Saratoga County History Center

The Great Intercollegiate Regatta of 1874

July 25, 2021 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Nothing is quite as exciting as being part of the crowd at a Super Bowl or at the Olympic Games. That type of excitement must have been experienced by Saratoga Lake dwellers in July, 1874 when the “Great Intercollegiate Regatta” came to our community.

Nine colleges – Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Wesleyan, Dartmouth, Williams, Cornell, Trinity and Princeton all entered six man shells. While each school brought their own fans to the area, most interest (especially betting interest) centered on the fierce Harvard – Yale rivalry. In a race five years earlier, Yale had beaten the boys from Harvard but were charged with unsportsmanlike conduct and disqualified. Bad blood existed between these two prestigious members of the Ivy League. [Read more…] about The Great Intercollegiate Regatta of 1874

Ballston Spa’s Éclair House: Some History

July 16, 2021 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

One Hundred and Fifty Years ago, on July 15th, 1871, a news article appeared in the Saturday edition of the Ballston [Saratoga County] Journal, “Wm Brown and John Parent are preparing the foundations for two fine houses on Bath Street, opposite the Washington Spring.”

Brown’s house would not be the typical gable-roofed residence, But a fashionable French-Gothic Mansard. The post-civil war period was known for unabashed ostentation. Suppliers, manufacturers, and financiers had profited greatly from the government’s need to equip and maintain its armed forces. There was so many nouveau riche showing off their wealth, it was fashionable to do so. [Read more…] about Ballston Spa’s Éclair House: Some History

Capital District Soldiers at the Battle of Saipan

July 13, 2021 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Just before dawn on July 7th, 1944, several thousand Japanese soldiers, sailors and civilians swarmed from their positions along the northwestern corner of the Pacific island of Saipan in the Northern Marianas. The target of what would be the largest attack of the Second World War was the U.S. Army’s 27th Infantry Division, specifically the 1st and 2nd battalions of the 105th Infantry Regiment.

By the end of the day, more than 900 out of the approximately 1,100 soldiers in those two battalions would be casualties. Many of them were from the Albany-Saratoga region. Nearly all the approximately 30,000 Japanese attackers were killed in what was the last major enemy assault on Saipan during 25 days of fighting that left about 15,000 Americans killed, wounded or missing in action. Another 20,000 Japanese civilians were killed or committed suicide out of fear of American troops. [Read more…] about Capital District Soldiers at the Battle of Saipan

Saratoga’s Courthouse Bell Was Saved By Preservationists

July 3, 2021 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Hundreds of cars drive down McMaster Street in Ballston Spa on a daily basis, but few may notice the beautiful old bell that sits silently on display in front of Building 1 of the Saratoga County Complex. [Read more…] about Saratoga’s Courthouse Bell Was Saved By Preservationists

Corinth’s 1919 German–American Club Fire

June 24, 2021 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

In the early morning hours of July 4, 1919, a fire alarm was sounded in the village of Corinth, Saratoga County. Many residents thought some kids were celebrating Independence Day a bit early, but when the International Paper Mill fire whistle sounded everyone knew it was real.

The popular German-American Club next to a creek on lower Pine Street was ablaze. [Read more…] about Corinth’s 1919 German–American Club Fire

Hard Times For War of 1812 Veteran Amasiah Ford

June 17, 2021 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

In 1845, Amasiah Ford of Ballston Spa wrote a multi-page manuscript for his application seeking a veteran’s pension. The account of his military experience 30-plus years earlier would be used 150 years later as references in several books on the War of 1812. [Read more…] about Hard Times For War of 1812 Veteran Amasiah Ford

Medberry & Mann: Saratoga County’s Paper Collar Kings

June 10, 2021 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Although no trace remains today, the Glen Paper Collar Company was a visible presence in the Saratoga County community of Ballston Spa 150 years ago. It was located in what was known as the “Blue Mill” on the north side of Milton Avenue, built as one of the area’s first grist mills. The collar company was one of the largest of its kind in the country and its owners, Horace Medbery and Henry Mann, were prolific inventors. [Read more…] about Medberry & Mann: Saratoga County’s Paper Collar Kings

Walking the Sanford Horses to Saratoga

June 9, 2021 by Bob Cudmore 2 Comments

Born in 1826, Stephen Sanford worked with his father John and then on his own to create the Sanford carpet mills in Amsterdam. He went to West Point, served in Congress and was a friend of Ulysses S. Grant.

In the early twentieth century, thoroughbred horses owned by Sanford were walked each summer to Saratoga from Sanford’s Hurricana Farm. Racing Hall of Fame trainer Hollie Hughes, who served three generations of Sanfords, recalled the annual trek in Alex M. Robb’s book, The Sanfords of Amsterdam. [Read more…] about Walking the Sanford Horses to Saratoga

Memories of a Childhood at Mount McGregor

May 24, 2021 by Guest Contributor 7 Comments

My father was employed as an administrator at the Mount McGregor Veterans Rest Camp, Saratoga County, upon his discharge from the Army. Mom was a Registered Nurse at the Camp Infirmary. I lived on Mount McGregor from April 1946, the day I arrived in my mother’s arms, until I left for Boy Scout Camp Saratoga in July 1960. Five boys and one girl within two years of my age lived on Mount McGregor during that time. We were a loosely knit mostly outdoor group. [Read more…] about Memories of a Childhood at Mount McGregor

The 1921 Trail of Saratoga’s District Attorney That Turned Into A Riot

May 7, 2021 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

On May 11th, 1921, Saratoga County District Attorney Charles Andrus stood before Justice Henry Borst at the courthouse in Ballston Spa for the start of a criminal trial.

It must have been a strange feeling that day for Andrus because unlike countless other times before the court, this time the District Attorney was seated at the defendant’s table. He had been indicted on charges of neglect of duty, bribery, and corruption. His trial would be extraordinary on many levels. [Read more…] about The 1921 Trail of Saratoga’s District Attorney That Turned Into A Riot