A PEEK AT THE GILDED AGE: History Museum in Saratoga Springs, NY

Inside the Saratoga Springs History Museum. 

In the 1870s and 1880s, people came to Saratoga Springs in upstate New York for the sparkling water that gives the city its name, and for the horse races, gambling, and thriving social life in the elegant hotels that lined the main street. Today the grand hotels of Saratoga Springs' Gilded Age are gone, but the city is still a popular vacation center known for its racetrack and beautiful surrounding countryside. 

John Morrisey built the racetrack that made the area famous.

Depictions of horses and horse racing can be seen throughout the town.

Entrance to the Saratoga Springs History Museum.

What was once a gambling casino for the rich and famous now houses the Saratoga Springs History Museum where you can see mementos from the past and learn more about some of the people who are part of the city’s history.

Skidmore College building in downtown Saratoga Springs. (The main campus is just outside of town.)

In mid-May when we were in Saratoga Springs for our grandson’s graduation from Skidmore College, we visited the History Museum, located in Congress Park near the center of town.

Our tour of the ballroom, bar, and reception areas of the Casino.

At the entrance to the museum we purchased tickets to see the exhibits. As it happened, we were just in time for a tour of the ballroom area adjacent to the casino. Our guide was an extremely knowledgeable museum volunteer.

Stained glass decorations in the ballroom.

Ballroom ceiling.

The ballroom is not always open for public view because it is a popular wedding and party venue. We were lucky that we happened to be there between events. The rooms are truly impressive and it is easy to imagine ladies in long elegant dresses and gentlemen in formal suits dancing and conversing with one another.

Exhibits on the main floor of the museum.

When the tour of the ballroom ended we were free to visit the rest of the museum on our own. This included a room on the main floor next to the gift shop, plus two floors of exhibits upstairs. Here are a just few of the items I found most intriguing.

Bicycles like this one were popular in the 1890s.

An elegant way to travel was in a personal hand carried sedan chair like this one.

Roulette wheel in the card room. At the Casino, men came to make business deals, gamble, and socialize with their peers.

Hand-cut silhouette artwork was popular in the 19th century.

Steep stairs lead to the upper floors of the museum.

When we finished our visit to the history museum, we went for a walk in Congress Park on our way to lunch at one of the many local restaurants. A few weeks later, when the summer racing season began, crowds of horse enthusiasts would pour into town, just as they did every summer more than one hundred years ago. Our visit to the museum helped us imagine what it might have been like back then.

Models like these display the elegant clothing of the Gilded Age.

REMEMBERING WILL ROGERS’ STABLES – Lost in the Palisades Fire, Los Angeles, CA, Guest Post by Caroline Hatton

Will Rogers' Stables and Horses, circa 1930s, Los Angeles, CA.

My friend Caroline Hatton, a children’s writer and frequent contributor to this blog, took these photos in the 2010s, during the many years when she spent time at the park with horses, for joy and fitness.

“A man that don’t love a horse, there is something the matter with him.”—Will Rogers, cowboy, humorist, movie star and commentator of the 1920s and 1930s. He had a ranch near Los Angeles. After he died, his widow Betty donated it to the State of California to be enjoyed as a public park and as a memorial to him. It became Will Rogers State Historic Park.

In a recent post  on this blog Caroline Arnold described how the devastating 2025 Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, California, destroyed buildings in the park, including the house and stables. As she wrote, “They remain only in pictures and in our memories.”

Will Rogers' Stables, 2013, lost in 2025.

Here are some pictures and memories of Will Rogers’ stables. They looked to me mostly like in the historic photo (at the top of this blog post), which was displayed inside the stables’ central rotunda.

When I first came to the park in the late 1900s, horses lived in the stables, so those were not open to visitors. Later on, the use of the stables ended in order to preserve the building and it was opened to the general public.

For years, I went to the park to read, write, hike, carry a full pack up the trails to train for summer backpack trips in the Sierra Nevada, and best of all, to spend happy times horseback riding in lessons or on trails, and volunteering to help children with special needs benefit from Therapeutic Horseback Riding under the guidance of specially-certified instructor Tami Leevan. I often walked through the stables and paused the passage of time to listen for echoes from the past.

Just outside the stables.

The above sign, in front of the stables, survived the fire. It marks the graves of two of Will Rogers’ favorite horses, Bootlegger and Soapsuds.

Posted in the stables.

Corridor inside the stables.

View of rotunda in the stables.

Will Rogers.

Four large doors (on the rotunda front and back, and at the ends of the left and right wings) gave access to 24 stalls and two restrooms, each with a flush toilet and a bathroom-type sink.

View from inside the rotunda, 2014.

Arena, stables, pasture, 2014.

Visitors on a guided trail ride, 2018.

Far from being a lifeless place haunted by the ghosts of horses and the humans who loved them, the equestrian facility was kept vibrant by passionate users. Westside Riding School, the concessionaire operating the business inside the state park from 2006 to 2021, offered riding lessons and trail rides. In the above photos, a young student rides a well-loved lesson horse, bareback; a teen student competes at the annual school show; and one-time visitors enjoy a guided trail ride to Inspiration Point and back. A different concessionaire was in business until the 2025 fire. Equestrian visitors were welcome to bring their own horses to the park for day-use of the riding and roping arenas, and trail to Inspiration Point.

Westside Riding School. 10th Anniversary photo (by B. Hatton), posed like the historic photo.

On the 10^th anniversary of Westside Riding School, owner Dorte Lindegaard Wolf (7th from the right in the above color photo) led students (including me, the author of this post, 5th from the left) and friends to pose with school horses, like in the historic photo.

Polo practice.

Events at the park included polo matches, with practice sessions in the few days before.

This was my happy place for many years. Some of my absolute best horse memories are from there. The time a kind horse named Doc carried me bareback at a gentle gallop, up the trail to Inspiration Point. How years of helping children with special needs gave me an idea for a children’s story, which got published in a magazine. The friendships and connections with humans and horses. No wildfire can erase the memories of the countless people who found happiness at the park.

FOR MORE INFO

 Read Caroline Arnold’s 2020 post about Will Rogers State Historic Park. 

REMEMBERING WILL ROGERS’ HOUSE-- Lost in the Palisades Fire, Los Angeles, CA

Will Rogers' House, Will Rogers State Historic Park, Los Angeles, CA.

“I never met a man I didn’t like.”—Will Rogers, cowboy, humorist, film star and commentator of the 1920s and 1930s.  He was a quintessential American.

Will Rogers’ house in Will Rogers State Park in Los Angeles, California, was one of the many victims of the recent catastrophic Palisades wildfire, which burned more than 23,000 acres and destroyed more than 1000 homes. It is gone forever. The park, with its historic house, horse stables, polo field, picnic area and hiking trails has been a favorite place to visit during the almost fifty years I have lived in Southern California. I loved the exhibits in the Visitor Center and the black and white films of Will Rogers doing rope tricks for the movies and telling jokes as a popular public speaker and commentator. I loved the guided tours of his home, filled with artifacts of his life—his saddle, colorful blankets, sculptures, and comfortable furniture. Every volunteer docent had their own stories to tell of Will Rogers and his family as they led the tour through the rooms of the house. I loved watching polo players on the field in front of the house. I loved hiking on the trails past the horse barns and corrals up to Inspiration Point, with its spectacular 360 degree view—from the Pacific Ocean to downtown Los Angeles. The wildflowers and native shrubs in the park will grow back in time, but the house and mementos of Will Rogers’ life can never be replaced. They remain only in pictures and our memories.

I have written about Will Rogers’ State Park twice on this blog, in March 2014 and June 2020. I am reposting here my report from 2014. 

Will Rogers House, Will Rogers State Park

When I have visitors in Los Angeles, one of my favorite places to take them is Will Rogers State Historic Park, the former home of the famous cowboy, humorist, film star and commentator of the 1920s and 1930s.  Tucked into the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains just north of Sunset Boulevard, the ranch style home looks out over a broad lawn (once used by Will’s friends to practice golf) and a large field where Will and his friends played polo. The field is still used for weekend matches and occasionally we take a picnic and sit on the sidelines and watch. A short walk from the house leads to the stables where Will once kept his horses.  According to Will, “A man that don’t love a horse, there is something the matter with him.” Today one can go for horse riding lessons and trail rides in the park.

Horses in one of the corrals

On a recent Sunday when my brothers were in town, we spent an afternoon at the park.  We began at the small museum adjacent to the house.  People of our parents' generation have fond memories of listening to Will Rogers on the radio, seeing him in movies, and reading his newspaper columns, but for most of us today Will Rogers is a historical figure. Will was born in 1879 of Cherokee and European descent. He was raised on a ranch in Oklahoma where he learned to ride and rope, skills that led him to perform in Wild West shows, and eventually brought him to Hollywood. He died in an airplane crash in Alaska in 1935. In the museum are photographs and exhibits and a wonderful video showing his amazing rope tricks and clips from some of his speeches. 

At Christmas time the house is decorated by volunteers

Thursday through Sunday, volunteers lead free tours of Will Rogers’ house, providing an opportunity to see his collection of Western art, hear some of the many stories about his life, and get a sense of the casual and comfortable style of life he preferred.  Despite his fame and wealth, Will did not live the glamorous life of other movie stars of the time. Instead, he entertained with casual barbecues and sing-a-longs and decorated his house in a homey, ranch style. 

View of Los Angeles from Inspiration Point, Will Rogers State Park

After our tour we set out for a walk on the loop trail up to Inspiration Point.  Following the dirt path past the stables, we wound our way uphill.  As we passed the corrals, a few friendly horses came over for a pat on the nose. Although the trail is not strenuous, I chose to loop the other way and met the rest of the group on their way back down.  I have been to the top many times and the view of the city and Pacific Ocean is impressive.

Will Rogers lived on the ranch from 1926 to 1935

Perhaps Will Rogers’ most famous quip was: “I never met a man I didn’t like.” His house and ranch reflect his generous spirit and love of the outdoors. After Will Rogers died, his daughter donated the house and ranch to the state of California so that it would be preserved as a state park. We are lucky she did.
For directions and information about visiting the park go to www.parks.ca.gov/willrogers .

LASCAUX CAVES, DORDOGNE, FRANCE: A Treasure House of Prehistoric Art, Guest Post by Susan Kean

Lascaux Caves, Dordogne, France.

My friend Susan Kean and her partner George recently went on a driving trip from Lisbon in Portugal, through Spain, to the Dordogne region in the South of France, where they visited friends and toured the countryside, including a visit to the famous painted caves of Lascaux (a replica). Susan has graciously agreed to share her photos with The Intrepid Tourist. I have divided them into three sections, starting with the first leg of the trip, Lisbon to the Pyrenees; the second, sightseeing in the Dordogne; the third, a visit to the Lascaux Caves. Susan writes:

Area of the original cave.

We visited the Lascaux caves on the 3rd day of our visit to Dordogne. We were early for the English language tour so walked around the area of the original cave

Using candlelight to see the paintings on the ceiling.

Four teenagers discovered the caves in 1940. They are full of ancient wall paintings (600 or more) that are over 20,000 years old. 

Diagram of Lascaux Caves.

The paintings are primarily of horses, aurochs (an extinct type of large ox) and various other animals. As there are virtually no pictures of humans (except one horse with a human head) it is thought that the paintings were of religious significance. They are are also thought to be the combined painting efforts of several generations.

Exiting the reconstructed cave.

The original cave was closed in 1963 because the visitor traffic caused enormous deterioration of the bright colors of the paintings. Two amazing replicas have been built and are well worth a visit. Lascaux 2 is on the original site. Lascaux 4 is very recent recreation with a large museum, large gift shop and restaurant. I’m glad we saw both. However, I liked Lascaux 2 best as it is the location of the original cave.

Painted auroch.

The tour guide explained how they got the primitive colors. They used Magnesium for black which is different than the usual charcoal. If they had used charcoal the paintings would be have been easier to date. Apparently the diet of the people was primarily reindeer. No reindeer appear in the paintings.

Lastly we visited Thot park where more recent versions of the animals from the area can be seen.

Thot Park reindeer.

The Thot park recent ox are much smaller than the extinct wild ox (auroch) as displayed in the cave paintings.

Thot Park ox.

Previous posts about Susan's trip:

    ROAD TRIP: LISBON TO THE PYRENNEES, October 30, 2023

    ROAD TRIP: THE BEAUTIFUL DORDOGNE REGION OF FRANCE, November 6, 2023

NEW FOREST AND HAMPSHIRE COUNTY SHOW, Guest Post by Susan Kean

Winning cow at the New Forest and Hampshire County Show, England

My friend Susan Kean, who has contributed to The Intrepid Tourist before, travels frequently to England to visit friends and family. On her recent trip she spent two days at the New Forest and Hampshire County Agricultural Show in southern England. I thank her for sharing her thoughts and photos.

Heifer on parade.

The first agricultural show was held in 1920 and was a celebration of the traditional agricultural lifestyle of the region. The earliest shows featured judging of cattle, pigs, goats, poultry, rabbits and vegetables. Following this were parades of cattle, horses and ponies and the day always ended with musical stalls and dancing. Today, the New Forest and Hampshire County Show is a three day event, held at the end of July. Show jumping is a major feature, with international classes held throughout the three days.

Lunch and show jumping.

Susan writes, “The highlight was a delicious lunch while watching show jumping."

Winning carrots and beets. 

She adds, "The vegetable and flower displays were also amazing”

Arrangement by the Alverstoke Floral Decoration Society.

All of these are real flowers!

Wild flower display.

The New Forest and Hampshire County Show promotes and encourages the development of agriculture, forestry, equestrianism and horticulture and encourages the improvement in the breeding of stock. It helps raise funds to support the New Forest Agricultural Show Society and other local and national charitable organizations. 

THE IDAHO POTATO MUSEUM: NO SMALL POTATOES, Guest Post by Caroline Hatton at The Intrepid Tourist

Idaho Potato Museum, Blackfoot, Idaho. Many visitors want their photo taken with the big baked potato.

My friend Caroline Hatton, a children’s writer and frequent contributor to this blog, immersed herself in the world of potatoes and took the photos in this post in October 2022.

If you happen to be driving around Idaho, consider visiting the Idaho Potato Museum in the town of Blackfoot, the Potato Capital of the World, on Interstate 15. I spent an hour there enjoying a wealth of information about the humble, yet glorious potato, and admiring the quality of the displays.

Left: 1930s McCormick potato cultivator; Middle: 1930s Oilver one-row pick planter to be pulled by two horses; Right: 1900s sulkey plow to be pulled by two horses.

The museum is located in a former train depot, an old building next to railroad tracks. Even before entering, I got to see a number of antique agricultural implements displayed outdoor. Developed by potato growers, the earliest ones were pulled by up to four horses.

1930s Pugh one-row potato harvester to be pulled by two horses.

Besides the fact that I love rust for its look, hints of stories past, and photo opportunities, I had fun visualizing how the contraptions might work. The harvester in the above photo, when pulled forward, would drive the shovel-like front end into the soil, digging up potatoes. As they “climbed” onto the shovel, potatoes dug-up later would push potatoes dug-up earlier toward the back, off the shovel, up a conveyor belt of metal rungs gently sloping up. The bumping and bouncing would perhaps shake dirt off the potatoes. At the top of the conveyor belt, the potatoes would tumble into a larger receptacle.

The potato originated in the Andes in South America, where the Inca potato footplow or chakitailla, was used long before the 15th century and is still in use today.

The museum is small but stuffed with historical, scientific and commercial info. The potato originated in the Andes in South America where native peoples cultivated it around 200 BC. In the 1500s, Spanish conquistadors seeking gold reached Peru. They brought home a treasure: the potato. In the 1600s, it spread through Europe, Africa, China, India, and Russia, and from Ireland to Bermuda, then Virginia. The first recorded potato planting in North America was in Nova Scotia, on the Atlantic coast of Canada, in 1623.

Four horses pull a three-row potato planter designed and built by a grower, around 1935.

Today potatoes are grown in all 50 U.S. states. Idaho offers ideal potato growing conditions: a light volcanic ash soil, aquifer water for irrigation, hot days and cool nights in the summer, and a network of railroads to take potatoes to markets.

Left side: Colorado potato beetle stamps, postcards, and postmarks to educate the public about this pest. Right side:  Stamps featuring a potato merchant (top left) or potatoes.

Irish stamp commemorating the Irish Potato Famine of 1845-1850.

Of some 125 potato-growing countries around the world, the five top producers are China, India, Russia, Ukraine, and the United States. The potato changed the world and made it to Mars, at least in the movie, “The Martian.”

Half of the museum's collection of stove-top potato bakers.

One third of the museum's collection of sour cream dishes.

The museum exhibits include a collection of collections (potato peelers, stove-top bakers, sour cream ceramic dishes, what may well be the largest collection of potato mashers in the world, postage stamps, toys, vintage posters of science activities for children…) and record-setting potato items (such as the largest potato chip ever made, a Pringle listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, and a bronze sculpture replica of the largest potato ever grown in Idaho).

The gift shop sells lots of potato-themed T-shirts, souvenirs (potato peelers), and food items (potato soup or pancake mixes, seasonings). The café serves baked potatoes best ordered hours in advance so they’re ready when you are. It’s a few dollars more for access to the toppings bar, or for the topping of the day for fearless gourmets. For smaller appetites, the menu includes French fries, potato cupcakes and potato ice-cream.

I didn’t eat at the café, but visiting the Idaho Potato Museum inspired me to reminisce about yummy potato dishes I tasted in my travels (such as plokkfiskur in Iceland, a fish and potato casserole) and plan to make them at home (any day now).

All text and photos, copyright Caroline Arnold. www.theintrepidtourist.blogspot.com