Around Milton

The town of Milton, New York, lies near the center of Saratoga County. It is crisscrossed by a series of rivers, which have played an important role in the town's development--most notably, the Kayaderosseras. Milton's only village, Ballston Spa, with the attraction of its rare mineral springs, was once among the country's most popular tourist destinations. One of the largest and most elegant hotels in the world, the Sans Souci, vied with a host of others for the patronage of thousands of travelers who made the pilgrimage each summer to partake in the "healing waters." When the tourist trade faded, it was replaced by a massive expansion of industry that was situated along the town's waterways. Among the most significant of these concerns were the mills of the "Paper Bag King" George West, Isaiah Blood's ax and scythe works, and the mammoth tannery of Samuel Haight. Today, its proximity to the state capital and other cities makes the town an increasingly popular residential area, complemented by a quaint and bustling business district in Ballston Spa.