We came across this gorgeous park on our hunt for some of the town’s many mineral springs. There are four mineral springs located in Congress Park, but there is more here to merit a visit than just the mineral springs. There are beautiful gardens, water features, memorials, and a few haunted places.
Please note: some posts may contain affiliate links which means we could earn a small commission if you purchase products from our site, at no additional cost to you.
Exploring Congress Park
Congress Park is the heart of Saratoga Springs. The first spring in the park was named Congress Spring in 1792 after the newly formed U.S. Congress. In 1803, Gideon Putnam bought an acre of land around Congress Spring and built the Congress Hotel, and then bought even more land and made plans for building the town of Saratoga Springs.
This park is actually much larger than we anticipated. Numerous gardens are located throughout the park, as well as strategically located ponds. The park has several historical landmarks, such as the Civil War Monument. This monument commemorated the soldiers from Saratoga Springs in the 77th NY Infantry and is the only regimental monument not on a battlefield in the United States.
The War Memorial was built to honor the veterans of WWI in 1932. Be sure to check out the names and dates of service of veterans remembered in brinks along the Walk of Honor leading up to the memorial.
A historic wooden carousel, carved by master carver Marcus Illions, is also located in the park. The carousel was originally located on Saratoga Lake but was moved to Congress Park in 2002. This is the only two-row Illion carousel that is still in working order.
Mineral Springs
Congress Spring – Discovered in 1792 by Congressman John Gilman. This was one of the most famous mineral springs in Saratoga Springs. It was bottled and sold around America and Europe.
Columbian Spring – Unfortunately, this spring is no longer flowing, but you can still visit the beautiful domed pavilion. Regular drinking water is available at this spring.
Deer Park Spring – This ornate fountain houses the Deer Park Spring, named for a former nearby lodge that housed tamed deer.
Hathorn Spring One – This spring is just across the street from the park. Named for the owner of the Congress Hotel, Henry H. Hathorn.
Supernatural
If you are a ghost hunter at heart, you will love this park. There are several landmarks within the park that are supposedly haunted or possess supernatural abilities.
The Canfield Casino – The Gentlemen’s “Clubhouse” was acquired by Richard Canfield in 1894, and the Canfield Casino was established. Today the Casino is the Saratoga Spring History Museum. Visitors have reported seeing a woman in Victorian clothing wandering through the Casino, smelled cigar smoke, and felt mysterious drops in temperature. Witnesses have claimed to see things fly through the air or had items slapped from their hands.
The Devil Chair – The Devil Chair is located in the southeast corner of the park and was the cornerstone of a church that was to be built on the site. The plans for the church were abandoned when the church learned of the gambling casino being built nearby. They dubbed it the “Devil Chair.” Legend has it; if one sits in the chair long enough, they will be transported back in time.
Getting to Congress Park
Address: 268 Broadway, Saratoga Springs