City Names McTygue Neighborhood Park in Historic Square 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A west side park that served as the center square of Saratoga Springs social life in the mid-19th century has been named the McTygue Memorial Neighborhood Park, in recognition of the McTygue Family’s public service to the city.

In acting to approve resolution on Dec. 3, Mayor John Safford specifically cited Michael E. McTygue (City Court Judge, 1918-1924); Charles A. McTygue (Commissioner of Public Works, 1947-1965); Thomas G. McTygue (Commissioner of Public Works, 1972-1978, 1982-2008), and William J. McTygue (Public Works Deputy Commissioner and Director, 1999-2010).

“When you talk about the depth and length of service to our community, it’s astonishing,” Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran added during the Dec. 3 meeting. 

Among the achievements noted were the restoration of the historic Canfield Casino and Congress Park, acquisition and preservation of the historic Congress Park Carousel and the creation of the Franklin Square neighborhood park. 

The park sits just west of Broadway where Division and Franklin streets meet, flanked by nearby columns and porticos of ornate 19th century design tied to Greek Revival and Victorian style of historical architectural significance. 

It is where the town’s former railroad station stood nearby and Franklin Square – “one of Saratoga Springs’ oldest and most distinguished neighborhoods,” was “a center of Saratoga Springs social life,” according to historical documents sourced at The Saratoga Room of the Saratoga Springs Public Library. 

Following an era of Victorian extravagance, a decades-long preservation effort was initiated in the 20th century, largely due to the effort of local lawyer and developer Bob Israel, a native of Newburgh who came to Saratoga Springs in 1977. Israel took to renovating multiple buildings around Franklin Square , itself created in the 1840s, according to the Glens Falls Business Journal in an article published June 1990. 

Israel subsequently approached then-DPW Commissioner Tom McTygue when the two worked out a plan to create new curbing, benches and a fence on the city-owned land, to include as its centerpiece the installation of a 100-year-old cast-iron fountain topped with a concrete replica of a Grecian cherub statue which was purchased at an auction downstate.       

The Bonacio and Robert Israel families donated just over $650 for a park plaque dedicated to the McTygue family and recognizing their service to the community.  

Note: an earlier version of this article mistakenly referred to the park’s location as being on the east side. The park is located west of Broadway, on the west side of Saratoga Springs.