Taking the Waters for Health

We're preparing for a snow storm this afternoon, but this morning the sun was out.  Sadly, I myself had not been out -- "out" as in outdoors -- for more than a week, laid low by an intestinal infection that was painful enough in itself, but the combination of prescribed antibiotics added nausea to the abdominal pain and general malaise.  But at least the drugs must be doing their job, since I felt well enough today to venture out for a brief walk in my Saratoga Springs neighborhood. Luckily, my neighborhood includes Congress Park just a block away.  And located in Congress Park are several mineral springs, whose waters are said to promote good health. So off I ventured to "take the waters," hoping their beneficial tonics might spur my complete recovery.

To reach the park, I headed south from my house on Circular Street, and turned right on the aptly named Spring Street.  The first spring whose waters I'd hoped to imbibe, called the Hathorn Spring, was just down the hill, sheltered under a decorative green-roofed pavilion.

The informative sign for the Hathorn Spring indicates this highly mineralized water is "renowned as a digestive curative."  Aha!  Just what I needed!

Oh bummer!  Out of service!

Luckily, other healing springs were not far away, just across Spring Street in Congress Park proper.  To reach them, I passed another handsome pavilion, this one harboring a marvelous carousel.  Closed now for the winter, it presents quite a lively attraction during the warmer months. I loved bringing my grandkids here when they were young, giving me a grand excuse to climb on a painted pony myself and joyfully surge up and down to the stirring carillon music.

I could look through the glass to admire the beautiful horses, created many years ago by a famous  carousel-pony sculptor named Marcus Illions.  The carousel was once a fixture of a Saratoga Lake amusement park, but when that park was sold, the carousel was moved to its present location in Congress Park, where it opened in June, 2002, to the delight of children of all ages.  

Continuing on, I next passed this grand Victorian building that housed a lively casino during Saratoga's gambling and society-hot-spot heyday back in the 19th Century.  Still called The Casino, the building now houses the Saratoga History Museum and offers luxurious event space for weddings and other elaborate affairs.

One can guess at the fabulous interior of The Casino by noting this gorgeous stained-glass window, created by the famous glass artist Louis Comfort Tiffany.

At the center of Congress Park lies a duck pond that hordes of ducks -- mostly Mallards that have interbred with domestic white ducks -- refuse to leave during the winter, even though the city draws most of the water down. Despite signs asking the public to refrain from feeding the ducks,  many folks can't resist tossing treats to them.  So the ducks know where the easy eats can be found.  Congress Park is a popular destination for people all year long.

I was glad to see this fellow was simply chatting with the expectant ducks, and not really feeding them.  

I'm glad I stopped to chat with the duck-chatting-fellow myself, since he had an exciting observation to share with me.  A pair of Wood Ducks had joined the throng today!  Thanks to my informant's pointing him out, I did spy the Wood Duck male in his gorgeous plumage. His mate, with her more camouflaging plumage, was impossible for me to pick out from the masses of similarly dun-colored Mallard hens.

Finally! Goal achieved.  A flowing spring. I could hear the water splashing as I approached the ornate Deer Park fountain.

I was happy when I read this informative placard, too, to learn that the water flowing was indeed, actual mineral water. Some years ago, as this copy reveals, the water was simply city water, offered as a low-flavored alternative to the mineral-rich spring water Saratoga Springs is famous for.

As the rust-stains reveal, the Deer Park water has lots of  iron in it. Carbon dioxide is dissolved in it, too, as is obvious from its tingly and refreshing carbonation.

Nearby was another mineral spring, the Congress Spring, housed within a handsome Greek-style pavilion.

This, too, was real mineral water, highly flavored and tingly with carbonation.  Again, its iron content is made evident by the rust stains.  The handsome ceramic fountain was created by Skidmore College Professor of Art Regis Brodie, a noted ceramic artist.

Here was one last spring to try in Congress Park, the Columbian Spring.  OK, let's check it out.

Ah, but I then read this placard, which explains that the water running here is basically city water, not mineral water.  Although the sign says that the water "flows here from Loughberry Lake, the City's Water Supply," I'm sure it passes first through the city's water-treatment plant to be filtered and chlorinated.  Not mineral water direct from deep in the earth, for sure!

Now well refreshed with what I hope are healing waters, I ambled through the park on my way toward home, just a couple of blocks away. I am glad my path took me close by our city's most exquisitely beautiful monument, called The Spirit of Life.  This elegant figure, holding a pine branch in one hand and an overflowing basin in the other, was sculpted by Daniel Chester French, the artist who created the statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Monument, in Washington D.C.

Another favorite location for statuary in the park is this pool and fountain, formally named The Triton Pool but more familiarly known to Saratogians as Spit and Spat.  In warmer months, the two contending male figures (now protected from the winter in transparent enclosures) each blow water through conch shells toward each other .

Here's a closer look at one of the male figures.  If it's supposed to be Triton, god of the sea in Greek mythology, it seems that his dolphin tail is missing.  But of course, in warmer months, that part of him would be under the water of the pool.

As a naturalist, of course, I always take note of what's of botanical interest along my way.  I was pleased to see that young Black Tupelo trees (Nyssa sylvatica) have been planted recently on the banks of one of the park's pools. I recognized the right-angled horizontal limbs, as well as the short peg-like twigs on the branches. This is the right habitat for the species, too: next to the water.

The flat bean-like pods on this next tree indicate it is most likely a Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus), rather an odd tree to find locally.  This is a tree known sparsely across New York State,  its native status unknown.  Most likely, it was planted in this park by landscaper.

This blooming Witch Hazel (Hamamelis sp.) is definitely not one of our fall-blooming native species, which would long ago have dropped its ribbon-like petals.  There is a southern species, H. vernalis, that blooms from January into April.  Native to more southern states, that Witch Hazel somehow manages to survive our northern winters in cultivated locations.  Maybe that's what this one is.

Almost home, I pass under the sprawling and arching branches of this gigantic European Linden Tree (Tilia sp.) that stands at the northeastern corner of Congress Park. My home is a whole block away, but when this tree is blooming, I can smell the delightful fragrance of its dangling flowers from there.  I can also hear the buzzing of bees collecting the flowers' nectar from almost as far away. Our native American Basswood species (Tilia americana) has equally fragrant and insect-attracting flowers, but seldom does its leafy crown spread as far and wide as this one does. A magnificent tree!

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Of all the trees in Congress Park, this healthy American Elm (Ulmus americana) is the one I cherish the most.  Raising its splendid branches toward the sky like arms that are lifted in prayer, this tree truly speaks to me of hope and survival. This tree is a true survivor of  Dutch Elm Disease, which destroyed almost all of our native elms across the entire country.  I believe even this one was once infected, but with the help of intensive treatment it has survived and flourishes.  What a spirit-lifting symbol this tree presents!

I wonder if this America Elm's wide-spreading roots have tapped into some of the same waters that spring from our health-promoting mineral springs dotting the park.  Perhaps those waters will help me heal more quickly from my own ailment.  I sure hope so!

PS: There are many other mineral springs located throughout the city of Saratoga Springs, with the highest concentration located in the Saratoga Spa State Park, at the southern end of the city.  I frequently visit some of those springs in the winter, and I've posted many a blog about them.  Here's a link to one of those posts.