A visit to upstate New York and Vermont – Saratoga Springs, Congress Park

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Congress Park is a 17-acre (6.9 ha) site in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It was formerly the site of the Congress Hotel (also called Congress Hall), a large resort hotel, and the Congress Spring Bottling Plant, as well as Canfield Casino, which together brought Saratoga Springs international fame as a health spa and gambling site. At the peak of its popularity, it was a place where the wealthy, major gamblers and stars of the entertainment world mingled. The park’s artwork includes a statue by Daniel Chester French and landscape design by Frederick Law Olmsted, among others. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) as the Casino-Congress Park-Circular Street Historic District in 1972 and was then declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987. The later listing excluded some of the property outside the park and halved the overall size of the district.

Congress Park is a City of Saratoga Springs Park, bounded by Broadway, Spring Street, and Circular Street. The Canfield Casino buildings, built in 1870, 1871 and 1902–03, house the Saratoga Springs History Museum, an art gallery and spaces which host public and private events. Gambling was ended by reformers in 1907.

It had been a long day, and I was feeling tired, so we didn’t spend much time in Congress Park. The limited time we had I spent mostly taking pictures of ducks.

For more information on Congress Park see here.

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Taken with a Sony RX10 IV

A visit to upstate New York and Vermont – Juno

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And so, after all of the dog memorabilia in the previous post, we come to a real dog: My friends’ dog, Juno. He’s the reason we were staying at The Paw House in the first place. He’s a lovely dog, I believe an Australian Shepherd. He’s intelligent, active, loyal and playful.

And he loves to chase balls. He’s very good at it. My last couple of dogs also liked to chase balls, but unlike Juno they didn’t realize that, after they caught them, they were supposed to bring them back. Juno understands this very well and always brings back the ball and gives it to you.

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Taken with a Sony RX10 IV.

A visit to upstate New York and Vermont – The Paw House Inn and Resort

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This was where we actually stayed and, boy was it pet friendly. We stayed in the Inn, and there were another couple of cottages. There was also a building where you could leave your dog if you couldn’t take him/her with you. A large, enclosed area offered ample space where you could play with your dog (and other dogs for that matter.

According to the Inn’s website:

“The Paw House” was built in 1786 by Elijah Smith, the Grandson of Captain John Smith. Through the years the owners of this magnificent farmhouse have maintained much of the original treasures while adding beautiful and special touches of their own.

Among the original, features of the home are its high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, wide planked hardwood floors, and classic crown molding. The interior walls of the living room are the original, exterior barn boards of the multi-generational Smith farm which had stood against the Vermont elements until the early 1960s.

Views from the living room, sitting room and second floor hallway expand into all directions and present breathtaking views of mountains, valleys, and New England countryside.During the time of Elijah Smith, builders utilized marble (which was plentiful in the area) for the foundations of their homes. The Paw House Inn currently rests on the original marble slab that was excavated back in 1700’s.

The entryway of the home features a grand old oak staircase that leads to the Good Dog! and Bad Dog! rooms, and Shakespeare’s Retreat. Adorning the walls of the entryway is an Americana motif that Jen has grown to love. (She wasn’t too crazy about it at first.)

Since 1786, many dogs have lived on the property. Many people claim that the ghosts of bygone spirits roam freely throughout the inn. We’ve seen them too! Don’t be too concerned! As dog lovers themselves, the spirits look out for us and add a beautiful dimension to the property.Classic fixtures, lamps, and accoutrements are presented throughout the home. Given the nature of our clientele (i.e. the four legged kinds that like to wag tails and lift legs), we’ve avoided the temptation to add too many plants and knick-knacks.

Our yard offers many treasures as well. Two-hundred year old lilac bushes surround an outdoor sitting area that overlooks the best darn sledding hill in all of New England. In the spring and summer, our backyard explodes with the color of wild flowers. The tree-line, which represents the boundary of our property, explodes with color in September and October. A running river some 100 yards away can be heard on quiet nights. And, for the dogs Paw House Park is a fenced in agility course that is enjoyed in every season.Enjoy the photos on this page where we’ve tried to represent some of the beauty and rich history of this home. But, as we hope you will see personally, pictures really cannot do justice to the real thing!We look forward to your visit! Please visit us soon!

The current owners (Mitch and Jen) explain how they came to The Paw House:

It all started back in 2001 when the frustration we encountered in our own travels inspired us to create a dog friendly vacation destination that is designed entirely for dog lovers. So we left our jobs in New York City, packed up our two goofy labs, disregarded everyone’s warnings, and created a dream come true – a “dog centric” Vermont getaway with all of the comforts of home, including your dog.

Since 2001 we have had the privilege of sharing the joy that your dogs have brought into our lives. Many of the photos that you will see on our website preserve many happy memories we have collected throughout the years.

Dogs are members of the family and hold a special place in our lives. We invite you to become part of our family by visiting us soon.

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The Inn.

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The Grounds.

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The Breakfast area.

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Some of our fellow guests.

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Interior shot.

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Everywhere you look you see dog-related memorabilia: here a doggy towel holder.

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A doggy bell.

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A doggy sign.

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The picture above and the remainder of the the pictures were taken in our room: Above: doggy ornaments.

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Doggy wallpaper.

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Above and next two pictures: Doggy knickknacks.

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Doggy books.

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Doggy soft toys.

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Doggy coaster.

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And my personal favorite: A doggy shower curtain.

Taken with a Sony RX10 IV.