by Tom Williams  | Sponsored byThe Saratoga County History Roundtable                    

Contact The Saratoga County History Roundtable at: saratogacohistoryroundtable@gmail.com

Saratoga County has attracted more than its share of literary lights, whether they have spent time at the Yaddo retreat or taken in “health, history and horses.” One of these writing notables is a point of pride for residents of the town of Malta. Katherine Anne Porter, a recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, lived in Malta and owned a home there.

Porter is perhaps best known for having written “Ship of Fools,” the 1962 novel that was the basis for the 1965 movie of the same name. Porter received the Pulitzer for the publishing in 1965 of “The Collected Stories of Katherine Anne Porter,” a volume of her short stories she had published up to that point. Three of those stories were also published together in a separate volume in 1939 called “Pale Horse, Pale Rider.”.

The real life of Katherine Anne Porter could have easily described some colorful characters in her well-crafted stories. She was born Callie Russell Porter on May 15, 1890, the fourth of five children of a struggling farmer, in the dusty small town of Indian Creek, Texas. Her mother died when Callie was 2, so her father, Harrison, moved the family to Kyle, Texas, a more substantial community (the “pie capital of Texas”) just outside Austin. Callie’s grandmother, Catharine Ann Porter (note the spelling), helped raise the children. In tribute to her grandmother, Callie later changed her own name to Katherine Anne Porter.

After the family moved to several other cities, in Texas and Louisiana, Porter attended a private girls’ school in San Antonio. A bright youngster, she read widely and studied music, but was never educated beyond grammar school. In 1906 at the age of 16, she married John Henry Koontz. Lasting nine years, it was the longest of her five marriages. Later in life, she half-jokingly said that she remembered only three of those unions.

In a review of a biography commissioned by Porter in her later years (“Katherine Anne Porter, A Life,” by Joan Givner), literary critic Elizabeth Hardwick wrote of Porter: “She was beautiful, a spendthrift, an alert coquette and, since she lived long, a good many of her friends, lovers and three of her husbands were younger than she was.”

In 1915 Porter traveled to Chicago to try acting for a silent film company but soon becamw interested in journalism. Through the late ‘teens and 1920s she took writing jobs and did freelance work for magazines and newspapers. In an era when women were becoming increasingly independent, she also began writing her own short stories and poems. One of her better short stories, “Flowering Judas,” was published in 1930.

Her writing yielded a $2,000 Guggenheim Fellowship, which she used in 1931 to travel by steamship from Mexico to study in Germany. On that voyage, aboard the S.S. Vera, she took notes about the wide variety of passengers she met. Porter’s notes laid the groundwork for the much later publication of “Ship of Fools.”

By 1939 she had gained a reputation as “one of the country’s best writers,” according to one sympathetic biographical sketch. This led to a stay during 1940 at Yaddo, the artists’ retreat in Saratoga Springs. Enter the town of Malta.

While at Yaddo, Porter and a companion took an auto ride one day in January 1941 through the rural area south of Saratoga Lake. On the ride, she spotted and fell in love with a two-story, seven-room country house on Malta’s Cramer Road. She soon bought it — what she called her “dream house” — for $2,000 (including a $200 down payment) and called it South Hill.

In a letter to her fifth husband, according to another biographer, Porter expressed “soulful feelings about how this special place [South Hill] would heal her hurts, inspire her creativity and ground her.” She got to work making needed repairs there. However, the task of home rehabilitation, cold upstate winters and the social isolation of World War II (despite parties she hosted there for Truman Capote, Eudora Welty and others) eventually became too much for Porter.

In 1946 she sold South Hill to George F. Willison, a writer and editor known for producing several nonfiction volumes on American history. Willison later became a speechwriter for U.S. Sen. Estes Kefauver and New York Gov. Averill Harriman. Over the years, the South Hill house on Cramer Road has been maintained in excellent condition by subsequent owners, and there is now a roadside historical marker near the house.

Throughout the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s, Porter remained active writing stories, teaching, lecturing, and making public appearances. A Ford Foundation grant in 1959 spurred her to complete her long-delayed novel, “Ship of Fools.”

The novel had remained dormant until 1940, when she started writing the book using her notes from the Vera voyage. But it wasn’t published until 1962, when she was 72. When asked to explain why the publisher (Little, Brown & Co.) kept announcing, then delaying the book’s release, Porter replied, in character, “Look here, this is my life and my work and you keep out of it. When I have a book I will be glad to have it published.”

When it finally appeared, the novel received good reviews and was the best-selling fiction title of 1962. Years later in The New Yorker, the critic Hilton Als wrote that “Ship of Fools” is “a thick book remarkable for its concision—the many plot points move along at a good clip — [it] is less a masterwork than a piece of cinema, a detailed script about the lost and the damned and the tragedy of history that no man can escape.”

And it did become cinema. Hollywood paid Porter $400,000 for the movie rights (equivalent to about $4 million today), and Stanley Kramer produced and directed. Notable stars included Vivian Leigh (in her last film role), Simone Signoret, Oskar Werner, George Segal and Lee Marvin. Released in 1965, the movie won two Oscars (art direction and cinematography). Notably, the movie was banned in Spain by that country’s dictator, Gen. Francisco Franco, due to its anti-fascism.

Porter achieved the pinnacle of the literary world in 1965, when her “The Collected Stories of Katherine Anne Porter” received the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. These works of the 1960s yielded for Porter several honorary degrees, long-sought financial security and even invitations to events at the White House.

The last 10 years of Porter’s long life were marked by declining health but also by a couple of unusual projects. In one, she sought to write an essay for Playboy magazine on the Apollo 17 moon landing, but that was never finished. In 1977, she published “The Never-Ending Wrong,” a book about the Sacco-Vanzetti affair. After suffering several disabling strokes in 1977, Porter died on Sept. 18, 1980, in her 90th year.

Tom Williams is town historian for the town of Malta. A graduate of the University of Rochester, he is a retired journalist, having worked as a reporter and editor for daily and weekly newspapers, and for national trade magazines.

Beth Alvarez of the Katherine Anne Porter Society at the University of Maryland assisted with research for this article.

by Dave Waite  | Sponsored byThe Saratoga County History Roundtable

Contact The Saratoga County History Roundtable at: saratogacohistoryroundtable@gmail.com

On Western Avenue, two miles from the hamlet of West Charlton, stands a blue and gold historic marker recalling a tragedy from nearly 250 years ago:

GONZALEZ HOME

HERE, IN 1782, JOSEPH

GONZALEZ AND SON EMANUEL WERE KILLED AND SCALPED BY ST REGIS INDIANS, HIS SON JOHN WAS TAKEN CAPTIVE

Fleeing persecution for their Protestant beliefs, Don Manuel Gonzalez brought his family to America in 1690 and settled along the Hudson River. A grandson of this early settler, Joseph Gonzalez left Dutchess County for the wilderness west of Schenectady in the early 1770s. Here he settled with his family in the southwest corner of what is now the Town of Charlton, Saratoga County. on a 1500-acre tract in the Kayaderosseras Patent. This area, at that time still a part of Albany County, was known to early settlers as the “Woestyne,” or what today would be called “wilderness.”

For the next ten years, Joseph Gonzalez and his family carved a farm out of this wilderness, and until the time of the Revolution had maintained a peaceful relationship with the Native Americans in the area. Joseph’s oldest son Emanuel, a strong, well-built young man, was often seen as a threat to the natives who encountered him. One story of his prowess tells of him being attacked by twelve Indians, and though his head was severely twisted during hand-to-hand combat, he was still able to grab a fence rail and drive off his attackers.

Living in an area where many settlers were loyal to the British, Joseph Gonzalez was well known for siding with the Patriots. In early 1782, a group of soldiers were sent from Schenectady to arrest a Tory who lived in the vicinity of the Gonzalez homestead. After convincing the soldiers of his innocence, the Tory invited them to stay in his home for the night. In an amazing act of treachery, the man left his sleeping guests and proceeded to the Gonzalez home where he told Joseph and his sons that the men were Tories and asked for assistance in murdering them while they slept. Gonzalez refused and the next morning the man was arrested. The prisoner was taken to Schenectady, where he was tried and sentenced to be hung, with Joseph Gonzalez interceding for the man, convincing the court to grant him a pardon.

Only a few months after this incident, a band of St. Regis Indians who had spent the winter hunting in Northern New York, returned south to attack the Gonzalez family. On an April morning in 1782, Joseph and his sons Emanuel, John, and a younger son, also named Joseph, along with a hired servant, were burning a field when the band of Indians approached. The elder Joseph, assuming that the group was friendly, extended his hand in greeting, only to be immediately cut down by a tomahawk.

John and Emanuel were quickly seized, with Emanuel fighting off his attacker and fleeing. Making it to a fence surrounding the field, he was again grabbed and shot in the hand when he finally broke free. Still attempting to escape, he was fatally shot while climbing the last fence separating him from the woods. While all of this was happening, one of the Indians, who remembered a kindness from the past, released young Joseph to escape to the house where his mother, sister Dorcas, and eighteen-year-old brother David were hiding.

Before the attackers had time to regroup, David hitched up a wagon and drove the family seven miles to Cranesville on the Mohawk River. From there the family continued their flight to safety and headed east another eight miles along the Mohawk River to Tinker Hill in Glenville, the fortified home of Militia Captain Teunis Swart.

Swart immediately called the militia together to pursue the attackers. Concerned for the safety of their families, the men refused to leave that day but agreed to move out in the morning. Unwilling to wait, Captain Swart and David Gonzalez immediately returned to the scene of the attack. Here they located the lifeless bodies of Joseph Gonzalez and his son Emanuel in the field where they had fallen and brought them to the family’s log home where they kept vigil for the night.

The next morning the militia arrived, bringing with them Mrs. Gonzalez. Joseph and Dorcas. Together they buried father and son on the family farm. The pursuit of the Indians was immediately taken up in hopes of releasing John Gonzalez and the family servant who had also been taken captive in the raid. Unfortunately, after two days the trail was lost somewhere in the vicinity of Fish House on the Sacandaga River when heavy rain erased all evidence of the path the band of Indians had followed as they headed northward.

Fearful of pursuit, the band of Indians moved quickly toward Canada. For days, the group went without food, with the threat of death forcing the two captives to keep up the fearful pace. Once in Canada, John was separated from his father’s hired man, who was never seen or heard from again. On reaching a garrison of the British Army, John was forced into service of the Crown, though he was never made to actively participate in any campaign for fear he might escape. At that time, his surname was recorded in the military record as Consalus, a name that he continued to use for the rest of his life. As a captive of the British, he was required to make cartridges, though often substituting charcoal for much of the gunpowder to render them ineffective. In the spring of 1785, two years after the war was over, he was finally released and headed back to the Mohawk Valley.

When he finally made his way back home, John searched for his remaining family, only to find that his mother had passed away from a broken heart only months after his capture. The first family member he located was his older sister, Rebecka, who had married Emanuel DeGraff and was then living in Schenectady. His brother David had also settled in Schenectady, with his sister Dorcas having married and moved with her husband to Saratoga. As there had been no way to pay on the contract for the Gonzalez homestead, the property had been taken from the family. In the years after his return, John began buying back pieces of the property on the eastern edge of the tract his family had first settled. In 1792 John married Dorcas Hogan of Albany, and together they raised 12 children. His descendants continued on the property until 1926. Today Consaul Road off of Rte. 67 in Charlton marks the location of this early farm.

Dave Waite has written many articles on upstate New York history, and has recently published two anthologies, Thrilling Attractions and Weird Wonders, and A Place called Pauley. Dave is also the videographer for the several films produced by the Saratoga County History Center, including the Forgotten Crossroads series. He can be reached at davewaitefinearts@gmail.com

BALLSTON SPA — The Brookside Museum, located at 21 Fairground Ave. in Ballston Spa will offer the following events this month: 

Cloaks and Greatcoats – 18th Century Outerwear. Friday, Jan. 3, 7 p.m. Join well known historical clothing expert, Henry Cooke to learn how people kept warm in the 18th century and view original and replica garments. Learn about capes, cloaks and greatcoats in the late 1700s. By looking at original and replica garments, as well as artwork from the era, participants will discover the materials, construction techniques and fashionable styles of outerwear for men and women. The event is free and open to the public, though donations are always welcome.

Sounds in Winter Concert: String Theory Trio – Saturday, Jan. 18, 3-5 p.m. The String Theory Trio is a newly formed ensemble comprised of three friends, Brian Mooney,Dana Probeyahn-Smith and Kathryn Tomlin, who recently began exploring the repertoire that exists for two violins and a cello. For many years, they have performed with local orchestras, choral groups, and chamber groups, and have taught their instruments to students of all ages and levels of experience. The concert is open to the public and free, donations are always appreciated.

E.N.D. #26 – Greetings from the Great Camps: The History of the Adirondack Vacation. Thursday, Jan.  23, 7-8:30 p.m. Online event. A Zoom link will be sent out within 24 hours of the start. Join Connor Williams, scholar, teacher and the historian at Great Camp Sagamore (where he directs their history programming) as he answers questions, and discusses how environmentalism, opulence, industry, inequality, architecture and nature all intersected to produce the Adirondack Park (and the Adirondack vacations) we still connect to today. This event is free for members. There is a suggested donation of $5 for non-members, but any donations are always welcome.

For more information check www.brooksidemuseum.org

by Carol Godette  | Sponsored byThe Saratoga County History Roundtable

Contact The Saratoga County History Roundtable at: saratogacohistoryroundtable@gmail.com

G. Willikers: On This Spot

For generations, stepping inside 461 Broadway has been a sensory delight for Saratogians. Currently home to G. Willikers Toy Store, the address remains a hub of enchantment and community connection. For over 40 years, Linda Ambrosino and her husband have infused downtown Saratoga with holiday magic, captivating locals and visitors alike with their NYC-quality Christmas window displays.

This year’s display is no exception. The first window invites onlookers into a warm, nostalgic scene: a family gathered around a classic movie projector. The following windows come alive with intricate depictions of the films they are watching, drawing delighted murmurs from passersby. People pause to marvel, trying to identify each movie, their faces lighting up with childlike wonder. Inside the store, the enchantment continues. The upper shelves are adorned with snowy landscapes and whimsical woodland creatures, creating a magical atmosphere that makes every visitor feel like a kid again.

For Linda, these festive displays are a labor of love. She smiles when asked about her favorite Christmas window from the past four decades but admits that it’s an impossible choice. “They’re like children,” she says. “You love them all in different ways.”

But the magic of G. Willikers extends beyond its decor. The store’s charm is steeped in the history of its location. Before Linda brought toys and holiday cheer to 461 Broadway, the building housed another beloved family business that defined downtown Saratoga for 60 years: Glickman’s Men’s and Boys’ Shop.

A Look Back: Glickman’s Legacy

Founded in 1929 during the Great Depression by Henry and Pauline Glickman, Glickman’s Men’s and Boys’ Shop quickly became a downtown Saratoga institution. Specializing in men’s workwear, the store served local firemen, policemen, and tradespeople, offering durable clothing at fair prices with top-notch customer service. Over the decades, Glickman’s expanded its offerings under the guidance of Charlotte Glickman Albert, the founder’s daughter, who introduced women’s apparel to the store.

For local teenagers in the 1970s, Glickman’s was the go-to destination for fashion staples. “It was where we got our uniform of the day,” recalls one loyal customer. That uniform often included jeans or corduroys, a Northern Isle patterned sweater, a navy CPO jacket, and Converse sneakers. Kathy Wilson Cleary fondly remembers the rainbow stacks of cotton turtlenecks lining the store’s old wooden counters, while Weezie Foye describes weekly visits after cashing her paycheck at Adirondack Trust.

The sensory experience of shopping at Glickman’s remains vivid in the memories of many Saratogians. Entering through one of the two wooden and glass doors, customers were greeted by the hum of fluorescent lights and the distinct smell of mothballs from wool sweaters. The creak of wooden floors alerted the Glickman and Albert families to greet their next customer warmly.

A Family-Run Business with Heart

Glickman’s wasn’t just a store—it was a family operation that reflected the dedication and values of its owners. Henry Glickman worked well into his 80s, while his son-in-law, Jerry Albert, joined the business in 1958. The Alberts’ three daughters—Robyn, Sharon, and Alicia—helped out during summers and holidays. Alicia, the youngest, recalls being relegated to the basement to inventory Levi’s jeans, underwear, and other items, attaching handwritten price tags.

Upstairs, her grandmother managed the cash register with unmatched efficiency. Always dressed in a circle pin with an attached pen for writing receipts, she epitomized the professionalism and warmth that customers loved.

The family’s commitment to their business often meant long hours and few days off. Glickman’s was open six days a week, expanding to seven during the holiday season. Alicia remembers her father attending her high school graduation but leaving early to man the store, a moment captured in family graduation photos taken in front of the shop.

The personal touch extended to the customer experience. Bill Petit, a longtime Saratogian, recalls seeking advice from Mr. Albert for a wardrobe update. He left the store with a new outfit that boosted his confidence and even helped him impress the girl of his dreams that very night.

An Era Ends, A Legacy Continues

When Glickman’s closed its doors in January 1989, it marked the end of an era. A heartfelt editorial in The Saratogian lamented the loss of “homespun, meat-and-potato retail stores” that had long defined downtown Saratoga Springs.

Yet, the spirit of 461 Broadway lives on through G. Willikers Toy Store. While the creaky wooden floors and mothball-scented sweaters have given way to snow-dusted shelves and whimsical toys, the building continues to create cherished memories for generations of Saratogians.

At Christmastime, this legacy shines brightest of all. Whether it’s the nostalgic glow of the holiday windows or the timeless warmth of a family-run business, 461 Broadway remains a beacon of Saratoga’s enduring magic.

by Sandy McBride  | Sponsored byThe Saratoga County History Roundtable

One of the fun things about living in a very old house is that every now and then, stashed away in a dark corner, you find a completely fascinating remnant of the past.  Such was the case when Bill and Bev Betts found a firemen’s convention booklet from 1902 in their 128-year-old Halfmoon farmhouse.  They have graciously shared it with us.

The convention was held in Mechanicville over Labor Day weekend. The commemorative booklet is loaded with pictures and ads not just from Mechanicville, but from neighboring communities as well.  Although many of the names ring a bell, none of the industries or businesses mentioned save the struggling Delaware and Hudson Railroad, has survived into this century.

When I began reading the text, I found myself laughing out loud.  Now, usually when you read one hundred year old material about such a prestigious event as this convention apparently was, you expect complete seriousness.  Not so.  Whoever penned the text for this booklet had a lively sense of humor. I quote: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, and the earth was without form and void, because Mechanicville did not yet appear on the face thereof.

Now, even the city’s most enthusiastic supporters would have to recognize that the writer’s tongue was firmly planted in his cheek when he wrote that line.

He also discussed discovery of the river on which Mechanicville lies, saying “During the anti-colonial days, a marine tramp by the name of Henry Hudson brought his schooner named the HalfMoon to the head of this tail race and to this day they have called it the Hudson River, and the choice part of the surrounding country Halfmoon.  The style of Hudson’s vessel left its impress on the nomenclature and size of drinking vessels, yet much used in Mechanicville.”

He was speaking humorously, of course, of the bars and saloons that graced the community back in its formative years, but in spite of the sharp wit, there is a great deal of marvelous local history contained in the booklet, a vivid picture of our fair city one hundred and twenty-two years ago. The writer talks about the building of canals, and indeed, the Champlain Canal did bisect the village.  The growth of railroads is discussed at length, beginning with the incorporation of the Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad Company on April 14, 1832 which had tracks from Troy to Ballston through Mechanicville.  Photos, including the original depot near the canal bridge, the Delaware and Hudson (Union) Depot at Depot Square and the vast freight yards, show the energy these railroads provided our community in 1902.

The many mills that once dominated the city’s landscape, including the Duncan Company paper mill, American Linen Thread, Mechanicville Knitting Mill and the J. B. Orcutt Company are also represented. Three local brick manufacturers are advertised and their plants pictured, including the Champlain Brick Company, Mechanicville Brick Company and Best Brick Company.  Friction matches were also made in Mechanicville for a time, as were razor strops, flutes, fifes, Britannia teapots, whips, bolts and cistern pumps.

The village had its share of hotels . . .  Hotel Hawley, Hotel Leland, Hotel Ellsworth, and the Grand Central Hotel.  The First National Bank proudly proclaimed capital of $50,000 while the Manufacturers’ National Bank, which touted itself as “an institution which wields a powerful influence in the business affairs of this community . . .” claimed it had deposits of $325,000 and loans outstanding of  $320,000.

Within the village proper you could buy beef, pork, lamb, poultry and lard at H.B. Dugan’s Market, and there were numerous stores that variously featured groceries, fresh baked goods, cigars, shirts, collars and cuffs, horse harness, spring beds, ice cream and candy.  There was no shortage of places to eat, and no shortage of drug stores.  If you needed to travel, you could hire a horse and buggy at a livery stable on Mabbett Street, or you could have a wagon of your own built to order by Charles H. Burns, the village blacksmith on School Street.  Edward LaDoux would paint that wagon up for you, too.

Residents of the village at the turn of the century were justifiably proud of the village’s three modern brick school buildings . . .  the high school on Main Street (on a site now occupied by the Mechanicville Area Community Services Center), School 2 on Chestnut Street and School 3 on Saratoga Avenue.  None of these school buildings are with us today.

William C. Tallmadge, who gave the city the lovely park bearing his name, had passed away in August of that year, not long after his 85th birthday.  A photo of Mr. Tallmadge seated on the porch of his Mechanicville home is shown, as is a shot of the park taken from the top of the hill.

William H.Van Ness sold pure milk and cream, C.A. Howland had an insurance office on Main Street, C.M. Fort and Son sold “groceries, crockery, glassware and lamps, wallpaper, paints and oils, field and garden seeds, trunks, bags, etc.” at their store on the corner of Park Avenue and Main Streets.  F. E. Partridge of Third Street was a carpenter and builder, as was W. D. Tweedy of Spring Street.  Golden’s Opera House Café was located at 50 Park Avenue, and A. Buchdahl sold clothing, caps and shoes in the Opera House block. If you picked up your phone and told the operator you’d like to call 26-A, you could order ice from Smith on Saratoga Avenue, and if you needed any staining, painting, glazing, varnishing, kalsomining or paperhanging done on short notice, P. A. Mawbey was your man.

All five of the village’s beautiful churches of that era are pictured, with both interior and exterior views.  Although each has been altered a bit, all of them remain to this day except for the Presbyterian Church which was demolished many years ago for a parking lot which now belongs to the CVS Pharmacy.

A number of elegant Victorian homes, street and river scenes, and panoramic views of the village grace the pages.   Proud railroaders standing alongside state-of-the-art steam engines, baseball teams, merchants, barbers, and folks on the street . . . faces of people who forged a thriving community . . . all are depicted in captured moments of a different time, giving us a vivid and nostalgic glimpse of the Mechanicville that used to be, one hundred and twenty-two short years ago.

Source: Souvenir of Mechanicville, New York: Tri-County Firemen’s Convention, Mechanicville, New York, August 30, 31, September l, 2. 1902. Publisher: Troy Times Art Press in Troy, NY

Sandy McBride is a native of Mechanicville, and lives in the Town of Halfmoon. Writing has always been her passion, and she has won numerous awards for her poetry.  For the past 17 years, she has written feature stories for The Express weekly newspaper and has published four books of feature stories and two poetry collections, and also a children’s historical novel on the Battles of Saratoga entitled “Finding Goliath and Fred”.

by David Wickerham | Sponsored byThe Saratoga County History Roundtable. Contact The Saratoga County History Roundtable at: saratogacohistoryroundtable@gmail.com

As the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Saratoga approaches, the story of General Philip Schuyler’s house stands as a powerful testament to the resilience of early Americans during the Revolutionary War. Located in Schuylerville, New York, this historic estate embodies the struggle, sacrifice, and determination that shaped a new nation.

A Strategic Estate Destroyed The Schuyler House originally stood as a grand estate along the confluence of Fish Creek and the Hudson River. Built around 1763, it functioned as the fulcrum of Schuyler’s agricultural and milling empire, supporting local agriculture and the fledgling economy of the area. The Schuyler family was instrumental in developing the Village of Saratoga—now known as Schuylerville—into an agricultural and industrial hub that relied on milling, farming, and fishing. Fish Creek was central to this development, housing the milling and fishing operations that sustained the Schuyler estate and served the broader colonial community.

The Schuyler House endured its first destruction during King George’s War, demonstrating the vulnerability of such strategic sites during periods of conflict. However, it faced its most significant devastation during the American Revolutionary War. On October 10, 1777, British Lieutenant General John Burgoyne made a fateful decision after retreating from the defeat at the Battles of Bemus Heights; he ordered his troops to burn the Schuyler House and 24 surrounding buildings. This act was not random, but a calculated military strategy known as “scorched earth.” By destroying the estate, Burgoyne aimed to deprive American forces of valuable resources and damage their morale.

British Lieutenant William Digby noted that they burned the house “to prevent a lodgment being formed behind it.” The destruction was extensive, targeting the main house and the mills, barns, and storehouses crucial to the local community.

Rebuilding with Determination  No sooner had the smoke cleared than Schuyler began to plot the rebuilding of his home. In a letter to Colonel Varick dated October 12, 1777, Schuyler expressed the urgency of his mission. He wrote that he had sent enslaved individuals to the ruins of the burned house to salvage iron nails and other structural supplies essential for the construction of the new house, as iron was scarce during the war. Schuyler emphasized his commitment to rebuilding, stating, “I intend immediately to have my mills rebuilt and some house erected.”

Construction commenced a mere two weeks after Burgoyne’s surrender on October 17, 1777. Schuyler mobilized a diverse labor force, which included carpenters and engineers from American General Gates’ army, local craftsmen, prisoners of war, and enslaved individuals from his estate. The inclusion of enslaved individuals in this labor force highlights the complex and often painful legacy of slavery in American history. Their forced labor played a critical role in the reconstruction efforts, reminding us of the moral contradictions that characterized the pursuit of liberty during the Revolutionary era.

The salvage and reuse of materials from the ruins were vital; timber from the estate’s upper sawmill—the only structure left intact—provided the backbone for the new construction. Iron nails, hinges, and stone salvaged from the ruins were utilized, illustrating an early example of resourcefulness and respect for the historical significance of the original structure.

The rebuilding efforts were impressively rapid. It is reputed that the house was reconstructed in only ten to sixty days after the fire. This collaboration between Schuyler’s mobilized workforce and the military personnel underscores the community’s collective determination to restore what had been lost.

According to Schuyler’s letters, the house was completed in a rough state by November 30, 1777. On November 4, he informed Congress of his progress, saying, “In less than twenty days, I shall nearly complete a comfortable house for the reception of my family.” In a letter to a friend, Schuyler detailed the construction timeline: “On the first instant [November 1] I began a house, on the 19th I had two rooms and Cellar Kitchen finished, and on the 30th Instant I shall discharge my carpenters.” Furthermore, in a letter to John Jay in November 1777, he reflected on his aspirations for a quieter life, expressing his enthusiasm for country living and his intent to distance himself from the “noise and bustle” of public life.

The new house was notably different from the original; smaller and more modest, it measured just sixty by twenty feet. Schuyler described it as “cheaply and speedily erected.” In an incredible display of efficiency, he aimed to complete a “comfortable house for the reception of my family” within twenty days, demonstrating not only his determination but also his practical approach to rebuilding in the face of adversity.

A Complex Historical Landscape The rebuilding process reveals the complex social fabric of revolutionary America. The workforce included local laborers, captured British soldiers skilled in masonry, and enslaved individuals whose forced labor was critical to the construction. This nuanced history serves as a reminder that the pursuit of liberty coexisted with the brutal reality of slavery, and it compels us to recognize and honor the legacy of enslaved individuals whose contributions are often overlooked.

An Unexpected Diplomacy Perhaps most remarkable was Schuyler’s interaction with Burgoyne after the surrender. Despite the destruction of his estate, Schuyler hosted the defeated British general in his Albany mansion, demonstrating a remarkable sense of military honor and diplomacy typical of the era. This act was more than mere courtesy; by treating his enemy respectfully, Schuyler showcased the emerging American leadership’s commitment to principles beyond vengeance—a subtle but important strategy in garnering international support for the revolutionary cause.

A Living Memorial Today, the Schuyler House is a museum within Saratoga National Historical Park. Visitors can walk through a structure that literally contains layers of history—from the original stones and timbers to the marks of patriot labor, British craftsmanship, and the often-overlooked contributions of enslaved workers. The house is more than a building; it’s a microcosm of the Revolutionary era, embodying the complex interplay of military strategy, personal sacrifice, and the ongoing struggle for freedom.

A Legacy of Resilience As Saratoga approaches its 250th anniversary, the Schuyler House reminds us of the values that shaped our nation. It stands as a powerful symbol of resilience—of the ability to rebuild, adapt, and move forward in the face of tremendous challenges. The story of this house is ultimately a story of hope. It speaks to the unbreakable spirit of those who fought for independence, who saw beyond immediate destruction to a future of possibility. In its stones and timbers, we can still hear the echoes of a revolution that transformed a collection of colonies into a new nation.

As we commemorate this milestone, the Schuyler House invites us to remember not just the grand moments of history but also the daily acts of courage, adaptation, and resilience that truly define a people’s journey to freedom.

For the car enthusiast today, the term cross country rally recalls dust-covered cars testing skill and endurance by racing across endless landscapes of sand dunes and giant cacti. In the early days of automobiles, these contests were also held where the roads were poor, and the skills of drivers were pushed to the limit. Fortunately, the contestants did not have to travel the world to compete, as these early rallies were run on the bone-rattling roads of rural America.

One of the most well-known of these early contests was the Glidden Auto Tour, a public auto rally organized by the American Automobile Association to promote the reliability and practical use of this new form of transportation. The tour offered the public a chance to see automobiles as they passed through their communities driven in a safe and controlled manner. The maximum speed for the drivers in the Glidden Tour was twenty miles an hour on the open road and reduced to fifteen when they passed through residential areas. These speeds were verified at timed checkpoints and penalties were assessed against those who arrived ahead of the scheduled times.

Named for Charles Jasper Glidden, a telephone pioneer and automobile enthusiast, the first tour was held in 1904 to finish at the World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. The rally that year had three starting points: Philadelphia, New York City, and Baltimore, which converged during the 1000-mile route to end in St. Louis. Of the 77 automobiles that left the starting line, only 66 passed the checkered flag eighteen days later.

The 1905 Glidden Tour again started in New York City, with all the contestants following the same route that headed north into New Hampshire. Before each race, representatives of the Glidden Tour would drive the roads along the course of the rally and create a route book for the contestants to use during the tour.

As this rally was organized as a reliability test, the route included steep inclines, culminating with a visit to New Hampshire’s White Mountains. The Buffalo Courier newspaper of July 30, 1905, gave this report on the climbing ability of these early automobiles:

Hills, which for years have been climbed only with a team of horses, including the Crawford Notch Hill with a 22 percent grade, the Hard Scrabble Hill near Bethlehem (NH) with a 25 percent grade, and the Saw Dust Hill near Chester with a grade of 28 percent at one point, were surmounted by car after car.

For 1906, the tour returned to the northeast, starting the sixteen-day race on July 12th in Buffalo, and heading east to Utica, into the Mohawk Valley, north to Saratoga, and then into the Eastern Adirondacks. In the days preceding the event, the organizers posted signs along the route to help the participants follow the course. In Fonda, a community along the Mohawk River ten miles west of Amsterdam, officials refused to allow the signs, and no details of food or facilities in Fonda that could assist the motorists were included in that year’s tour packet.

The roads between Utica and Saratoga were described by the contestants as “vile,” with the rough roads and thick dust churned up by the motor cars causing accidents that eliminated several entrants. Beyond Amsterdam the tour turned north, encountering a steep grade taking them away from the Mohawk River. When Crane’s Hollow Road, the designated route for the tour was found to be so narrow that it would be impossible to pass disabled vehicles, the tour was rerouted to nearby Swart Hill Road. This thirty percent three-quarter mile grade was a challenge for some of these early autos, with the stronger autos assisting others to bring all the contestants to the summit. By mid-afternoon, the tour cars came down Ballston Avenue in Saratoga Springs and ended their day in front of the Grand Union Hotel. As the tour arrived in Saratoga on Saturday and Sunday was a rest day, the contestants had time to relax and enjoy the sights of Saratoga Springs.

From Saratoga the tour headed north to Glens Falls, then into the Adirondacks, first following a plank road to Caldwell on Lake George and then passing through Warrensburg to Chestertown. Continuing north, the tour skirted the western shore of Schroon Lake, finally rolling into Elizabethtown to end the day. The only excitement during their time in Elizabethtown occurred when two of the participants could not find a room for the night. The problem was solved when the local sheriff offered to house them in the jail. After their cell was opened the next morning, the men said that they slept well, even though they were locked up with a murderer and a wife-beater.

Fifty of the contestants made it to their final stop in Quebec. Thirteen of these were given a perfect score based on delays from breakdowns and the cost and time for repairs. To break this tie, the group voted and chose the first-place finisher from the previous year, Percy P. Pierce, as the winner. Percy was the son of Pierce-Arrow Motor Car owner George Norman Pierce, and of course, for the tour that year he drove one of his father’s automobiles.

The White Mountains were again tackled during the 1906 tour, though this time with what could have been fatal results. Guy Vaughn, a champion of 24-hour auto races, lost control when he encountered a section of road in Crawford Notch that had been damaged by rain the night before and rolled his Sterns automobile. Though his machine was demolished, Vaughn escaped unharmed.

In 1907 the Glidden Tour again went through Glens Falls with a White Steamer auto acting as the pathfinder and pilot. The tour that year had started in New Hampshire with their final destination being Saratoga Springs. The 1908 Glidden Tour started in Buffalo and again ended in Saratoga. The last tour to go through New York State was held in 1911, going between Washington, D. C., and Ottawa, Canada. On their way north the tour passed through both Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls.

The final Glidden Tour was held in 1913, with the organizers acknowledging that the automobile had proven its value and reliability over the years of the competition. In recent years, the Vintage Motor Car Club has revived the Glidden Tours, with the 78th Revival Glidden Tour being held in September of 2024.