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Wednesday, May 23, 2018

The Clifton Park Center Baptist Meetinghouse to Be Demolished

I read, with great interest, the May 14, 2018 Daily Gazette article on 1837 Clifton Park Center Baptist Meetinghouse.  The building and the cemetery, were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 because of their historic roles in the Clifton Park's religious heritage. 




I thought that the addition
of historic building to the
Register included efforts
to preserve it.






Sadly, I was wrong.
















Non-federal owners that are not using federal funds are allowed to demolish structures.





The back of the meetinghouse
& the cemetery.












The side of the building







Clifton Park Baptist Cemetery is on two sides of the meetinghouse.





The tarp that covers the
roof is shredded.







A quick glance at the gravestones shows that the cemetery dates back to the 1830s.





The building will be taken
down in June, but the
cemetery will remain.




Saturday, May 19, 2018

The Landing Hotel in Schenectady: A Place to Lay Our Heads

Our motorhome must stay the night at Cummins in Colonie.  Eric reserved a room at The Landing Hotel after receiving an email with a great discount....  $69.00 for a $119.00 per night room.  It's a good thing we signed up for "Rivers Casino Cards" during a visit last year.




The Landing is part of
Resort on the Mohawk










Sit & enjoy the river view...





Eric shows off our room.











I like the light above the 
couch & table.










Our room faces Erie Boulevard
& Mohawk Harbor apartments.





Eric brought a flash drive
loaded with Deep Space 9
episodes.









The sliding door is on
a tract, just like a 
sliding barn door.

The closet & the safe,
with extra bedding.





I pull the door to the right
to reveal  the bathroom.















The walk-in shower has
a glass wall instead of
a shower curtain.



Eric and I have everything we need for a comfortable stay here.

We found the king size bed to be very comfortable.  The pillows are heavy and dense, unlike what Eric and I are accustomed to, but that did not stop us from a getting good night's sleep.

Off-Roading Behind the Hannaford Supermarket in Glenville, New York




A frequent off-roading "playground"
is an area behind the Hannaford 






Eric and I slowly drove along behind the Hannaford Store and found the access road...






It is heavily rutted.









 We're going to be throwing
up some mud....

I see a visit to a Car Wash
in our near future.










Two roads diverged....











... into a gravel pit.










After we run around in the pit
for a while, it's time to take 
one of the trails out to
explore the rest of the area.









Our Jeep Wrangler climbs
the gravelly incline easily.











This couch is where the 
locals meet up.










One tract took us deep
into the woods. 






We cross the gravel pit...











As we round a big puddle,
I see signs of civilization.






Eric found the access road and we left Glenville's off-roading "playground." Our next stop is a Car Wash with an undercarriage cleaning option.

Friday, May 18, 2018

This Car Needs A LOT of Work in Saratoga Springs, New York




What have we got here?

Eric inspects the wreck of
a car on a flatbed trailer.










This is a 1960 Chevrolet







I am fascinated by the damage
to this long neglected car.










I think that the car was "stored"
in an old barn or garage.










Had this car been stored
outside, I think fewer
details of the car would
be preserved.










I hope to see this Chevy, fully
restored, at a future Car Show.

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Exploring Congress Park in Saratoga Springs, New York


During previous visits to Saratoga Springs, Eric and I have used Congress Park as a shortcut between destinations.  Today we are going to explore the park.




A shot from Broadway
looking East, into
Congress Park.







The marker Eric is standing near is the park's 2015 restoration marker.




I admire the blooming
shrubbery.

Spring is everywhere!





Purple Violets greet this
grey day.





This statue honors the men of
(Bemis Heights Battalion) of
1861 - 1865.




Monumental Bronze Company
in Bridgeport, Connecticut
was a top manufacturer of
Civil War memorials.

Differences were created to
differentiate Northern
monuments from Southern
ones.





In the early hours of Thursday, July 17, 2020, a Saratoga Springs Police Patrol found the statue had been toppled from its pedestal and destroyed.  An investigation is underway to find the vandals.





I admire the stone bench
with a railing behind it.




The statue & reflecting
pool are opposite the
bench.







The inscription reads above The Spirit of Life reads:
 To Spencer Trask 1884 - 1909
His one object in life was to do right & to
 serve his fellow men
He gave himself abundantly to hasten the coming
of a new & better day with which prophetic
 vision he foretold for Saratoga Springs







This memorial was commissioned in 1913 by Trask's widow, Katrina Trask, and his business partner, George Foster Peabody to commemorate the Industrialist's efforts to protect preserve the mineral springs in Saratoga Springs.  






This pond is a magnet
for ducks.










I admire this small fountain
near the pond.









The former Canfield Casino
is adjacent to Congress Park.

It houses the Saratoga Springs










discovered by Nicholas
Gilman in 1792.






Eric & me with the World War 
background.

It was dedicated in 1931 by 
American Legion Auxiliary 
Unit 70.


The memorial to those who served
 in World War II was dedicated by
American Legion Adirondack Post
 No. 70,  Gurtler Brothers Post
No. 420 & Veterans of Foreign Wars
 Dominick Saldone Italian American
 Post No. 35




This memorial is dedicated to
the branches of the United
States Military & to those
who served.







Those who served & sacrificed in
Global War on Terror are honored.






Ornamental urns decorate
the Reservoir.











A fountain in yet another pond.







The Katrina Trask Memorial
Staircase leads to Holiday 
Inn Saratoga Springs.










Tulips bloom near the
enclosed Carousel.







I have to investigate the
trees on the left.

Something is being
propped up.

A groundskeeper is
mowing the lawn.






Eric looks at this tree,
growing at an absurd
angle.

I wonder if this small
tree has a history that
is being preserved.










Eric took this picture of me
near a HUGE tree stump.

I found out that the beloved
Willow Tree was taken
down on May 2nd.








A new Willow Tree was just planted near by.





Spit & Spat spray water
at each other in the









This is an interesting
installation...






Pan and The Maenads partially encircle the Sundial.

Eric and I agree that Congress Park is a serene haven in the middle of busy downtown Saratoga Springs.