Saratoga, Nebraska

Saratoga
Nickname(s): Saratoga Springs, Sulphur Springs

Saratoga Springs, Nebraska Territory, or Saratoga, was a boom and bust town founded in 1856 that throve for several years. During its short period of influence the town grew quickly, outpacing other local settlements in the area including Omaha and Florence, and briefly considered as a candidate for the Nebraska Territorial capitol. Saratoga was annexed into Omaha in 1887, and has been regarded a neighborhood in North Omaha since then.

Located today in the proximity of 24th Street and Saratoga Avenue in North Omaha, the town was once noted as being "three miles north of downtown Omaha and two miles south of Florence." In modern terms, the Saratoga townsite lay between Locust Street on the south and Fort Street on the north, between the current Carter Lake on the east and North 36th Street on the west.

The town's economy, including a hotel and several bars, relied on its connection to the Saratoga Bend on the Missouri River, less than one mile (1.6 km) away. In 1856 the Nebraska Territory riverbank at Saratoga Bend was the site of regular steamboat landings, with more regular traffic than the fledgling Omaha City, three miles (5 km) south. The town was also founded near the site of Sulpher Spring, which because of the town became renowned for its healing powers. The site was also the grave of the daughter of Young Elk, an elder of the Omaha Tribe who advised Logan Fontenelle. One historic report identifies a sulfur spring at the "foot of Grand Avenue", which is the location of "Bluff View Park", also called "Horseshoe Bend".

Erastus F. Beadle (1821–1894), an agent for New York land speculators, was the impetus for the town's creation and growth. This type of speculation relied on money from wildcat banks, which were shady investment schemes popular at the time. Beadle named the community after his own hometown of Saratoga, New York because the mineral springs are similar to Saratoga Springs, New York. It was hoped these springs would draw many visitors to the area, and anticipating that, a large hotel (the Saratoga Springs) was built.

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