You may have noticed that “Since 1842” appears on the label of all Mott’s apple products. That was the year Samuel Mott began selling apple cider and vinegar to his neighbors in Halfmoon, Saratoga County, NY. The Mott’s apple processing empire we know today grew from that humble beginning. [Read more…] about Mott’s Apple Empire Began in Saratoga County in 1842
Saratoga County History Center
Casualties of the Battles of Saratoga (Virtual Program)
The Saratoga County History Center will host “In Memoriam: Casualties of the Battles of Saratoga,” a virtual presentation using genealogy to examine the American casualties during the Battles of Saratoga, set for Friday, February 18th. [Read more…] about Casualties of the Battles of Saratoga (Virtual Program)
Ice Harvesting in Saratoga County
Before refrigeration, food had to be eaten in a short time before growing bacteria could cause disease. Drying, smoking and salting were used but each had their limitations. In the ancient world, ice was a luxury available to those with great power.
Prior to the nineteenth century, ice harvesting was a local and small time operation. Ponds were the best source, because still water freezes first, but all sources of water were employed. January or February was considered the best month for harvesting. Often communities or groups of farm families would work cooperatively, dividing the “crop” proportionally. In addition to hard work, the “icing” was a social occasion and opportunity for locals to pass gossip and news. [Read more…] about Ice Harvesting in Saratoga County
Henry Knox, Phillip Schuyler and Lake Champlain’s Cannon in Boston
One of the iconic stories of the American Revolution is the laborious trek of a contingent of newly-minted patriots, led by Henry Knox, lugging cannon from the fort at Crown Point and Fort Ticonderoga to Dorchester Heights, forcing the British to abandon Boston, an important early victory is our long fight for freedom.
Few may realize that important decisions while the expedition was in Saratoga County were key to the success of the mission. [Read more…] about Henry Knox, Phillip Schuyler and Lake Champlain’s Cannon in Boston
Saratoga Corruption & The Destruction of Cale Mitchell
In January 1920, a successful businessman and three-time president of the village of Saratoga Springs took his own life in the hallways of Saratoga Springs Town Hall. His story exposes the conflicts that arose over gambling in the resort town at the turn of the 20th century.
Caleb W. “Cale” Mitchell was born in 1837 in Troy, NY. He made a fortune as a gambler and businessman in the city of New York and in Washington, D.C. before moving north and taking up residence in Saratoga Springs in the 1870s. He and his brother George Mitchell built the Glen Mitchell, a resort on the site of the Maple Avenue Middle School, which boasted a lovely hotel, three freshwater ponds, a racetrack for trotters, and later a long toboggan slide for winter entertainment. [Read more…] about Saratoga Corruption & The Destruction of Cale Mitchell
Black Experiences in Saratoga County, 1750- 1950 (New Exhibit)
The Saratoga County History Center, in partnership with the Saratoga County History Roundtable, has announced the opening of a new exhibit at Brookside Museum in Ballston Spa, NY, to celebrate Black History Month: “Black Experiences in Saratoga County, 1750-1950.” [Read more…] about Black Experiences in Saratoga County, 1750- 1950 (New Exhibit)
The Saratoga Electric Railway’s Battle With The D&H
Many are aware that one of the first steam railroads in the country was the Saratoga and Schenectady Railroad, which began regular service in 1832. The coming of the railroad provided a great boost to the growth of the resort town of Saratoga Springs.
Fewer may realize that sixty years later the resort and the surrounding communities benefited greatly by another transportation revolution, the electric railway. However, the beginning of the trolley age was not without its birth pains. [Read more…] about The Saratoga Electric Railway’s Battle With The D&H
A Saratoga County Cemetery Mystery
Along Plummer Road in the town of Milton in Saratoga County sits the Powell-Wiswall Cemetery, a peaceful rural cemetery where local residents have been laid to rest since the early 1800s.
Standing like a sentinel over it all is a large statue of Christ. On two sides are engraved the names Ella Frances Wood-Mann and her husband Enos Rogers Mann. This monument sits adjacent to Wood family plots, where over the years Ella’s parents and other family members have been laid to rest. [Read more…] about A Saratoga County Cemetery Mystery
Saratoga Co’s First Female Supervisor & A Filling Station Assault
Anna Riddell came to the town of Hadley in Saratoga County, NY, from Boston in 1910 after marrying a local man. She first made the local paper in 1915 when The Saratogian reported, “Mrs. Anna Riddell has purchased a Ford runabout which she intends to operate herself after taking a few lessons.” Apparently, the lessons were a success and Anna’s love for automobiles flourished.
In 1920, when Riddell’s house was destroyed by fire in the middle of the night, the family barely escaped with nothing but their nightclothes, and “a Dodge touring car belonging to Mrs. Riddell which was in a building connected with the house was saved through great difficulty because of the deep snow.” No longer just a hobby, Anna had become a chauffeur for hire and was among the first women to obtain a driver’s license in Saratoga County.
In addition to her passion for cars, Anna also showed conviction for civic groups and local government. She was active in the women’s suffrage movement and volunteered for the Red Cross during the First World War, chairing liberty loan drives and serving as a member of the Red Cross Motor Corps in Hadley. [Read more…] about Saratoga Co’s First Female Supervisor & A Filling Station Assault
The Marquis de Chastellux’s Visit To Saratoga Battlefield
The 1777 battles of Saratoga drew visitors to the region even before the Revolutionary War ended.
It is well known that the American victory at Saratoga garnered the outright support of the French. Not only did the French decide to send part of their navy, but they also sent troops under Marshal Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau.
A member of Rochambeau’s staff, François Jean de Beauvoir, Marquis de Chastellux, was particularly interested in the Battles of Saratoga. Being the ninth child of an aristocratic family, Chastellux entered into a military career. Eventually his military career and his knowledge of English led him to join Rochambeau’s staff, which brought him to the United States. [Read more…] about The Marquis de Chastellux’s Visit To Saratoga Battlefield