East Side Historic District (Saratoga Springs, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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East Side Historic District
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House of architect R. Newton Brezee
at Caroline and Regent streets, 2008 |
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Saratoga Springs, NY |
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| Area | 114 acres (46 ha) |
| Built | 19th–mid 20th centuries |
| Architectural style | Various period styles |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001267 |
| Added to NRHP | 1982 |
The East Side Historic District is a special neighborhood in Saratoga Springs, New York. It's mostly a place where people live, located just east of the city's downtown area. This district covers about 114 acres (46 hectares). It stretches from near Saratoga Race Course to the Congress Park neighborhood.
Back in the 1800s and early 1900s, Saratoga Springs was a very popular vacation spot. Many rich families from all over the country would visit. The East Side Historic District was where the city's wealthy residents built their beautiful homes. Later, it was also home to the first buildings of Skidmore College. In 1982, this important area was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's officially recognized for its historical value.
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Exploring the East Side Historic District
The East Side Historic District is one of five historic districts in Saratoga Springs. All these districts are connected to each other. The East Side is bordered by the Union Avenue Historic District to the south. To the west, it touches Congress Park and the Broadway Historic District.
What the District Looks Like
The land in the East Side Historic District is mostly flat. It has many streets and smaller alleys that are laid out in a grid pattern. This means the streets mostly cross each other at right angles, like a checkerboard.
There are 379 buildings in the district. Most of them are houses built in different styles from the 1800s and early 1900s. You can see styles like Gothic Revival and Bungalow homes. Many of these buildings are made of wood siding called clapboard or brick. Only a few buildings are new, so they don't count as "contributing properties" to the district's historic look.
Some buildings from Skidmore College are still here. The college used this area until 1976. You can also find the state armory on Lake Avenue. An armory is a place where military equipment is stored. There's also a church, a fire station, and a local elementary school in the district.
A Look Back in Time
As Saratoga Springs grew into a famous resort town in the late 1800s, many successful people lived there. These were often store owners, spa owners, or people who designed and built things. They wanted homes that showed their success. So, they built houses in the neighborhoods east of Broadway and north of Union Avenue. These homes were often smaller versions of the grand houses owned by wealthy summer visitors. Sometimes, the same architects designed them, like R. Newton Brezee, who even lived in the East Side himself!
In 1902, a woman named Lucy Skidmore Scribner started the Young Women's Industrial Club. This club grew and became the Skidmore School of the Arts in 1911. Finally, it became Skidmore College in 1922. The Regent Street Theatre was the first building made just for the college in 1903. By 1931, the college's campus covered a large part of the western district, with 82 buildings. In 1976, Skidmore College moved to a new campus in the northern part of the city. It left most of its original buildings behind.
Today, the city works to keep the historic look of the East Side. The Design Review Commission helps with this. This group checks any new signs or changes to the outside of buildings in the historic districts. This makes sure the area keeps its special old-fashioned charm.
Important Buildings to See
None of the buildings in the East Side Historic District are listed on the National Register by themselves. But some of them are very important to the district's history.
- R. Newton Brezee House, 119 Caroline Street. This house was built in 1892. It's a Clapboard Queen Anne style home. The architect, R. Newton Brezee, designed it for himself! He designed many other homes in Saratoga Springs, including some in this district.
- New York State Armory, 60 Lake Avenue. This brick building was designed in 1890 by the state architect, Isaac Perry. It's built in the Romanesque Revival style.
- Regent Street Theatre, 153 Regent Street. This building has a shingled Colonial Revival style. It was the very first building built specifically for Skidmore College in 1903.
