SARATOGA SPRINGS – As the summer season comes to an end, the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation looks forward to an exciting fall calendar packed with Autumn Sunday Strolls, a Bike Tour of Saratoga Spa State Park, Greenridge Cemetery tours, and more! Autumn Series events are offered from September 11th through October 30th.
Join the Foundation for the first of eight exciting Autumn Sunday Strolls of historic Saratoga Springs, which kicks off with “Summer Cottages of North Broadway” on Sunday, September 11th at 10:30AM. Executive Director Samantha Bosshart will lead a tour of beautiful North Broadway, highlighting the architecture and sharing entertaining stories of those who built and resided in the grand residences. This tour meets at the northwest corner of North Broadway and Van Dam Street in front of Witt Construction.
On Sunday, September 18th at 10:30AM, join Deborah Studwell for “Historic Madison and Fifth Avenues” as she leads a tour of these grand residential streets that are lined with a variety of Victorian and Craftsman style houses. This stroll highlights the architecture and historical development of this important neighborhood near the Saratoga Race Course. This tour meets at the northeast corner of Nelson and Fifth avenues.
Thanks to an overwhelming response, the Foundation is pleased to announce an encore presentation of Sunday Stroll “Mail Order Houses of Saratoga” on September 25th at 10:30AM! Madison C. Squires will lead this tour, which features houses on East and Pinewood avenues. The tour highlights the “Kit House” era – a time when the average person could not only put a check through the mail, but order and receive an entire house as well. This tour meets at the northwest corner of Lake and East avenues.
The Foundation is particularly grateful for the generous support of 2022 Series Sponsor Druthers Brewing Company, as well as Autumn Series Sponsors Impressions of Saratoga and The Dark Horse Mercantile. All Sunday morning strolls last approximately 90 minutes and require walking and standing on varied terrain. Tours will be limited to 30 people and tickets must be purchased in advance. The cost per tour is $15 for SSPF members and $20 for non-members. Members who have received complimentary stroll passes must contact the Foundation directly to reserve their space.
In addition to the Autumn Strolls, the Foundation will be offering a Bike Tour of the Saratoga Spa State Park on Saturday, October 8th at 10:30AM. The bike tour will last approximately three hours, attendees must bring or rent their bike, and space is limited. The Foundation is also hosting its popular Twilight Cemetery Tour “Madness, Murder, Untimely Deaths, and Strange Coincidences,” on Wednesday, October 19th at 5PM, which provides a rare opportunity to explore Greenridge Cemetery at dusk with tour leader Gloria May. Tickets for the Bike Tour and the Twilight Cemetery Tour are $25 each for SSPF Members and $30 each for non-members.
For additional information or to purchase tickets to any of these upcoming strolls or special programs, visit www.saratogapreservation.org, call (518) 587-5030, or email Jacqueline Bunge, Events & Programs Coordinator, at jbunge@saratogapreservation.org.
Founded in 1977, the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that promotes preservation and enhancement of the architectural, cultural, and landscaped heritage of Saratoga Springs.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS:
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 | 10:30AM
SUMMER COTTAGES OF NORTH BROADWAY
Executive Director Samantha Bosshart will lead a tour of beautiful North Broadway, highlighting the architecture and sharing entertaining stories of those who built and resided in the grand residences.
Meet at: NW corner of North Broadway and Van Dam Street in front of Witt Construction
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 | 10:30AM
HISTORIC MADISON & FIFTH AVENUES
Deborah Studwell will lead a tour of these grand residential streets that are lined with a variety of Victorian and Craftsman style houses. This stroll highlights the architecture and historical development of this important neighborhood near the Saratoga Race Course.
Meet at: NE corner of Nelson and Fifth avenues
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 | 10:30AM
MAIL ORDER HOUSES OF SARATOGA
Madison C. Squires will lead this tour of houses on East and Pinewood avenues, which highlights the “Kit House” era – a time when the average person could not only put a check through the mail, but order and receive an entire house as well.
Meet at: NW corner of Lake and East avenues
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2 | 10:30AM
WEALTH & WELLNESS: FRANKLIN SQUARE
Carrie Woerner, Assemblywoman and former SSPF Executive Director, will highlight historic Franklin Square, our city’s oldest residential neighborhood. Today it is a veritable showcase of American architectural history.
Meet at: NW corner of Division Street and Railroad
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 | 10:30AM
BIKE TOUR OF THE SPA STATE PARK
Tickets are $25 for SSPF Members and $30 for non-members (stroll passes will not be accepted)
Join Linda Harvey for a bike tour of the National Historic Landmark Saratoga Spa State Park to explore its historic development from 1910 to the present, highlighting its significant architecture and landscape. Bike along the old roads, carriage paths, and trolley lines to learn about the progressive story of Saratoga Spa State Park. Bike tour will last approximately three hours and space is limited to twenty.
Meet at: Front of SPAC School of the Arts, 99 South Broadway
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9 | 10:30AM
DOWN IN THE VALLEY: EXPLORING THE GUT
Stroll leader Alexandra Morgan will explore the area behind Broadway known as “The Gut,” which was home to many working class and Jewish families who provided important contributions to the community.
Meet at: Hathorn Spring at the NW corner of Putnam and Spring streets
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16 | 10:30AM
BRANDTVILLE BOOGIE
Join Carol Daggs for a walking tour of the Saratoga Springs neighborhood historically known as Brandtville. Dating back to the 1800s, this historically African American rural farming community is located at the southeastern edge of the city, highlighting Crescent Street and Doten Avenue. The nearly one-mile loop encourages participants to look for the oldest homes in the neighborhood and identify other interesting remnants that remain in Brandtville.
Meet at: Driveway of 29 Doten Avenue
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19 | 5:00PM
TWILIGHT CEMETERY TOUR
Tickets are $25 for SSPF Members and $30 for non-members (stroll passes will not be accepted)
Join Gloria May for “Madness, Murder, Untimely Deaths, and Strange Coincidences” to get in the spooky Halloween spirit by exploring Greenridge Cemetery at dusk while unearthing tales of Saratoga’s most notable residents and learning about the American rural cemetery movement. Tour lasts approximately 1.5 hours.
Meet at: Sackett Gates entrance on Lincoln Avenue
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23 | 10:30AM
SKIDMORE’S FIRST HOME
Deborah Studwell will tour the area of Skidmore College’s first campus. In 1903, Lucy Scribner purchased 82 Circular Street to establish the Young Women’s Industrial Club of Saratoga that became Skidmore College. Over time, the campus expanded to Union Avenue and the surrounding streets.
Meet at: SE corner of Spring & Circular streets
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30 | 10:30AM
GREENRIDGE CEMETERY: HISTORY & SYMBOLISM
Join Events & Programs Coordinator Jacqueline Bunge for a new tour of Greenridge Cemetery. Explore the meanings behind many of the symbols found on gravestones, monuments and mausoleums. Fascinating Victorian mourning traditions and their elaborate death rituals will also be described. Saratoga’s most prominent residents buried in Greenridge will also be featured.
Meet at: Sackett Gates entrance on Lincoln Avenue
The 12866 