Window Winners
Results are in for the annual Belmont Window Decorating Contest:
1st…Crafter’s Gallery
2nd…Lifestyles of Saratoga
3rd…Saratoga Olive Oil
Honorable Mention: Caroline & Main
Funniest: The Scott Varley Team
Sensational Saints Saunter Through Sectionals
Image via Saratoga Central Catholic Athletics.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 22-1 Saratoga Central Catholic varsity baseball squad earned a shot at the Section 2 Class C title after defeating Greenwich 6 to 1 on Memorial Day. As of press time, they were scheduled to face off against Granville Thursday afternoon for the championship at Joe Bruno Stadium in Troy.
In the semifinal win, the Saints were led at the plate by Max Britten (2-3), Jason Pescetti (2-3), and Ronan Rowe (1-2 with a walk). All of them batted in a run. Brian Selig shut down Greenwich on the mound, pitching 7 innings, striking out 8 hitters, and allowing 6 hits.
The one run allowed by Spa Catholic was their highest opponent score thus far in the sectional tournament, as the Saints walloped Hadley Luzerne 10 to 0 in the second round and clobbered Hoosic Valley 12 to 0 in the opening round.
Against Hoosic, Pierce Byrne tossed a no-hitter, whiffing ten batters. Contributing to the dozen runs were Ryan Gillis (2-2 with a triple and 2 RBI), Hunter Fales (1-2 with 2 RBI), and Ronan Rowe (1-2 with 2 RBI).
The Saints haven’t lost a game since they fell to Our Lady of Lourdes 12 to 6 on May 10.
Offensive statistical standouts this season have included Max Britten (slash line: .386/.463/.421), Pierce Byrne (.395/.489/.645), Kihl Kelly (.405/.520/.544), Jason Pescetti (.471/.553/.571), Ronan Rowe (.474/.550/.645), and Brian Selig Jr. (.382/.560/.500).
Pitchers Pierce Byrne (1.33 ERA in 42 innings), Luke Dejnozka (0.51 ERA in 27.1 innings), Brian Selig Jr. (0.41 ERA in 34 innings), and Tyler Weygand (1.14 ERA in 24.2 innings) have shut down the Saints’ foes all season.
The Artist Formerly Known as Intern Aaron:A Social Media Star Goes Solo
Photo of Aaron Madej via his Instagram account, @internaaron.
ALBANY — Greeting the governor. Suiting up to play for the Albany FireWolves. Winning the judges’ choice award at a fashion show in Saratoga Springs.
For the past year or so, it felt like everywhere you looked in the Capital Region, there was Intern Aaron (real name: Aaron Madej), a content producer and social media star who, until earlier this month, worked at Two Buttons Deep, a digital media company that has collaborated with Stewart’s Shops, the Saratoga Casino Hotel, and a host of other local institutions.
Then, with one swift social media post, he was gone.
“The rumors are true, Intern Aaron has left Two Buttons Deep; he quit,” announced the company’s co-founder Jack Carpenter in a May 8 video. “I speak for the team when I say that we’re bummed. We didn’t see this coming, and I felt he had a lot more potential here in our world, but alas, he’s got new opportunities coming his way and he’s doing what’s best for Intern Aaron, and really that’s all that matters.”
But the Aaron Madej story didn’t end there. Rather, it entered its sequel, “Empire [State] Strikes Back” era.
“When my departure happened, it came to a certain point where I realized that I needed to prioritize myself and my mental health and go forward and take new opportunities that also align with my personal, career-driven mission,” Madej told Saratoga TODAY.
That mission? To become an on-air personality for QVC, the home shopping network that Madej said he’s been watching since he was four years old.
“I have always been amazed at the persuasive tone of reporters on QVC, and that sort of carried through my entire life,” Madej said. “No joke, I put QVC on in the background in my house. It’s literally on the TV muted right now.”
Madej’s long-time admiration of QVC has helped dictate where his career is headed next, now that he’s officially a free agent. He’ll be working with Lola Saratoga, the downtown boutique known for its designer handbags, selling their products live on TikTok. Madej is also looking to expand his presence from social media to TV screens. It’s all in pursuit of his QVC dream.
“If QVC called me today, the second call would be to my landlord to cancel my lease,” Madej quipped.
Although he’d skip town for such an opportunity, Madej said he believes he’ll always end up back at home here in the Capital Region.
“I love it here,” said Madej, who grew up in Amsterdam. “It’s all I’ve ever known.”
While attending Amsterdam High School, the former intern fell in love with the world of marketing and knew he wanted to pursue it as a career. Fast forward a few years later and Madej, now a student at the University at Albany, saw an opening at Two Buttons Deep. Interested in a fun and flexible opportunity, it was a natural fit.
His tenure at the company began with an internship (hence his nickname) in fall 2023 before he was promoted to content producer. In that role, he appeared on the Buttonista Show podcast, met with clients, and curated social media content. His time at the company taught him not only how to be a success in the social media landscape, but it also provided a crash course in the businesses and power players of the Capital Region. But becoming a notable on-camera personality wasn’t something Madej initially expected.
“I got to learn, especially from Taylor Rao [aka the Buttonista], a lot of what it takes to be on camera and how we can shift our personalities to be best for the camera,” he said.
Despite the shift, Madej said his public persona is genuine, albeit a bit more extroverted than his true self. And when his true self is out and about in the world, he said he’s often approached by fans.
“It’s very strange to be that hyper-local celebrity,” Madej said. “It’s really great to be able to connect with people and also remind myself every day that my small work that I do really makes a positive impact in people’s lives and makes them feel better not only about themselves but also about the area that they live in.”
Whether selling handbags, interviewing the governor, dancing with the FireWolves, strutting his stuff at Panza’s, or ending up on QVC, the artist formerly known as Intern Aaron is, at heart, a Capital Region devotee.
“I love that every single city has a little bit of a different culture,” he said. “Every day I can wake up and I can choose what I want. If I want a big city life or if I want to go to the track or if I want to go to the Adirondacks and do some hiking, it’s all within arm’s reach. And that’s what I love about it.”
Belmont Begins
logo provided
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The highly anticipated Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, taking place for the second year at the historic Saratoga Race Course, begins on Wednesday, June 4 and concludes on Sunday, June 8. The festival will include 27 stakes races with purses totaling $11,275,000, the richest purses and highest number of stakes offered since the launch of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in 2014. To celebrate the festival, Saratoga Springs is hosting a variety of events throughout the week.
Tuesday, June 3
Embrace the Belmont II (5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.) brings the community together to learn basic handicapping and explore the 2025 Belmont Stakes field. The event is designed to help local business owners, professionals, and residents deepen their understanding of horse racing. Last year’s event at the National Museum of Racing sold out, so this year, Embrace the Belmont II is moving to a larger venue: the Universal Preservation Hall. The emcee is Donna Brothers, an NBC Sports analyst who just covered the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.
Wednesday, June 4
Belmont on Broadway, a free concert on Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs, is slated for June 4, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., with performances by Gin Blossoms and Uprooted. Broadway will be closed from Van Dam to City Hall most likely all day Wednesday starting early in the morning to install the stage.
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame’s latest exhibits, “A Look Through the Eyes and Life of Charlotte C. Weber” and “Greg Montgomery: 40 Years of the Travers Poster,” will open to the public. In the Museum’s McBean Gallery, “A Look Through the Eyes and Life of Charlotte C. Weber” chronicles the legacy of Charlotte Weber, who established Live Oak Stud in Ocala, Florida. The exhibit also explores her passion for art, philanthropy, and business, as well her roles as a leader and trailblazer in various disciplines. The Museum’s von Stade Gallery will host “Greg Montgomery: 40 Years of the Travers Poster,” one of racing’s most iconic series of artwork. Montgomery began producing annual posters for Saratoga Race Course’s Travers Stakes in 1986.
Bradley Chance Hays Live Painting at the Spa Fine Art Gallery is a special live painting event featuring celebrated Western artist Bradley Chance Hays occurring from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. Chance will be in the gallery creating original work in real time—offering a rare glimpse into his expressive, high-energy process. Known for his bold depictions of horses and the American West, Hays brings a contemporary edge to a classic subject matter. The event is free and open to the public—stop by, meet the artist, and experience the creative spirit that kicks off Belmont Week.
Thursday, June 5
The Belmont Gala at the Canfield Casino will feature fine dining, live music, and a celebration of sportsmanship beginning at 7 p.m. The event will recognize the connections of 2024 Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch: owners Belmar Racing and Breeding LLC, Pine Racing Stables, R. A. Hill Stable, Two Eight Racing LLC, West Paces Racing LLC, trainer Danny Gargan, and jockey Luis Saez. Tickets can be purchased here: racingmuseum.org/events/belmont-gala.
Sports Illustrated’s Revel at the Races comes to the Belmont Stakes for the first time. In partnership with The New York Racing Association (NYRA), this event will be headlined by G-Eazy and take place at The Night Owl in downtown Saratoga beginning at 7 p.m. The event offers a high-energy night of live music, premium hospitality, and immersive brand activations that bring fans closer to the sports moments they love. Tickets are available at BelmontStakes.com/Revel.
Farm Brewery Tour & Tasting at Dancing Grain Brewery from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. includes a stroll through the scenic fields of Dancing Grain on a guided farm and brewery tour, a curated tasting of craft beers, and a farm-fresh lunch prepared by 9 Miles East. For more information, visit https://dancinggrain.com/.
Friday, June 6
Belmont Bites and Brews (6 p.m. to 8 p.m.) will be an open house event at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame featuring food trucks, local brews, and more. The event is free to attend. Participating vendors include Slidin’ Dirty, Screaming Eagle, Ted’s Fish Fry, and 80K Catering. New Scotland Spirits will also be on hand for a whiskey tasting.
“Famous Fillies” Preview Reception featuring Lisa Palombo at the Spa Fine Art Gallery from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The exhibition celebrates the most legendary female racehorses in history. Inspired by the 50th anniversary of the great Ruffian, this collection honors the spirit and power of champions like Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra—fillies who redefined excellence on the track. This event is open to the public and reservations are optional.
Horse of a Different Color: A Belmont Special with Live Music at Saratoga Paint N Sip celebrates the opening of the 2025 Saratoga Race Track and the Belmont Stakes with a colorful horse. No painting experience necessary. For more information, visit www.paintandsipstudios.com/.
Behind-the-scenes walking tour of the Saratoga Race Course at 9:30 a.m. offers a rare opportunity to explore the oldest and one of the most iconic sporting venues in the United States. Led by the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation’s Executive Director Samantha Bosshart, this special walking tour will take participants through both the public and lesser-known sides of the Saratoga Race Course. Highlights include iconic locations such as the Grandstand and Clubhouse, including the Oklahoma Training Track, as well as areas not usually open to the public—the original 1847 Race Course, and Horse Haven. Tours begin at the Whitney Viewing Stand at the Oklahoma Training Track. Reservations are required and space is limited. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.saratogapreservation.org or call (518) 587-5030.
Grand, Gilded and Glorious: A Saratoga Stroll from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. is a 90-minute guided walking tour designed to entertain and enlighten both visitors and residents with the famed stories of the Spa City. Saratoga Springs was the playground of the rich and famous during the 1800’s and provides the stories of this gilded period of history. For more information, visit www.discoversaratoga.org/saratoga-springs-visitor-center/.
Saturday, June 7
The Belmont Stakes Saturday Morning Social (9 a.m. to 11 a.m.) at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will feature complimentary coffee and doughnuts (courtesy of Stewart’s Shops) and complimentary Saratoga Water. Admission to the Museum is free from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday Morning Social programming will include a special Belmont Stakes handicapping seminar with Mike Beer from Daily Racing Form at 10 a.m. Artist Greg Montgomery will also be on hand to sign copies of his 2025 Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes posters (available for purchase).
Grand, Gilded and Glorious: A Saratoga Stroll from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. is a 90-minute guided walking tour designed to entertain and enlighten both visitors and residents with the famed stories of the Spa City. Saratoga Springs was the playground of the rich and famous during the 1800’s and provides the stories of this gilded period of history. For more information, visit www.discoversaratoga.org/saratoga-springs-visitor-center/.
Sunday, June 8
The Belmont Family Fun Fest (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will include games, food, animals, and more in a vibrant open house setting. Highlights will include a bounce house and slides; complimentary ice cream, popcorn, and cotton candy; a hammer strike game with prizes; magical feats from the spectacular Mr. Twisty (at 11 a.m.); a towering rock-climbing wall; a menagerie of animals; a face painting station; and a bird show from the Silent Wings Raptor Rescue. The event is open to all ages and is free to attend.
Behind-the-scenes walking tour of the Saratoga Race Course at 9:30 a.m. offers a rare opportunity to explore the oldest and one of the most iconic sporting venues in the United States. Led by the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation’s Executive Director Samantha Bosshart, this special walking tour will take participants through both the public and lesser-known sides of the Saratoga Race Course. Highlights include iconic locations such as the Grandstand and Clubhouse, including the Oklahoma Training Track, as well as areas not usually open to the public—the original 1847 Race Course, and Horse Haven. Tours begin at the Whitney Viewing Stand at the Oklahoma Training Track. Reservations are required and space is limited. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.saratogapreservation.org or call (518) 587-5030.
Some additional Belmont Stakes Racing Festival items of interest:
• The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame satellite facility at the Saratoga Race Course’s Walk of Fame will be open daily during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.
• The Past is Present, a mural by artist Celeste Susany in celebration of 75 years of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, will be complete and accessible for viewing on the Museum exterior on Ludlow Street.
• Contemporary Equine Art Display and Box Draw Art Sale (Monday, June 2 through Wednesday, June 4): In the spirit of the Belmont Stakes, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame is hosting a display of original contemporary art created by five renowned equine artists: Robert Clark, Lisa Palombo, Jocelyn Russell, Steve Skipper, and Celeste Susany. Visit the Museum June 2 through June 4 to enter your intent to purchase one of these unique pieces. Proceeds from each piece of artwork are shared with the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and the artist.
B-Spa Business Leaders Discuss Jobs, Real Estate, and Beer
A group of local business leaders participate in the “Inside Ballston Spa” panel discussion at the Milton Community Center on Tuesday morning. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
BALLSTON SPA — Ballston Spa business leaders representing the construction, real estate, tourism, and hospitality industries convened at the Milton Community Center on Tuesday morning to discuss the state and future of the village.
County-wide issues such as meager housing inventory and a declining workforce in the trades have borne their brunt on Ballston Spa. But the impact of local events such as the forthcoming Belmont Stakes or the opening of Tree House Brewing have yielded positive and/or mixed results for the village.
Challenges, successes, and future plans were the focus of the “Inside Ballston Spa” discussion presented by the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County (an affiliate of the Capital Region Chamber) and the Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association.
The Trades
Doug Ford, vice president of public relations and purchasing at the Curtis Lumber Company, said his industry has changed dramatically since he first entered it. Women, once a rare sight in lumber yards in the 1970s, now make up roughly half of Curtis’ workforce, he said. But attracting younger people into the industry has been a persistent challenge.
“We’ve done an absolutely horrible job of getting in front of young people and helping them understand exactly what our job entails and the opportunities that exist,” Ford said. “It’s not the schools that were at fault, it was us as an industry. We were absolutely doing nothing to help ourselves.”
Ford said that, at first, his company began talking to high school juniors and seniors, but he soon realized this was too late in a young person’s life to introduce the possibility of working in the trades. Today, outreach begins with elementary students and continues through middle school, high school, and college.
“I think the biggest thing we have to understand is that the trades are not a default to going to college. That’s the mindset that really needs to change,” Ford said. “If you’ve tried to hire a plumber, electrician, or someone from the trades recently, you’ll start to understand that’s a very lucrative and rewarding career path. It’s not something we should be looking down upon.”
Real Estate
Lisa Licata, managing broker of the Sterling Real Estate Group, said housing inventory remains low (despite high demand) and that interest rates are averaging around 6% for a 15-year mortgage and 6.8% for a 30-year. But, she said, there’s also been a sizable uptick in new construction and interest in modular homes.
“The average price point for a resale home is about $409,000, and that’s up 4% from last year,” Licata said. “In April, 61% of the homes that sold went above the asking price. 90% of those homes were on the market for less than 30 days. There is a big need for affordability.”
Tourism
Darryl Leggieri, president of Discover Saratoga, is a Ballston Spa resident who said that the village’s remarkable growth over the years has made it a destination for the influx of Saratoga Race Course visitors arriving each summer.
“I’m pretty proud of what’s happening here,” Leggieri said. “The culinary scene, the small businesses; you don’t see a lot of vacancies downtown, which is awesome…We have the assets here, it’s about amplifying that message and that’s what we try to do at Discover Saratoga.”
Leggieri said that tourism is a $1 billion industry in Saratoga County, creating thousands of jobs and tax relief for residents.
“If you create a destination where people want to visit, you’ll create a destination where people want to live,” he said. “And if you create a destination where people want to live, you’ll create a destination where people want to work, and they’ll also want to invest. That’s the circle, and it keeps on going and going.”
Breweries
One Ballston Spa-based asset that reels in tourists is Speckled Pig Brewing, which is expanding its downtown presence with a new, neighboring distillery set to open sometime this year. Larry Heid, a Speckled Pig co-owner, said his company offers tastings at the Taste New York Pavilion at the track, which allows them to invite racing fans to venture to their brewery in Ballston Spa. He also said that outdoor spaces are an important attraction for summertime tourists (Speckled Pig has a rooftop space and the forthcoming distillery will feature an outdoor patio).
As for the arrival of Tree House Brewing earlier this year, Heid said he knew the brewery would offer some stiff competition, but that Speckled Pig offers more of a community experience than its larger competitor.
“What we really like to do is make sure that when people come to the Speckled Pig, they feel like a community,” he said. “We love seeing people all of a sudden be like, ‘Oh my God, we haven’t seen you in forever,’ and the Speckled Pig becomes a gathering place for residents of the Village of Ballston Spa. So we can hit on that customer experience that a place like Treehouse doesn’t doesn’t have.”
Heid said he often sees people arriving at Speckled Pig after first stopping by Tree House. This brewery-hopping, added Leggieri, has become a focus for Discover Saratoga, which is working on ways to incentivize tourists to visit multiple local breweries.
“Stay tuned for more,” Leggieri said.
SPAC Plans $12 Million Theater Renovation
Renderings of a renovated Spa Little Theater via Phinney Design / the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Performing Arts Center announced last week a $17.5 million fundraising campaign—the largest fundraising effort in SPAC history—in anticipation of its upcoming 60th anniversary next year. The capital campaign would allow SPAC to renovate its historic Spa Little Theater to the tune of $12 million.
“Launching our Four Seasons Campaign is an exciting next step that will bring us into the future, raising funds to completely renovate and restore Spa Little Theater for the first time in its 100-year history and supporting our year-round artistic and educational programming for years to come,” said Elizabeth Sobol, SPAC’s chief executive officer, at the organization’s annual meeting.
As part of the quiet phase of the campaign, which launched in 2024, Stewart’s Shops/the Dake Family gave the lead gift of $1 million to support these initiatives.
“In 1966, members of the Saratoga community came together to build SPAC. Sixty years later, we are asking the Saratoga community to help ensure that all we have created here together endures well into the future,” said Susan Law Dake, a SPAC board member and Four Seasons Campaign chair.
The theater renovation would be the first time that the 500-seat venue has undergone a major facelift since it was built in 1935. The redesign will be “fresh and accessible” while maintaining the venue’s “acoustic and historic integrity,” SPAC said.
Christopher Shiley, president of SPAC, said that since taking over operations of the Spa Little Theater in 2022, SPAC has presented more than 100 events at the venue, welcomed more than 35,000 guests, and expanded the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s season to a year-round residency. The theater has also been used as an event space for cultural, community, and corporate partners.
The project will include 17,125 square feet of interior and exterior renovations, including:
- a new floor plan and accessibility measures;
- theater upgrades (including updated seats);
- increased ADA seating;
- a new stage floor;
- an environmentally-efficient HVAC system;
- a new lobby layout with an increased number of renovated and accessible restrooms;
- an updated box office;
- a new bar/café;
- a multipurpose community room with an adjacent outdoor patio;
- a new artist suite and dressing rooms.
The project has been awarded a $2.2 million capital grant from Empire State Development through the Regional Council initiative, and $2 million pursuant to the most recently enacted New York State budget thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul, New York State Parks, and the New York State Legislature. Additional funding has been provided by the SPAC board and other private donors and family foundations.
A groundbreaking is slated for September 2025, with a reopening planned for late fall of 2026 to celebrate the conclusion of the 60th anniversary season.
Discover Saratoga
Chowderfest 2022. Photo by Supersource Media Studios.
“At Discover Saratoga, we’re proud of the role we play in promoting Saratoga County and helping our local businesses thrive. In 2024, our work helped generate more than 855,000 room nights and $150 million in lodging revenue,” said Darryl Leggieri, President, Discover Saratoga. We also brought in hundreds of meetings, conventions, and sporting events, keeping Saratoga top of mind for travelers and event planners alike. It’s all about working together to keep our community vibrant, welcoming, and successful year-round.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs is known as a year-round destination filled with world-class attractions, thriving arts and culture, exquisite restaurants, upscale retail and boutique shopping, and a vibrant nightlife scene. The city and county owe much of their success and notoriety to the efforts of Discover Saratoga.
Under the leadership of President Darryl Leggieri, Discover Saratoga acts as an outstanding resource for tourism and hospitality throughout Saratoga County. Their members’ hard work and support have enabled them to effectively market and promote the diverse businesses and attractions of our city and our county. Discover Saratoga’s commitment to the area’s history, culture, and hospitality have fueled economic growth and enhanced visitor experiences since their establishment in 1985.
Recent annual events hosted by Discover Saratoga include:
- 2024 Healthy Saratoga Weekend
- First-time event in 2024
- 29 participants
- 2024 Belmont on Broadway
- Headlined by Blues Traveler Band
- 15,000+ estimated attendees
- 2024 Saratoga Wing Off
- 34 participating restaurants
- $6,000 raised for American Cancer Society
- 2024 Restaurant Week
- 46 participating restaurants
- 6 first-time participants
- 2024 Saratoga New Year’s Eve
- 4 event venues and 12 musical acts
- 3,500 estimated attendees
- 2025 Chowderfest
- 89 vendors including 13 first-time participants
- 40,000 estimated attendees
- 109,000 bowls of chowder served
For information or assistance from Discover Saratoga, visit www.discoversaratoga.org.
Rowland’s Hollow: A Lost Crossroads
Rowland’s Hollow – Yesterday and Today. Photo provided by The Saratoga County History Roundtable.
Saratoga County has seen 9 generations come and go in the almost 235 years since it was carved out from Albany County in 1791. Settlers moved in, established farms, mills, and small communities. Several of these communities have become villages, cities and suburban towns. Others have remained hamlets and become known as Forgotten Crossroads – still vibrant communities with a rich history of memories. Still others have disappeared altogether, no longer visible or remembered. They have become Lost Crossroads.
Rowland’s Hollow, also known as Rowland’s Mills, was one of those crossroads, a center of economic activity in its heyday. Now gone but should not be forgotten. In 1878, Nathaniel Sylvester in his History of Saratoga County describes it as follows.
This hamlet is on the eastern line of Milton, and not far from the village of Saratoga Springs. The place is named for H.R. Rowland, the proprietor of the saw-and grist-mills that are situated upon one of the branches of the Kayadrossera. Southeast of the mills there are also stone-works. Prince Wing resides at Rowland’s Mills, and is very extensively engaged in milling, burning lime, and farming. In these occupations he employs a large number of persons. Prince Wing is a native of the town of Greenfield, his father having settled there at an early date.
Sylvester gives credit to two of the most well-known entrepreneurs responsible for the development of Rowland’s Hollow. But where did they come from? And how was it that they were able to obtain the resources to develop these mills? Sylvester hints at an important aspect of the development of Rowland’s Hollow and that is, it did not begin with these men. They were following in the footsteps of their parents and grandparents who first settled in this area years before the first dam was built to contain the first mill pond.
Isaac Rowland migrated from Pittstown, Rensselaer County with his father Oliver and brother Robert in 1802 soon after the birth of his son Hiram. Isaac began accumulating several pieces of land, beginning with the purchase at auction of property of his father, seized for non-payment of debt in 1805. Oliver died in 1810, but son Isaac continued to add to his landholdings. Two purchases were in the 9th lot of the 16th allotment of the Kayderosseras Patent. It was in this area that Rowland’s Mills began to take shape, midway along Rowland Street between today’s Geyser Road and Rt 29. By 1824 the mills were already in place along the creek, as Isaac parlayed his land acquisitions into successful business enterprises.
By this time Isaac had considerable influence in the community in addition to his business interests. In 1823 he became a subscriber to the newly formed Saratoga County Bank,[i] and his involvement in banking continued – Isaac was one of the original stockholders when Ballston Spa National Bank was formed in 1839, and served as a bank director from 1840-1845. Both his sons, Isaac and Hiram, followed their father in industrial pursuits. Isaac, Jr partnered with Chauncey Kilmer to erect a paper mill in Rock City Falls in 1840. Hiram worked alongside his father in Rowland’s Hollow, eventually taking over the family’s mills.
Three miles north of Rowland’s Mills another family had settled into the adjoining Town of Greenfield. Prince Wing – grandfather of the quarryman and mill owner- moved to Greenfield in 1786, becoming one of the first settlers in the town. He purchased property and built his home and farm on what is now Wing Road. Grandson Prince, who was to play an important role in the development of Rowland’s Hollow, was born in 1806, and following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, continued the family’s agricultural tradition. His involvement in Rowland’s Hollow was to come later, after the mills had been operating for many years.
The death of Isaac, Sr in 1857 had a significant impact on the inhabitants of Rowland’s Hollow. He was their patriarch. The Beer’s map of 1866 gives us a good snapshot of Rowland’s Hollow as the next generation took over. Hiram Rowland is prominently listed along with his sawmill and gristmill at the junction of the road and the creek. By this time Hiram was 70 years old, and he apparently sold this mill to Prince Wing, who one year later owned the gristmill, expanding his business interests in the Hollow where he also operated the stone quarry and lime kiln.
Wing may have been the owner, but the day-to-day operations were left to others. Joe Parmatier ran the gristmill throughout this period. He lived in the old stone house across the street from the gristmill. Patrick Leonard was the foreman for Wing’s quarry.
With all the focus on the sawmill and gristmill, it was the limestone rock itself that became the lifeblood of the Hollow in the period after the Civil War. The demand for limestone was high. It was processed in Wing’s lime kiln and used within the Hollow itself at Isaac Wager’s plaster mill where it was ground for use by the many farms in the area. The products of the Rowland Hollow quarry were also used to construct homes, churches and commercial buildings throughout the Saratoga and Ballston area. This vibrant community included stonecutters, millworkers, blacksmiths and lime burners whose children attended a small one room schoolhouse on the corner of Rowland Street and Grand Avenue.
The few photos we have today from the last quarter of the 19th century show a small bustling complex of mills, homes and bridges, many constructed using the Hollow’s limestone. These images represent the second generation of Rowland’s Hollow, the first having given way as wood gives away to stone.
But this heyday was not destined to last. Soon after the turn of the century, the demand for limestone declined, as the plaster mill closed and paper manufacturers turned from straw to wood in their operations. The families that had been supported by the stonecutters and mill workers moved away, and Rowland’s Hollow was abandoned.
The limestone buildings could have, should have, lived on. But they did not. We are fortunate to have views of the Hollow as it existed in the 1930’s, long after the mills had been abandoned. Even then the buildings were in ruins. Over the years since, the buildings have disappeared, the limestone repurposed for other uses in the local area.
Today it is even harder to uncover the vestiges of the Hollow. Cars and quarry trucks race along Rowland Street. If you look quick you might catch a glimpse of the northeast corner of the stone grist mill, standing 30 feet tall. One wonders why even this remains. How many of us drive along roads in Saratoga County, passing by similar spots, unaware of the life that used to be in these Lost Crossroads?
Kentucky Derby Winner Arrives in Saratoga
Sovereignty arrives at the Saratoga Race Course, led by his trainer Bill Mott. Image via Mary Eddy/the New York Racing Association (NYRA).
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Sovereignty, the winner of this year’s Kentucky Derby, has officially arrived at the Saratoga Race Course, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced last week.
The colt’s arrival came just two days after news that his trainer Bill Mott had decided to skip the Preakness Stakes, thus forgoing a Triple Crown attempt, and aim for the Belmont Stakes instead.
Sovereignty was escorted by Mott off a massive “horse van” that looked more spacious than many New York City apartments.
“He came off the van like a tiger,” Mott told NYRA. “He’s had good energy for a horse that just ran a race like that.”
Mott added that he would see how Sovereignty acts once he settles down and then decide upon an exercise routine.
The Derby winner is no stranger to the Spa City. His first-ever race, the Maiden Special Weight, was in Saratoga on Aug. 24 of last year. Though he finished fourth in his debut outing, he quickly rebounded with a second-place finish the following month at Belmont at The Big A, before winning his next two races at Churchill Downs and Gulfstream Park.
“We feel pretty comfortable here and know our way around here, so that’s a good thing,” Mott said.
At the Kentucky Derby, Sovereignty upset the favorite Journalism on a sloppy track in front of a reported crowd of 147,406 spectators. The race was viewed by an average of 17.7 million viewers, according to NBC, which made it the biggest Kentucky Derby television audience since 1989. The all-sources betting handle of more than $234 million also shattered previous records.
Sovereignty’s rider, Junior Alvarado, was invited to throw out the first pitch of a New York Yankees game against the San Diego Padres in the Bronx on May 7. At the ballgame, Alvarado managed to honor the sport of horse racing by tossing a clean strike across home plate into the waiting mitt of Yankees infielder Oswald Peraza, a fellow Venezuelan native.
Although the Belmont field is not yet set, it’s possible that Saratogians could witness a Sovereignty-Journalism rematch on June 7 during the final leg of the Triple Crown.