Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census.[3] Saratoga is just south of the Adirondack Mountains and it goes along the Hudson River.[5] Saratoga Springs is most famous for the Saratoga Race Course which is the fourth oldest race horse in the U.S.[6]
History
Shortly after 1691 British colonist settled the town of Schuylerville which at the time was called "Saratoga" before being renamed in 1831. In 1802 a hotel was established for travelers called the Gideon Putnam Hotel which led to a large population and economically boost for Saratoga and the surrounding areas.[7]Although not directly in Saratoga Springs, the Battle of Saratoga was fought just 10 miles south and was a turning point in the American Revolutionary War. In 1863 the Saratoga Race Course opened up leading to a large increase in tourism because of the betting involved even to this day.
Geography
Saratoga Springs surrounds Saratoga Lake.[8] The lake is 4.5 miles long and is known for its fishing and rowing competitions. There are also many beaches located on the lake.
Parks and recreation
There are many parks in Saratoga like Saratoga Spa State Park and Congress Park. Saratoga is also famous for it's horse racing which is done at the race track. The track is open from July to September and is known for its more prominent races like the Travers Stakes.[9] Polo is also a common activity played in Saratoga. The sport is usually played during the summer at the Whitney Field. The Saratoga Skatepark is New York's first skatepark but the city filled area with dirt in order to prevent vandalism but did eventually remove it in 2011.[10]
Government
The local government of Saratoga Springs follows a City commission government but there has been many failed attempts to change this, most recently in the November 2020 election.[11]
References
