Saratoga, Texas

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official_name = Saratoga, Texas
nickname = Birthplace of George Jones




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Saratoga is an unincorporated community in Hardin County, Texas, United States. It is located thirty-eight miles northwest of Beaumont. The zip code is 77585.

Saratoga is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Historical development

The original name for this community was "New Sour Lake". The first significant landmark discovery of this area was the sulfur-smelling spring by J. F. Cotton in the 1850's. As late as 1865 he tried to establish an oil well on the site, but failed due to inadequate machinery. [ [http://www.texasescapes.com/DEPARTMENTS/Guest_Columnists/East_Texas_all_things_historical/Saratoga1AMD701.htm Saratoga, Hardin County, East Texas ] ] In the 1880’s a man named P. S. Watts wanted to profit from the spring using the unique “medicinal” properties of the water (a popular trend at the time). To draw would-be visitors to the site, Watts changed the name of the site to "Saratoga" to replicate the famous resort at Saratoga Springs, New York. [ [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/SS/hjs10.html TSHA Online - Texas State Historical Association ] ] He built a hotel and rental cottages for potential customers, but only a few came.
Years later, with the success of the Lucas Gusher within Spindletop at Beaumont, the first profitable wells would be drilled at Saratoga. In 1904 an extension of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway would be built from Saratoga to Bragg Station. [ [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/BB/htb18.html TSHA Online - Texas State Historical Association ] ] The railroad also created the business opportunity to profit from the lumber industry. The town’s population would fluctuate from 1000 in 1925 down to 350 in the early 1950’s and back to over 1000 in recent years. Although the Saratoga trunk line running north from the town was dismantled in 1934, new oil wells have been drilled as recently as the early 1980’s.

There were oil wells drilled in Saratoga into the early 1990's also.

Education

Saratoga is served by the West Hardin County Consolidated Independent School District.

Other Information

* Saratoga is the birth place of country music icon George Jones.
* Just north of town is a ghost light of an undetermined nature.
* Saratoga also serves as the [http://www.btatx.org/About Big Thicket Association headquarters] .

References

External links

*Gnis|1346698|Saratoga, Texas