A View and Section of the Rock Spring at Saratoga
Dublin Core
Title
A View and Section of the Rock Spring at Saratoga
Is Part Of
Valentine Seaman, A dissertation on the mineral waters of Saratoga including an account of the waters of Ballston, 2nd ed. (New-York: Printed and sold by Collins & Perkins, 1809).
Map Item Type Metadata
Creator - Individual
Seaman, Valentine
Date Depicted (Display)
1809
Date Published (Display)
1809
Caption
"Below title: 'the dotted lines showing its inner cavity, and the crofs line, the surface of the Water.'"
Abstract (& Historical Note)
This early depiction of Saratoga Springs in Valentine Seaman’s treatise shows a settlement already drawing visitors to upstate New York’s medicinal springs. Seaman, a New York Hospital surgeon, sought to understand spring waters’ potential to combat diseases such as the Black Plague and Yellow Fever that spread through polluted water in the marshlands surrounding New York City. Although Seaman’s book was directed at other doctors, his map might have interested a broader audience. It includes a cross section of High Rock Spring, the settlement’s main attraction. The map actually draws attention to all kinds of water, including Saratoga Lake and the Hudson River.
In the introduction to his book, Seaman credits state surveyor Simeon De Witt’s 1804 Map of the State of New York for the map’s geographic information. His honesty reveals two things. First, travelers to Saratoga Springs were learning about the springs through maps, although perhaps relying on them to understand where they had gone rather than finding a way there. Second, there are many places to look for information about a map’s source. If a map is in a book, it’s worth doing some reading.
The document from which this map comes is available at the Saratoga Room, Saratoga Springs Public Library and in the special collections at Lucy Scribner Library, Skidmore College.
In the introduction to his book, Seaman credits state surveyor Simeon De Witt’s 1804 Map of the State of New York for the map’s geographic information. His honesty reveals two things. First, travelers to Saratoga Springs were learning about the springs through maps, although perhaps relying on them to understand where they had gone rather than finding a way there. Second, there are many places to look for information about a map’s source. If a map is in a book, it’s worth doing some reading.
The document from which this map comes is available at the Saratoga Room, Saratoga Springs Public Library and in the special collections at Lucy Scribner Library, Skidmore College.
Repository
Saratoga Room, Saratoga Springs Public Library
Scope
County
Type
Pictorial maps
Early maps
Theme
Cities and Towns
Discovery and Exploration
Subject - Geographic
Albany (N.Y.)
Ballston Spa (N.Y.)
Fish Creek (N.Y.: Creek)
High Rock Spring (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.)
Kayaderosseras Creek (Saratoga County, N.Y.)
Long Lake (N.Y. : Lake)
Mohawk River (N.Y.)
Owl Pond (N.Y.)
Round Lake (N.Y. : Lake)
Saratoga Lake (N.Y. : Lake)
Saratoga Springs (N.Y.)
Troy (N.Y.)
Ballston Spa (N.Y.)
Fish Creek (N.Y.: Creek)
High Rock Spring (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.)
Kayaderosseras Creek (Saratoga County, N.Y.)
Long Lake (N.Y. : Lake)
Mohawk River (N.Y.)
Owl Pond (N.Y.)
Round Lake (N.Y. : Lake)
Saratoga Lake (N.Y. : Lake)
Saratoga Springs (N.Y.)
Troy (N.Y.)
Publisher
Collins & Perkins
Place of Publication
New York
Record Creation Date
6/23/2014
6/5/2021
6/5/2021
URL
Internet Archive (Image 1)
Internet Archive (Images 2-5) (Surgeon General's. Library)
Collection
Citation
“A View and Section of the Rock Spring at Saratoga,” Skidmore Saratoga Memory Project, accessed January 30, 2025, https://ssmp.skidmore.edu/document/90.
Item Relations
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