Historian Richard Gassan wrote that “In the United States, the first true tourist attractions was Ballston Spa.” and that Brookside was “a truly remarkable hotel. Rising up out of the quagmire [it was] as if one of the large, fashionable homes … of Philadelphia or Boston had been transplanted wholesale into the wilderness.” This is the story of Brookside through two centuries.
Walk through the history of Brookside Museum dating back to 1792. From a resort hotel, the Aldridge House, to a boys boarding school, a private residence, apartments and finally the home of the Saratoga County History Center, learn about these periods and the people who sent their time here.
Brookside: America’s First Resort Hotel is open in the front hall during museum hours, Tuesdays – Sundays 12-4pm.
