Old Red Spring
Posted by: 
Team Smokey
N 43° 05.336 W 073° 46.569
18T E 599610 N 4771417
The Old Red Spring located at the intersection of Excelsior Avenue and High Rock Avenue in Saratoga Springs, NY.
Waymark Code: WM82ZA
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 01/18/2010
Views: 9
The Old Red Spring is one of the natural springs located throughout Saratoga Springs, NY. The Old Red Spring was discovered soon after the Revolutionary War. It boasted one of the first bath houses, about 1784. The spring was known as the "bathing" or "beauty" spring because of its reputation for curing skin ailments. It is low in mineral and relatively high in iron.
The area's natural mineral springs had been attracting summertime visitors for many decades. These springs were believed to have healing powers. The Lincoln Baths was one such place people would go to be treated with the waters. The bath house has since been transformed into an office building, but still exists and can be visited to this day. The spa treatments also are being continued in a new bath house in the Spa State Park called the Roosevelt Baths. Springs can be found all over town. Most of the springs are covered by small pavilions and marked by plaques; others, however, are less conspicuous, sometimes just a spigot in a rock. The springs are famous for their varied and distinct tastes: some are clear freshwater, others are saltier, and some taste strongly of a certain mineral such as sodium bicarbonate or sodium chloride. Visitors are welcome to bottle the spring water for personal consumption.
List of the Springs: Big Red Spring, Charlie Spring, Columbian Springs, Congress Spring, Deer Park Spring, Empire Spring, Geyser Island Spouter, Geyser Spring, Governor Spring, Hathorn #1, Hathorn #3, Hayes Well Spring, High Rock Spring, Old Iron Spring, Old Red Spring, Orenda Spring and Tufa Deposits, Patterson Springs, Peerless Spring, Polaris Spring, and State Seal.
Public or Private Land?: Public
Public Land Fees?: None
Private Land access?: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Please post an original picture of the springs no GPS necessary along with your observations of the spring. What wildlife you saw if any and the condition of the springs. Water level was high, low. The area was clean, trashy ect. Any other knowledge or experiences you have had with this paticular spring that would help document it's history.