Saratoga Springs, NEW YORK - Grand Union Hotel

Description: Saratoga Springs, NEW YORK - Grand Union Hotel - 1914: he Grand Union Hotel was located on Broadway in Saratoga Springs, New York. The hotel began as a boarding house, built by Gideon Putnam in 1802, but grew into the world's largest hotel, before it was demolished in 1953. The initial draw to the area were summer vacationers attracted by the mineral spas. Over time this became a luxury hotel that catered to the wealthy elite. Renovations and expansions saw the hotel grow to serve over 2,000 guests as a destination resort. The Grand Union Hotel Stakes race was run at the Saratoga race track until 1958 and was named after this historic hotel. The Grand Union Hotel, built by city founder Gideon Putnam, began as Putnam’s Tavern and Boarding House in 1802. The original building would not have been considered a true hotel, because the concept of a modern hotel was invented by American architect Isaiah Rogers decades later in 1823. Warren Leland, Charles Leland, George E. Leland, and Lewis Leland bought the hotel in 1864. During this period of time, the Grand Union Hotel reached the pinnacle of its popularity and fame. The Leland brothers were already well-known hotel proprietors and also owned additional hotels in the area, such as Montgomery Hall. Under the direction of the Leland brothers, the hotel saw constant improvements and enlargements in order to respond to the growing competition in the hotel industry. The hotel grew to four stories with incredibly ornate interiors. Alexander Turney Stewart bought Union Hall from the bankrupt Leland brothers for $532,000 on March 13, 1872 and immediately began adding on. Keeping with tradition the hotel catered to the tourist trade, opening around the first of May and closing around the first of October. W. Edgar Woolley was the father of Edgar Montillion Woolley of the stage, radio and screen fame. W. Edgar Woolley leased the Grand Union Hotel during the late 1890s and into the early part of the 1900s. Woolley and Gerrans were prominent in hoteliers in New York State during this time period. Frank Hathorn purchased the Grand Union Hotel in 1912 to save the hotel for Saratoga Springs, but Hathorn died one year later. His daughter, Florence Hathorn, ran the Grand Union for many years; she sought to modernize the hotel during her proprietorship of the hotel. She managed to refurnish and redecorate the lobby in green and white colors. She also sought to bring conventions to the hotel as Woolley had done before her, and was successful in bringing the Spanish War Veterans, Grand Lodge of Knights of Pythias, New York State Food Merchants Association, and the New York State CIO in 1944. The Grand Union Hotel was sold to auctioneers George & Hyman Siegel for $400,000. That price included $100,000 for the furnishings and $300,000 for the real estate. The building was demolished little by little, from 1952 to 1953, on the 150th anniversary of the building of the hotel. Prior to the demolition, the auctioneers sold the contents of the hotel. The famous crystal chandeliers ended up in a hotel in Washington, D.C. after being sold for $1,500, and the inlaid wood floors ended up in a factory in Cohoes, NY. In the vacant spot, a supermarket was constructed. Ironically, the name of the supermarket was the Grand Union, although the name was purely coincidental. This Divided Back Era postcard, mailed in 1914, offers a period image of the hotel. The card is in good condition, but there is edge wear. Pub. by Walter M. Stroup. Saratoga Springs, N.Y. No. 406716A.

Price: 8.5 USD

Location: Brooklyn, New York

End Time: 2025-01-29T03:52:50.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD