Saratoga Springs History Museum

Frommer's Review

In its heyday in the late 19th century, Saratoga was the elegant refuge of high-society high rollers. The Canfield Casino, built in 1870 in Congress Park, is a stately red-brick Victorian that today is home only to the ghosts of gamblers past and a museum and historical collection that chronicles Saratoga Springs' era as a resort known the world over. The original casino was built by John Morrissey, a heavyweight champion boxer turned entrepreneur, and later made over in haute style by a wealthy gambler, Richard Canfield, at the turn of the 20th century. Canfield's lavish decor included marble tables, massive mirrors, grand chandeliers, and the world's largest seamless rug. In the casino's parlors, Amelia Earhart was feted and grand balls and teas attracted the Gilded Age's fabulous wealthy. The Historical Society's exhibitions of photography depict Saratoga Springs in all its splendor, and on the second floor is a re-creation of the high-stakes room and parlors with an original collection of handcrafted John Henry Belter furnishings. On the top floor, eight rooms re-create Pine Grove, the prominent Walworth family's Victorian home that was demolished in the 1950s. Allow about an hour to tour the museum.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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