Saratoga, Nebraska Territory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Saratoga
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Neighborhood
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Saratoga Springs, Sulphur Springs
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 Saratoga, Nebraska Territory
Location in Nebraska
Saratoga, Nebraska Territory
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Nebraska |
| City | Omaha |
Saratoga was a town founded in 1856 in what was then the Nebraska Territory. It was also known as Saratoga Springs. For a few years, Saratoga grew very fast. It even grew faster than other nearby towns like Omaha and Florence. People even thought it might become the capital of the Nebraska Territory!
However, Saratoga's success didn't last. In 1887, it became part of Omaha. Since then, it has been known as a neighborhood in North Omaha.
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Where Was Saratoga Located?
Today, the area where Saratoga once stood is near 24th Street and Saratoga Avenue in North Omaha. Long ago, people said the town was about 3 miles north of downtown Omaha. It was also about 2 miles south of Florence.
The old town of Saratoga was between Locust Street (to the south) and Fort Street (to the north). It stretched from Carter Lake (to the east) to North 36th Street (to the west).
Saratoga's Connection to the River
Saratoga's economy, which included a hotel and bars, depended on the Missouri River. The town was very close to a curve in the river called Saratoga Bend. This bend was less than 1 mile away.
In 1856, steamboats often stopped at Saratoga Bend. More boats stopped there than in the new town of Omaha City, which was 3 miles south.
The Famous Sulphur Spring
Saratoga was also founded near a special place called Sulphur Spring. This spring became famous because people believed its waters had healing powers. The spring was also the burial site of the daughter of Young Elk. He was an elder of the Omaha Tribe and a helper to Logan Fontenelle. One old report says the spring was at the "foot of Grand Avenue." This area is now called "Bluff View Park" or "Horseshoe Bend."
The History of Saratoga
The idea for Saratoga came from a man named Erastus F. Beadle. He worked for land investors from New York. These investors used money from "wildcat banks." These were risky investment plans popular at the time.
Beadle named the town after his own hometown, Saratoga, New York. He did this because the mineral springs in Nebraska were similar to those in Saratoga Springs. People hoped these springs would bring many visitors. Because of this hope, a large hotel called the Saratoga Springs Hotel was built.
Early Growth and Challenges
Within a few months, Saratoga had more than 50 buildings. These included several businesses and churches. In February 1857, the Nebraska Territory Legislature even passed a law to create the first University of Nebraska in Saratoga. However, this plan did not happen. The university was later built in Lincoln.
A post office was opened in Saratoga in September 1857. But Beadle left in late 1857. Then, a big economic problem called the "Panic of '57" hit. This greatly hurt Saratoga's economy. The Post Office closed in 1858. The town then struggled until Omaha took it over. In 1858, the Douglas County Agricultural Society held its first fair in Saratoga.
The Saratoga Springs Hotel's New Life
The big hotel did not become popular. Five years later, Brownell Hall started classes in the empty hotel building. This was an Episcopal school for girls. The bishop of the Nebraska Territory paid $3,500 for 6 acres of land and the building. By 1869, a new school building was built in Omaha. The old hotel was then left empty.
Saratoga Brewery and the River's Change
Richard Siemon ran the Saratoga Brewery. It was located where North 16th Street and Commercial Avenue are today. This was likely where one of the area's many artesian wells was found. By 1863, the brewery was sold to Ebenezer Dallow. It later became the famous Storz Brewing Company.
In 1866, local people built a one room schoolhouse called Saratoga School. It was one of the first public schools in Nebraska. In 1877, the Missouri River changed its path. It cut off the Saratoga Bend, creating what is now Carter Lake. This change meant the community no longer relied on river traffic. The town struggled for several years. In 1887, it was officially made part of the City of Omaha.
Important Places in Old Saratoga
- Erastus Beadle residence – This house was built in New York and shipped to Saratoga in pieces. It was located just east of the fairgrounds. The fairgrounds later became the Omaha Driving Park.
- Saratoga School – Built in 1866, this school was at 2504 Meredith Avenue.
- Saratoga Brewery – Richard Siemon opened it in 1854. It was at the meeting point of North 16th Street and Commercial Avenue. It later became the Storz Brewing Company.
- Saratoga Springs Hotel – This building later became the first home for the Brownell Hall. It was located at North 24th and Grand Streets.
- Saratoga Bend – This part of the Missouri River was cut off by a flood. It formed today's Carter Lake. Sulphur Springs was also located here.
- Main Street – This street was at 24th and Grand Streets. It was called "Saunders Street" from the 1850s to the 1880s. Then it became "North 24th Street."
- Druid Hall – This building at 2412 Ames Ave. was built by the Woodmen of the World. It was used by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and is now used by Nebraska's Prince Hall Masons Grand Lodge.
- Omaha Driving Park — This park was located between North 24th and North 16th Streets, from Sprague to Ames Avenue. It hosted the first Nebraska State Fair and the Douglas County Fair for many years. Buffalo Bill's Wild West show first performed there in 1883. In 1898, it held many events for the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition.
Saratoga's Lasting Impact
In 1886, a banker named Herman Kountze planned a new rich neighborhood called Kountze Place in the Saratoga area. Saratoga was also important in Omaha's history in 1927. That year, businessmen from North Omaha created the North Omaha Activities Association. They wanted to turn Saratoga School's playing field into a college football field. This was for Omaha University's football team. The university was located nearby in the fancy Kountze Place neighborhood. New seats were built for a crowd of a thousand people. The Saratoga Field was home to OU's team until 1951.
Saratoga Avenue in North Omaha was the main street of the old town of Saratoga. Saratoga Elementary School became part of Omaha Public Schools in the late 1800s. Brownell-Talbot School, which once started in Saratoga, is still open today. It is known as the oldest school in Nebraska.
