main Street U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom was modeled after and closely resembles the former Second Empire architecture, Victorian era railroad depot that once stood in downtown Saratoga Springs. * The James Bond novel ''Diamonds Are Forever (novel), Diamonds are Forever'' contained several scenes set in Saratoga Springs and its racecourse * Saratoga native Solomon Northup's memoir ''12 Years a Slave (film), Twelve Years a Slave'' was made into a hit movie in 2013.


Sister cities

* Vichy (France) ''since 1994'' * Waveland, Mississippi ''In the spring of 2006, Saratoga Springs decided to help out the people of Waveland in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina via a "Mardi Gras"-themed festival downtown.''


See also

* Horses Saratoga Style * List of Mayors of Saratoga Springs, New York * Geyser Crest * International Kindergarten Union, founded in Saratoga Springs, 1892 * Sans Souci Hotel (Ballston Spa) * :People from Saratoga Springs, New York


References


Further reading

* * * * * * * Paraschos, Janet Nyberg. "Saratoga Springs" ''American Preservation'' (1978) 2#1 pp 59–72. * *Sloane, Barbara Barton (2019).
Saratoga Springs: A Hudson Valley Treasure
" The Pelham Post, Vol. 16.


External links

*
Saratoga County History

Our Town: Saratoga Springs
Documentary produced by WMHT (TV) {{Authority control Saratoga Springs, New York, Cities in New York (state) Spa towns in New York (state) New York State Heritage Areas Populated places established in 1776 Eastern Nazarene College locations Cities in Saratoga County, New York