Saratoga Springs, New York
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- Saratoga Springs redirects here; for the city in Utah, see Saratoga Springs, Utah.
Saratoga Springs is a city located in Saratoga County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 26,186. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of an Algonquian place name, authorities disagree on what the exact word was, and hence its meaning.
The City of Saratoga Springs is in the north-east part of the country.
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History
The first settler arrived around 1776. Saratoga Springs was established as a town in 1819 from a western portion of the Town of Saratoga. Its principal community was incorporated as a village in 1826 and the entire region became a city in 1915.
The famous Battle of Saratoga, the turning point of the American Revolution, did not take place in Saratoga Springs. Rather, the battlefield is 24 km (15 miles) to the southeast in the Town of Stillwater. In the 19th Century, the community became famous as a spa.
Geography
The city is at the northwest end of Saratoga Lake. The Adirondack Northway (Interstate 87) and US Route 9 pass though the city.
Saratoga Springs is located at 43°4'31" North, 73°46'57" West (43.075337, -73.782422)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 75.3 km² (29.1 mi²). 73.6 km² (28.4 mi²) of it is land and 1.6 km² (0.6 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 2.17% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 26,186 people, 10,784 households, and 5,985 families residing in the city. The population density was 355.6/km² (921.1/mi²). There were 11,584 housing units at an average density of 157.3/km² (407.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.53% White, 3.11% African American, 0.24% Native American, 1.03% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. 1.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 10,784 households out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.5% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the city the population was spread out with 19.4% under the age of 18, 15.5% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,130, and the median income for a family was $59,281. Males had a median income of $39,573 versus $29,439 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,250. 8.8% of the population and 5.5% of families were below the poverty line. 10.0% of those under the age of 18 and 5.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Additional facts about Saratoga Springs
The city is perhaps most famous for the Saratoga Race Course, the oldest continuously-operating thoroughbred track in the United States. The track holds a summer meet lasting approximately six weeks, from late July to Labor Day, every day but Tuesdays. Also located in the city is the Saratoga Gaming and Raceway, a harness track that includes a video gaming facility, the Racino.
Saratoga Springs is the home of Skidmore College; during the summer, Skidmore is one of several hosts for the Johns Hopkins' CTY program.
The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (referred to by its acronym "SPAC," pronounced as a word) is a 5,000-seat covered outdoor amphitheater, with a further capacity of 30,000 in its lawn seating. It is the summer home of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York City Ballet. National touring acts also stop at SPAC during the summer.
There are several museums in the area, including the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. There are more than 20 golf courses in Saratoga and its environs.
Also, There are many art galleries in Saratoga Springs. Recently, Beekman Street(four blocks from Broadway) houses four galleries and a bistro. Beekman Street is newly revitalized after years of deterioration. Now, artists live and work in co-ops and arrange social events.
The city is also notable for its vibrant night life. Its Caffè Lena introduced a young Bob Dylan to the world. Arlo Guthrie played the Caffè early in his career and has returned for occasional benefit concerts. Singer Don McLean is said to have composed his "American Pie" sitting at a table in the Tin & Lint, a bar on Caroline Street. A plaque marks the table today.
Notable personalities hailing from Saratoga Springs include writer Frank Sullivan, golfer Dottie Pepper, drummer for the group Train Scott Underwood, and actors David Hyde Pierce, Sean Mauceri and Scott Valentine. It is the home of author and social critic James Howard Kunstler.
Saratoga is also home to Yaddo, a 400 acre (162 hectare) artists' community, founded by Spencer Trask and his wife Katrina. Since its inception in 1900, Yaddo has been home to 60 Pulitzer Prize winning authors and one Nobel Prize winner. Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, and David Sedaris have all been artists-in-residence.
It is believed that potato chips were invented in Saratoga Springs, by Native American/African American chef George Crum, at the Moon Lake Lodge on August 24, 1853.
Disney World has a theme resort called the Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, inspired by this city. Saratoga was noted in The Hipster Handbook as one of the college towns where hipsters often dwell.
Sister cities
Saratoga Springs has one sister city, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):
There is also a sister city relationship with Vichy, FranceTemplate:Ref, but it is not recognized by SCI.
References
Template:Endnote {{cite news
|first=Nicholas |last=Derasmo |title=French delegate discusses his city, Spa City |date=August 18, 2005 |publisher=The Saratogian |format=HTML |url=http://www.saratogian.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15055779&BRD=1169&PAG=461&dept_id=17708&rfi=8
}}
External links
- City of Saratoga Springs
- Discover Saratoga - official website of the Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau
- Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce tourist information
- Yaddo Artists' Community
- Saratoga Springs area information
- SPAC homepage
- Early history of SaratogaSprings
- Beekman Street Artists
- Arnold Rothstein's Saratoga
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