Saratoga history book launched

When Saratoga Springs was incorporated as a city in 1915, residents rejoiced. This year, 100 years later, celebrations have included parades, community events, and now an authoritative, comprehensive city history. Under the direction of editor Field Horne, 25 volunteers (including several from Skidmore) researched and wrote Saratoga Springs: A Centennial History, just released in June.

The 416-page book includes 31 chapters: the first nine chronicle the development of the city over the decades, and the next 22 explore such topics as home life, religion, education, women and work, the economy, and sense of place. The book also features 200 photos and illustrations, 20 maps, and 25 pages of annotations.

Among the Skidmore contributors were former education instructor Phyllis Aldrich, who supplied a chapter on school consolidation, and Mary C. Lynn, professor emerita of American studies and author of Skidmore's own history book, who wrote the chapter on higher education. Economics professor and GIS expert Bob Jones served as the book’s map advisor. Local artist Beverley Mastrianni '76 wrote a chapter on the arts.

Recent graduates Sara Gross '13, Addy Shreffler '13, and Sophie Don '14 worked with professor Jordana Dym to apply the research they did as students in her public-history courses to tell the stories of Saratoga women at home and at work, and the city’s sacred spaces. Dym marvels that "Sara and Addy did their chapters in the early summer after they graduated, because they had gotten so engaged in public history that they didn't want to quit."  For Shreffler, her work with the Bethesda Episcopal Church "was the first time I felt truly plugged into the Saratoga community as more than just a student, which contributed to my determination in completing the chapter." Gross, found that "19th-century women in Saratoga were successful entrepreneurs, philanthropists, teachers, and artists: inspirational!" and she was grateful to turn her research into a printed product.

Horne and his group raised $52,000 in development and production funding from the Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust, Saratoga Foundation, Adirondack Trust Co., and Nordlys Foundation, as well as the city council and eight local families. In planning the project over the past three years, Horne felt it important to create a new and comprehensive work. Previous histories have featured “purple prose,” he says, “and have missed the point of how the citizens of Saratoga have built—and rebuilt—the city. Since we have so much to teach other cities about how to succeed,” a rigorously prepared, serious book was in order.

The team pulled it off in time for a launch party at the city’s history museum in the old Canfield Casino, on June 22 the same date that Saratoga Springs held its first-ever city council meeting in 1915. Another chance to celebrate and meet several of the authors will be August 11 at Saratoga’s Northshire Bookstore on Broadway.

The hardback volume—whose cover features the racetrack scene painted inside the city’s post office in 1937 through the Works Progress Administration—is on sale for $49.95 at Northshire and at the Lyrical Ballad bookshop on Phila Street. Northshire is handling mail orders at 424 Broadway, Saratoga Springs 12866 or visit the website. An e-book version is also in the works.