National Parks:
Saratoga National Historic Park

Stillwater, New York -- Saratoga National Historical Park commemorates the famous Battles of Saratoga considered by historians to be the “Turning Point of the American Revolutionary War.” On September 19th and October 7th, 1777, an American army under General Horatio Gates defeated the southward invading British army under General John Burgoyne.

This crucial American victory secured for America a much-needed alliance with France and gained critical international support for establishing American freedom.

Saratoga NHP preserves and interprets three separate sites associated with this military campaign: the Battlefield (Stillwater, NY), the Schuyler House (Schuylerville, NY), and the Saratoga Monument (Victory, NY).

DID YOU KNOW

• The New York Times Magazine, in its 1999 “millennium edition”, called the Battles of Saratoga "The most important battle in the last 1,000 years."
• The War for American Independence was basically a civil war, dividing communities, religious congregations, and even families.
• The location of the Visitor Center was chosen by Franklin D Roosevelt. He had a deep personal interest in the Battles of Saratoga.
• American soldiers didn’t all wear blue uniforms, even by the end of the war. In 1777, every regiment (about 500 men) had its own uniform colors, differing among regiments that were from the same state. Varied colors of uniform parts could be found even within regiments.
• Elements of the original Champlain Canal were researched and drafted by American General Philip Schuyler in the late 1760s—more than 60 years before the Canal was actually built.

DON'T MISS ATTRACTIONS

• Tours of the Battlefield are self-guiding, and take about 1˝ hours. Ten tour stops along the 10-mile long tour road bring you to the actual grounds on which the battles were fought.
• 10+ miles of groomed and partly-wild walking trails are available for scenic hikes of the Battlefield.
• The Battlefield is open all year round, during daylight hours. The Visitor Center is open 9 am to 5 pm daily, except for major holidays.
• Fun doesn’t end during the winter! Enjoy cross-country skiing and snowshoeing as natural snows turn the tour road and hiking trails into a spectacular winter outing.
• Don’t forget to visit the Schuyler House and Saratoga Monument. Both are open during the summer visitor season. Tours of the Schuyler House are guided by Park Rangers and volunteers.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PRIORITIES

• Implementing the just released Final General Management Plan.
• Completing restoration of Saratoga Monument to include parking area, visitor amenities and landscaping.
• Planning visitor access and site interpretation for Victory Woods — a 22 -acre woodland used by the British as their last defensive position before surrendering in October 1777.
• Completing the park's Long Range Interpretive Plan.

Source: National Park Service