When the railroad finally connected New York City and Saratoga Springs in the mid-19th Century, among the first wave of visitors were Central European Jews who then lived in the city and the reason was simple. They didn’t have to be convinced of the power of mineral water to heal their ills. They knew that from generations in the old country, head and heart. When I give tours in museums here, I often talk about Mrs Katz who suffered terribly from painful shingles and had for decades. But just one hour in Saratoga’s rusty, stinky water and - mirabile dictu! - she was cured and the smile returned to her face. (More than a few of the tales I tell are highly imaginative.) Saratoga was the preeminent American summer resort in the late Victorian era and it was also the site of the nation’s first national anti-semitic scandal.
© 2024 John Oliver
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