United States

Saratoga Gas, Electric Light and Power Company Complex

19th-century gasworks complex, Saratoga Springs, USA

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Historical Context

About

The former Saratoga Gas, Electric Light and Power Company Complex is located near the northern boundary of Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It is a seven-acre (2.8 ha) parcel with two brick buildings on it. In the 1880s it became the thriving resort city's first power station. They are the only remnants of a gas-fired power plant begun in 1873 and remaining in operation for over half a century. One of the two buildings is a rare conical-roofed gasholder house from that era, one of only 13 left in the Northeast, and archaeological evidence shows evidence of a second one having been built nearby. The gas production operations were taken offline in 1928, but the property continued to be used by electric utilities for most of the 20th century. In 1992 Niagara Mohawk decided it was surplus and stopped using it. In 2001 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Paleolithic
Mesolithic
Neolithic
Chalcolithic
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Classical Period
Post-Classical Period
Early Modern Period
Industrial Period
Contemporary Period
Temporal Epochs

Historical Timeline

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Gas service begins in Saratoga Springs

1853

New plant started

1873

Plant opened

1874

Switch to carbureted water gas

1886

Company merger and electric service

1887

Substation and smokestack added

1903

Regional hydroelectric shift ends local generation

1911

Original gasholder removal

1919

Coal-gas production ceased

1928

Utility declares site surplus

1992

Environmental cleanup initiated

1995

Listed on National Register of Historic Places

2001

Classification

Archaeological Features

Unique architectural and cultural elements found at this historical site

category

Storage Structures

WarehousesStorage Pits
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Industrial and Craft Structures

FurnacesWorkshops
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Environmental and Natural Features

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Reference

Details

Country

United States

Coordinates

43.09° N, -73.77° E