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, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over 200 years. It is home to the Saratoga Race Course, a thoroughbred horse racing track, and Saratoga Performing Arts Center, 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 Schuylerville () is a village in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The village is located in the northeastern part of the Town of Saratoga, east of Saratoga Springs. The Village of Victory is adjacent to Schuylerville to the southwest ...

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, 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 and other Iroquois 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.) Saratoga Springs, N

The first permanent European-American settler built a dwelling in the area ''circa'' 1776. The springs attracted tourists, and Gideon Putnam 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 Battles of Saratoga (September 19 and October 7, 1777) marked the climax of the Saratoga campaign, giving a decisive victory to the Americans over the British in the American Revolutionary War. British General John Burgoyne led an invasion ...

, 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

, 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 The Saratoga and Schenectady Railroad was incorporated on February 16, 1831. The founders were Henry Walton, John Clarke, William A. Langworthy, John H. Steele, Miles Beach, Gideon W. Davison, and Rockwell Putnam. The line was opened from Schene ...

, 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 assumed control in 1870 and began running the

Empire State Express The ''Empire State Express'' was one of the named passenger trains and onetime flagship of the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad (a predecessor of the later New York Central Railroad). On September 14, 1891, it covered the 436 miles ...

directly between New York City and the resort. In the 19th century, noted doctor

Simon Baruch Simon Baruch (July 29, 1840 – June 3, 1921) was a physician, scholar, and the foremost advocate of the urban public bathhouse to benefit public health in the United States. Early life and education Simon Baruch, the son of Jewish parents Berna ...

encouraged developing European-style

spa A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (and sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa towns or spa resorts (including hot springs resorts) typically offer various health treatments, which are also known as balneoth ...

s in the United States as centers for health. With its wealth of mineral waters, Saratoga Springs was developed as a

, 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 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 Saratoga Lake is a lake in the eastern part of Saratoga County, New York (state), New York. The lake is approximately long, about wide at its widest point, and about deep. The lake is bordered by the city of Saratoga Springs on the northwest ...

, 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), which allowed visitors easier access from the north and south. In addition, the construction of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in the late 1960s, which features classical and popular music and dance, furthered the city's renaissance era. The New York City Ballet and the

Philadelphia Orchestra The Philadelphia Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One of the " Big Five" American orchestras, the orchestra is based at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where it performs its subscription ...

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 Hydrogen sulfide is a chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless chalcogen-hydride gas, and is poisonous, corrosive, and flammable, with trace amounts in ambient atmosphere having a characteristic foul odor of rotten eggs. The unde ...

, 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 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 U.S. Route 9 (US 9) is a north–south United States highway in the states of Delaware, New Jersey, and New York in the Northeastern United States. It is one of only two U.S. Highways with a ferry connection (the Cape May–Lewes Ferry, betw ...

pass alongside and through the city, respectively.

New York State Route 29 New York State Route 29 (NY 29) is a state highway extending for across the eastern portion of the U.S. state of New York. The western terminus of the route is at NY 28 and NY 169 in Middleville, Herkimer County. The easte ...

, New York State Route 50,

New York State Route 9N New York State Route 9N (NY 9N) is a north–south state highway in northeastern New York in the United States. It extends from an intersection with U.S. Route 9 (US 9), NY 29, and NY 50 in the city of Saratoga Spri ...

, and

New York State Route 9P New York State Route 9P (NY 9P) is a state highway in central Saratoga County, New York, in the United States. It is an alternate route off U.S. Route 9 between Malta and Saratoga Springs that connects US 9 to the eastern shor ...

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 in the city, joined briefly by NY 29.

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 servin ...

Bureau: *92.5% White *1.7% Black *0.1% Native American *2.01%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander *3.1%

Two or more races 2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many culture ...

*0.64% Other races *4.0% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) As of the census 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, 1.7% African American, 0.1% Native American, 2.01%

, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

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, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs, NY

Saratoga Springs relies heavily on tourism as its main source of income during the summer season while the Saratoga Race Course is open. Many residents commute daily to Albany via Interstate 87, Interstate 787, and

Interstate 90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, Great Plains, Midwest, and ...

. 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 Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, commonly known as AB InBev, is an American-Belgian multinational drink and brewing company based in Leuven, Belgium. AB InBev has a global functional management office in New York City, and regional headquarters ...

) 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 Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

in 2013.

Quad/Graphics Quad (formerly Quad/Graphics) is an American commercial printing company which offers marketing strategy and management services, based in Sussex, Wisconsin. It was founded as a printing company on July 13, 1971, by Harry V. Quadracci. Since 20 ...

, offset printers of '' Time'', '' Newsweek'', '' People'', '' Sports Illustrated'' 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 Stewart's Shops is an American chain of convenience stores located primarily in eastern Upstate New York and southwestern Vermont, owned by the Dake family and the employees through an ESOP plan. Headquartered in Ballston Spa (with a Saratoga ...

, 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 Saratoga Spa State Park is a state park located in Saratoga County, New York in the United States. The park is in the City of Saratoga Springs, near US 9 and NY 50. The grounds contain mineral springs, classical bath and spa houses, and the S ...

, 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

and the New York City Ballet, 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 (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. Museums in the area include the

National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame The National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame, in the Saratoga Spa State Park, Saratoga Springs, New York, was established in 1986. It contains photographs, videos, artifacts, costumes, and biographies. The museum is located in the former Washi ...

, the

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers. In 1955, the museum moved to its current location on Union Av ...

, and the

Saratoga Automobile Museum The Saratoga Automobile Museum is located in the Saratoga Spa State Park in Saratoga Springs, New York Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the ...

. There are more than 20 golf courses 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 performed in 1961. Arlo Guthrie played at Caffè Lena early in his career and has returned for occasional benefit concerts, and the singer Don McLean 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. Flurry Festival 2019 contra dance

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 and his wife, author Katrina Trask. Since its inception in 1900, Yaddo has hosted 68 authors who later won the

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

and one Nobel Prize winner, Saul Bellow.

Leonard Bernstein Leonard Bernstein ( ; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was the first America ...

, Truman Capote, Aaron Copland, Sylvia Plath, and David Sedaris have all been artists-in-residence. The Yaddo grounds are adjacent to the backstretch of the Saratoga Race Course. Over Presidents' Day weekend in February, Saratoga Springs draws more than 5000 attendees for the annual

Flurry Festival The Flurry Festival (previously the Dance Flurry Festival and often abbreviated to just the Flurry or Flurry) is an annual weekend festival held in February in Saratoga Springs, New York. The festival includes one of the largest contra dances in t ...

, which features folk dance and music, including one of the largest contra dances 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 *

*New York State Military Museum And Veterans Research Center *

Saratoga Springs History Museum The Saratoga Springs History Museum in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States, is located inside the historic Canfield Casino. The museum's collection focuses on the cultural history of Saratoga Springs. The Saratoga Springs History Museum T ...

*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 at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga City Ballet *Opera – Opera Saratoga *Music –

Caffe Lena Caffe may refer to: * Caffè, the Italian word for coffee, used as an alternative spelling of café * Caffe (software) Caffe (Convolutional Architecture for Fast Feature Embedding) is a deep learning framework, originally developed at Universit ...

, 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 * Broadway Historic District *

Canfield Casino and Congress Park Canfield Casino and Congress Park is a site in Saratoga Springs, New York, Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It was formerly the site of the Congress Hotel (also called Congress Hall), a large resort hotel, and the Congress Spring Bottl ...

The Drinkhall The Saratoga Springs Visitor Center, located at 297 Broadway in Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County, New York, in the building known historically as "The Drinkhall", was built in 1915 as a trolley station by the Hudson Valley Railroad. It was desig ...

* East Side Historic District * Franklin Square Historic District *

Gideon Putnam Burying Ground The Gideon Putnam Burying Ground is located on South Franklin Street in Saratoga Springs, New York, Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It contains over 150 graves of early and mid-19th century residents of the city, all from the period be ...

Petrified Sea Gardens Petrified Sea Gardens, also once known as Ritchie Park, is a National Historic Landmark on Petrified Sea Gardens Road in Saratoga Springs, New York. It preserves a bed of ancient stromatolites in a Cambrian rock layer, which were the first to be ...

Pure Oil Gas Station The Pure Oil Gas Station, located at 65 Spring Street in Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County, New York, is a historic service station. It was built in 1933 by the Pure Oil Co. in the English Cottage style. It was moved to its present location on ...

* Saratoga Gas, Electric Light and Power Company Complex * Saratoga Spa State Park District *

Hiram Charles Todd House The Hiram Charles Todd House, also known as the Marvin-Sackett-Todd House, is located at 4 Franklin Square in Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County, New York. It is a Greek Revival house built in the 1830s by a local hotelier. Later it was home to ...

Union Avenue Historic District Union Avenue Historic District is a historic district in Saratoga Springs, New York. It was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It includes at least the Congress Park portion of the Canfield Casino and Congress Park ...

* US Post Office-Saratoga Springs * West Side Historic District * Yaddo

Parks and recreation

Thoroughbred racing

Saratoga Race Course 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 William Riggin Travers (July 1819 – March 19, 1887) was an American lawyer who was highly successful on Wall Street. A well-known cosmopolite, Travers was a member of 27 private clubs, according to Cleveland Amory in his book ''Who Killed Soci ...

, the thoroughbred 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, 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

(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 Greenfield Center is a hamlet in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The community is located along New York State Route 9N, northwest of Saratoga Springs. Greenfield Center has a post office A post office is a public facility and a re ...

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 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 "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 village of Saratoga Springs, and the outside district being the town of Saratoga Springs minus the village. The other two cities with a three-tier tax system are Rome and

Oneida Oneida may refer to: Native American/First Nations * Oneida people, a Native American/First Nations people and one of the five founding nations of the Iroquois Confederacy * Oneida language * Oneida Indian Nation, based in New York * Oneida Na ...

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 Quincy ( ) is a coastal U.S. city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the largest city in the county and a part of Greater Boston, Metropolitan Boston as one of Boston's immediate southern suburbs. Its population in 2020 was 1 ...

, was founded in Saratoga Springs as the 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 Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over 2 ...

in the Town of Wilton * One high school (grades nine through twelve) —

Saratoga Springs High School Saratoga Springs High School is a public high school in Saratoga Springs, New York. The school was originally located on Lake Avenue, but was relocated to its current location prior to 1969. The current campus was renovated in 2002. The school's ...

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 The Albany Academies are independent college-preparatory schools in Albany, New York, educating students from Preschool through Grade 12. In July 2007, the administrative teams of The Albany Academy and Albany Academy for Girls merged into The A ...

Doane Stuart School The Doane Stuart School is a private college preparatory school in Rensselaer, New York. The School is coeducational and interfaith, and it educates students from early childhood through Grade 12. History The Doane Stuart School ("Doane Stuart") ...

and

La Salle Institute La Salle Institute is an independent, private, Catholic college preparatory school run by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools in Troy, New York, United States serving boys and girls in grades six through twelve. It was establi ...

Media

*''Grid (formerly Saratoga Wire)'' daily online newspaper *''

The Saratogian ''The Saratogian'' is a broadsheet-style daily newspaper published in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. The paper has been published daily since 1855, first as ''The Daily Saratogian'', and then as ''The Saratogian'' beginning in 1910. ...

'' 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 (ALB). There is also a general aviation facility, Saratoga County Airport (5B2), located west of city limits in the Town of Milton. Amtrak provides service to Saratoga Springs, operating its Adirondack daily in both directions between Central Station in Montreal and Penn Station in New York City and the Ethan Allen Express daily in both directions between

Rutland, Vermont Rutland, Vermont may refer to: *Rutland (city), Vermont * Rutland (town), Vermont *Rutland County, Vermont *West Rutland, Vermont West Rutland is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,214 at the 2020 census. The t ...

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 or Montreal. The city Amtrak station serves as the Greyhound Bus Lines and

Adirondack Trailways Trailways of New York is one of the largest privately held transportation companies based in New York State. It employs over 450 people and carries passengers more than 80 million miles annually. TrailwaysNY, as it is known, operates over 150 tr ...

station. The city is also served by the Capital District Transportation Authority, which provides bus service from Schenectady via Route 50 daily on bus route 450, service from Ballston Spa on bus route 451, service between the

Wilton Mall Wilton Mall is a regional shopping center, located off Interstate 87 exit 15 in the town of Wilton, directly north of Saratoga Springs, New York. As of 2022, the mall currently maintains the traditional chains JCPenney, Dick's Sporting Goods, ...

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 Megabus may refer to: *Megabus (Europe), a low-cost coach service with services in Europe owned by ComfortDelGro. *Megabus (North America) Megabus, branded as megabus.com, is an intercity bus service of Coach USA/Coach Canada operating in the eas ...

, with direct service to New York City and

Burlington, Vermont Burlington is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the seat of Chittenden County. It is located south of the Canada–United States border and south of Montreal. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 44,743. It ...

. 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, and Saratoga society are frequently featured on-screen and mentioned in films and television.

Films featuring Saratoga Springs

* ''

12 Years a Slave ''Twelve Years a Slave'' is an 1853 memoir and slave narrative by American Solomon Northup as told to and written by David Wilson. Northup, a black man who was born free in New York state, details himself being tricked to go to Washington, D.C., ...

'' (2013) – Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong'o,

Michael Fassbender Michael Fassbender (born 2 April 1977) is an Irish actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards, four British Academy Film Award ...

, Benedict Cumberbatch * ''

A Dog Year ''A Dog Year'' is a 2009 American made-for-television comedy-drama film written and directed by first-time director George LaVoo and starring Jeff Bridges. It was originally broadcast on HBO on September 3, 2009. The film is based on the memoir b ...

'' (2009) – Jeff Bridges, Lauren Ambrose * ''Aftermath'' (2008) – Chris Penn's last film * '' Ass Backwards'' (2013) –

Casey Wilson Cathryn Rose "Casey" Wilson (born October 24, 1980) is an American actress, comedienne, and screenwriter. She starred as Penny Hartz in the ABC comedy series '' Happy Endings'' for which she was twice nominated to the Critics' Choice Television A ...

June Diane Raphael June Diane Raphael ( ; born January 4, 1980) is an American actress, comedian, and screenwriter. She has starred in TV comedy programs ''Burning Love'', Adult Swim's '' NTSF:SD:SUV::'', and ''Grace and Frankie''. Notable film work includes support ...

Alicia Silverstone Alicia Silverstone ( ; born October 4, 1976) is an American actress. She made her film debut in the thriller ''The Crush (1993 film), The Crush'' (1993), earning the 1994 MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance, and gained further prom ...

, Jon Cryer * ''

Billy Bathgate ''Billy Bathgate'' is a 1989 novel by author E. L. Doctorow that won the 1989 National Book Critics Circle award for fiction for 1990, the 1990 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the 1990 William Dean Howells Medal, and was the runner-up for the 1 ...

'' (1991) – Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman; the Kidman dancing scene was shot at the

Hall of Springs In architecture, a hall is a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and walls. In the Iron Age and early Middle Ages in northern Europe, a mead hall was where a lord and his retainers ate and also slept. Later in the Middle Ages, the gr ...

* '' 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 A ghost story is any piece of fiction, or drama, that includes a ghost, or simply takes as a premise the possibility of ghosts or characters' belief in them."Ghost Stories" in Margaret Drabble (ed.), ''Oxford Companion to English Literature'' ...

'' (1981) – Fred Astaire,

John Houseman John Houseman (born Jacques Haussmann; September 22, 1902 – October 31, 1988) was a Romanian-born British-American actor and producer of theatre, film, and television. He became known for his highly publicized collaboration with director ...

; houses on North Broadway were used as homes in this film. Cast included Fred Astaire, John Houseman, and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. * '' The Homestretch'' (1947) –

Maureen O'Hara Maureen O'Hara (; 17 August 1920 – 24 October 2015) was a native Irish and naturalized American actress and singer, who became successful in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood from the 1940s through to the 1960s. She was a natural ...

, Cornel Wilde * ''

Lolita ''Lolita'' is a 1955 novel written by Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov. The novel is notable for its controversial subject: the protagonist and unreliable narrator, a middle-aged literature professor under the pseudonym Humbert Humber ...

'' (1962) –

James Mason James Neville Mason (; 15 May 190927 July 1984) was an English actor. He achieved considerable success in British cinema before becoming a star in Hollywood. He was the top box-office attraction in the UK in 1944 and 1945; his British films inc ...

, Shelley Winters * '' My Old Man'' (1979) –

Kristy McNichol Christina Ann McNichol (born September 11, 1962) is an American former actress. She is known for such film roles as Angel in ''Little Darlings'', Polly in '' Only When I Laugh'', and Barbara Weston in the TV sitcom ''Empty Nest''. She won two Emmy ...

, 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) –

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...

, Bruce Willis * ''Paul's Case'' (1980) –

Eric Roberts Eric Anthony Roberts (born April 18, 1956) is an American actor. His career began with a leading role in ''King of the Gypsies'' (1978) for which he received his first Golden Globe Award nomination. He was nominated again at the Golden Globes fo ...

, Lindsay Crouse * '' Saratoga'' (1937) – Clark Gable,

Lionel Barrymore Lionel Barrymore (born Lionel Herbert Blythe; April 28, 1878 – November 15, 1954) was an American actor of stage, screen and radio as well as a film director. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in ''A Free Soul'' (1931) ...

, 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 Trunk'' (1945) – Gary Cooper,

Ingrid Bergman Ingrid Bergman (29 August 191529 August 1982) was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films, television movies, and plays.Obituary ''Variety'', 1 September 1982. With a career spanning five decades, she is often ...

; while it was set in Saratoga, it was not filmed there. * ''

Seabiscuit Seabiscuit (May 23, 1933 – May 17, 1947) was a champion thoroughbred racehorse in the United States who became the top money-winning racehorse up to the 1940s. He beat the 1937 Triple Crown winner, War Admiral, by four lengths in a two-horse ...

'' (2003) – Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges; racing scenes shot at the Saratoga Race Course in November 2002. * '' The Horse Whisperer'' (1998) –

Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the List of awards and nominations received by Robert Redford, recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Awards, Academy Award from four nomi ...

, Scarlett Johansson; special effects for the horse and rider accident were shot at the southern end of

. Also, a room at the Gideon Putnam Hotel was made into a shoddier motel room. * '' The Skeptic'' (2009) –

Tom Arnold Tom Arnold may refer to: * Tom Arnold (actor) (born 1959), American actor * Tom Arnold (economist) (born 1948), Irish CEO of Concern Worldwide * Tom Arnold (footballer) (1878–?), English footballer * Tom Arnold (literary scholar) (1823–1900), ...

Zoe Saldana Zoe (also ZOE, Zoë, Zoé, etc.) can refer to: *ζωή (''zōḗ''), the Ancient Greek word for "life" People * Zoe (name), including list of persons and fictional characters with the name Film and television * ''Zoe'' (film) * ZOE Broadcast ...

* '' The Time Machine'' (2002) – Guy Pearce, Samantha Mumba * ''The Way We Were'' (1973) –

, 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

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.''

References

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