Grand Union Hotel (Saratoga Springs, New York)

[Note 1][1] Putnam bought a one-acre building site adjacent to Congress Spring from Judge Walton.

The original structure most likely contained small private guestrooms, the Putnam's living spaces, and probably a few formal parlors.

This was common practice in upstate New York; the similar Sans Souci and Aldridge House hotels in Ballston Spa were also only open in the summertime.

The mineral springs, which were purported to have great health effects, were the main attraction for this region and were typically visited only in the summer.

Ballston Spa was the original vacation destination, and Putnam hoped to tap into the tourist trade by opening his hotel close to the mineral springs.

In 1836, following their mother's death, Rockwell and Washington Putnam bought their brothers’ and sisters’ interest in the Union Hall and ran the establishment from 1836–1864.

Whether they were original to the complex or later additions, by 1860 Union Hall had a great number of out-buildings, including sundry barns and stables.

The elite came to stay at Union Hall, including millionaires, governors, senators, congressmen, judges, presidents, literary figures, and many others.

Entrees included chicken pie French style, mutton with vegetables, rice croquettes flavored with wine, Ficandeau of veal, tomato sauce, breaded lamp chops, broiled pigeons, a la Americans, stewed mutton with potatoes, casserole de Ris a la Finacore, macaroni Italian style.

The Leland brothers’ first order of business was to erect a 1,600 seat opera house on the grounds of the Union Hotel, near Federal Street.

In an advertisement in 1871, the Leland brothers write “This establishment is by far the largest and most complete hotel in the world, and with its various buildings, cottages, lawns, groves, and promenades, occupies seven acres of land comprising nearly an entire block of the town…four hundred large and airy rooms on the first and second floors, all rendered easy of access by Atwood’s vertical railway.

The banqueting room, an important feature of this establishment, has ample and sumptuous accommodations for 1,200. its enormous size—240 feet by 60, ceilings 25 feet high, lighted by 40 large windows and detached from the culinary department renders this superb apartment airy and pleasant at all times.” [11] During this area, private baths were unheard of except for the extremely wealthy, and the Grand Union offered spacious bath houses with hot and cold showers, plunge and swimming baths.

[13] The two gambling locations were received with explosive fame, and attendance to Saratoga Springs and to the Grand Union Hotel increased exponentially.

Alexander Turney Stewart bought Union Hall from the bankrupt Leland brothers for $532,000 on March 13, 1872 and immediately began adding on.

Over a white pine floor[15] hung an allegorical painting by Adolphe Yvon, The Genius of America, weighing 600 pounds.

Napier Lothian conducted the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the Grand Union Hotel for many years, from 1880 through the 1890s.

By 1877 there was indoor plumbing, with "ice-cold spring of pure and delicious fresh water, connected by underground pipes, whereby a constant and abundant supply, both hot and cold, is furnished in every room of the hotel.

Society's elite stayed in Saratoga Springs during the summertime, and the Hotel sought to attract the most wealthy to it.

There is at least one account of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt and his friend William Wilson Corcoran dining at the Grand Union in August 1866.

[17] The famous actress Lillian Russell first appeared in Saratoga with railroad tycoon Diamond Jim Brady on her arm in 1882.

She often traveled down Broadway in her Victorian carriage and two matching thoroughbreds, or shocked observers by riding a gold-plated bicycle with handlebars bearing her initials spelled out in diamonds and emeralds.

[18][19] In 1877, Henry Hilton, the manager of the hotel and executor of Stewart's will, denied entry to Jewish Joseph Seligman and his family, creating nationwide controversy.

During these years, the hotel handled its greatest businesses due in large part to the attraction of the orchestra.

[20] It is rumored that the famous Babes in Toyland operetta (1903) was written and performed at the Grand Union during this time.

[21] The Grand Union also sought to cash in on the success of the regatta during this time period that was held on Saratoga Lake.

His daughter, Florence Hathorn, ran the Grand Union for many years; she sought to modernize the hotel during her proprietorship.

[24] However, the Great Depression, followed by World War II took a heavy toll on the vacation industry and funds for updating the enormous structure.

Irving Barasch was the president of this company, whose family owned the Empire and Brooklyn Hotels also located in Saratoga Springs.

The hotel was conducted by the late Edward C. Sweeny until 1950 when it was sold to Broadway Saratoga Corporation, headed by Louis Ginsberg from Glens Falls, for $150,000.

The last corporation gave up the struggle to run the hotel after two years and sold it to the Grand Union Company.