New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

NYRA

Saratoga Historic Preservation Award Winners Recognized

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Stone Abbey at 125 Circular Street by Gail SteinEach year in September the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation recognizes those who have preserved the architectural heritage of Saratoga Springs.

Award recipients were recently honored during the Foundation’s Annual Meeting at Music Hall at City Hall, 474 Broadway. Categories for this year’s awards included Adaptive Reuse, Rehabilitation Initiative, Rehabilitation, Restoration, Landscape Initiative, New Contextual Design, Porch Restoration, and Window Initiative. [Read more…] about Saratoga Historic Preservation Award Winners Recognized

Saratoga Race Track’s Wilson Chute is Returning; Here’s Some History

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Sanborn Fire Insurance Map 1 (May 1954) showing the Saratoga Racing Association grounds (the Wilson Chute is marked with an arrow)The New York Racing Association has recently announced a revised configuration for the historic Saratoga Race Course for the 2022 race meet. A chute, or straight-away will return, allowing for a start directly into the clubhouse turn for races of one mile in distance. Known as the Wilson Chute, it had been a regular feature of the track until 1972, when the area was converted to additional parking.

The Wilson Chute is named in honor of Richard T. Wilson, Jr. who had been the President of the Saratoga Racing Association beginning in 1909. As an executive and an investor, he was integral in saving racing at the Spa and then developing the sport and the racing plant that so many are familiar with today. [Read more…] about Saratoga Race Track’s Wilson Chute is Returning; Here’s Some History