New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Ballston Spa

Saratoga County Mills Using Manila Hemp Were Home To ‘The Paper Bag King’

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Union Mill (left), West Bag Factory and George West Office Building from Prospect Street in 2008 (courtesy Wikipedia User Daniel Case)One of the most prosperous residents in the history of Ballston Spa, NY, was a “Paper Bag King” who once laid claim to the largest manila paper bag operation in the world, also located in Saratoga County.

George West, was born in the English village of Kentisbeare in 1822. He was the sixth of nine children, and as soon as he was old enough West followed in his father’s footsteps and began working at a local paper mill. [Read more…] about Saratoga County Mills Using Manila Hemp Were Home To ‘The Paper Bag King’

Early Railroads From The Capital District To Saratoga

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locomotive illustrationIt’s becoming popular to refer to our area as Tech Valley because of the nanotech facilities in Albany and Global Foundries in Malta (Saratoga County).

This is not the first time the region was at the forefront of a technological revolution. In the early nineteenth century some of the nation’s first railroads were built right here. [Read more…] about Early Railroads From The Capital District To Saratoga

The Ballston Terminal Railroad: A Short History

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The A.N. Chandler car of the Ballston Terminal RailroadThe Ballston Terminal Railroad in Saratoga County, NY, opened on August 6, 1898.

At 4:05 pm, the George West made its inaugural run from the Village of Ballston Spa to the Pioneer Mill in West Milton. This was a six mile trip. On the return trip to Ballston Spa, the trolley stopped at the Power House in Factory Village to allow the company to review the machinery. Then everyone boarded again to arrive back at Middlebrook Avenue at 5:10 pm. The total round trip took one hour and five minutes. [Read more…] about The Ballston Terminal Railroad: A Short History

Saratoga County Fair: A Short History

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The Saratoga County Fairgrounds Early 20th centuryThe Saratoga County Agricultural Society and Fair dates back to 1841 when the organization was formed under an act of the State Legislature of that year. However, before the Agricultural Society was founded, earlier fairs were held from 1819 to 1825 at the Courthouse and an adjacent lot in Ballston Spa.

Saratoga County shares the honor of the oldest county fair in New York State with Jefferson County. [Read more…] about Saratoga County Fair: A Short History

When Ballston Spa Rivaled Saratoga Springs

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Ballston Springs – 1817 engraving by J HillOne hundred and ninety-five years ago, on April 27,1825, Professor of Chemistry at Yale University Benjamin Silliman penned a letter to Harvey Loomis, proprietor of the Sans Souci Hotel in Ballston Spa.

It was subsequently printed in the Ballston Spa Gazette in August 1825, and copied in travelogues over the next several years. [Read more…] about When Ballston Spa Rivaled Saratoga Springs

Saratoga Co Show & Tell at Brookside Museum

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The Saratoga County History Roundtable is set to present a Show and Tell Sharing Event on Thursday, January 16th at 7 pm at the Brookside Museum. Several members will tell the story of artifacts and manuscripts from family heirlooms or other items of local historical interest. [Read more…] about Saratoga Co Show & Tell at Brookside Museum

Brookside Museum Will Re-Open in 2020

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As a result of the positive response to the “Save Brookside Museum” campaign, the Saratoga County Historical Society/Brookside Museum Board of Directors has announced that the museum will reopen in February 2020 after its normal January closure. With significant contributions from the Towns of Ballston and Milton, as well as support from the community, over $65,000 has been received to date. [Read more…] about Brookside Museum Will Re-Open in 2020

Artisan’s Market at Brookside Ballston Spa Saturday

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artistans marketThe Saratoga County Historical Society is set to host their 19th annual Artisan’s Market at the Brookside Museum, 6 Charlton Street, Ballston Spa, beginning on Small Business Saturday, November 30th from noon to 5 pm.

A wide selection of hand-crafted products created by local artisans, including soaps and lotions, ornaments, jewelry, spices and syrups, cutting boards and home décor will be available for holiday shopping. Each purchase supports the Saratoga County Historical Society and the local artisans. [Read more…] about Artisan’s Market at Brookside Ballston Spa Saturday

James Fenimore Cooper Lecture in Saratoga County

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llustration from 1896 edition, by F.T. Merrill. The drawing depicts Hawk-eye (disguised as a bear) fighting Magua in the cave where Alice is held captive.The Saratoga County Historical Society, as part of their Long Room Lecture Series, will present a program entitled “Historical Fiction and Fictional History: Translating the Past in James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans” on Thursday, November 21th at 7 PM at Brookside Museum, 6 Charlton Street, Ballston Spa.

Elaina Frulla, of SUNY Albany will discuss how the time Cooper spent in Ballston Spa amidst the socio-political climate of the 1820s influenced his depiction of the heroes and villains of The Last of the Mohicans, which is set during the French and Indian War, 70 years earlier. [Read more…] about James Fenimore Cooper Lecture in Saratoga County