Hathorn and Hayes Spring Water Colors

Next up in my series of water colors, using the spring water from each spring that I paint, is the Hathorn Spring. Ya know, the stinky one, next to Ben and Jerry's. I remember when it was across the street, in what is now a 2 story parking lot. It is a pretty popular spring due to it's location, next to Congress Park. 

In the late 1800's the 3 big hotels in Saratoga were, Union, United States, and Congress. Congress Hall Hotel bordered Congress Park on the Northwestern corner. Henry Hathorn who built Union Hall Hotel, decided to buy his rival Congress Hall Hotel, then expand.

 Hathorn Spring was discovered while digging the foundation for the Congress Hall Hotel's ballroom in 1869.

 Hathorn's been blamed for being sulfur water.....


Here's a link to a photo from 1895...http://www.shorpy.com/node/8792?size=_original#caption

and a cool shot a bit more recent, a few years ago, frozen over...

and here's my latest! 

Next up, is my favorite.... to huff.....

Hayes Spring in the Spa State Park will forever be known to me as the whippit post. It has always had a pipe sticking out where you could breathe in noxious fumes and get a sweet 10 second buzz. well, ok, everyone feels something different... I get the sensation where the stream next to it gets loud, the ground seems oranger, and my butthole gets diarrhea hot, all for about 10 seconds...hahaha The water basically will make you poop according to the sign posted. I can't think of any place on earth where there is a natural whippit post, and that rules, chalk one up for Saratoga! Out of all the springs that I've painted, this and the Geyser were the most serene settings, with the sound of the stream flowing nearby, it was quite nice. Oh, and I guess that picnic table pavilion on the hill above it was a summer house!

from a 193? NYS Travel Guide

Here's the Whippit Post! Post Whippit!!!

Getting my water for the watercolors ready....