{"product_id":"the-making-of-american-resorts-saratoga-springs-ballston-spa-and-lake-george","title":"The Making of American Resorts: Saratoga Springs  Ballston Spa  and Lake George","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhat factors create a successful resort? How did the rise of lavish hotels and spas reflect the changing values of American society as the nineteenth century progressed? Historians have argued that resorts were created to meet the demands of a leisured social elite. Theodore Corbett offers a fresh  compelling argument  demonstrating that resorts created and re-created themselves to keep pace with changing times. Success came with anticipating demands  not just reacting to them.  Using an impressive variety of historical documents  Corbett focuses on the conditions underlying the riseand the demiseof the resorts at Ballston Spa and Caldwell on Lake George. Both towns major landlorddevelopers saw tourism as only one vehicle that could lead to success. As a result of their divided policies  neither town invested in the proper infrastructure to make tourism an immediate succes. Both places were soon overshadowed by Saratoga Springs  which became the premier resort of the upper and middle class.  Due to complex interwoven influences  Saratoga Springs was able to supply the amenities needed to attract and retain the patronage of the well heeled. The town provided visitors with lavish hotels  parks  public squares  pleasure gardens  and convenient service alleys. Saratoga Springs also had a work force that was available for the five-month period per year that the spas were active. Corbett examines the history and participation of various ethnic groups in the resorts service sector: African Americans  Irish  and Native Americans.  Corbett also stresses middle-class Americas emulation of the leisure habits of the English aristocracy. Even though these pursuits (hunting  fishing  horse racrting) were dominaterd by men  social rituals were dominated by women  and resorts that accommodated public domesticity thrived as the century progressed. The Making of American Resorts offers a window into shifting public values and the structure of commercial tourism.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44984551407669,"sku":"ByrdShop_0813528429","price":56.7,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780813528427.jpg?v=1770837052","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-making-of-american-resorts-saratoga-springs-ballston-spa-and-lake-george","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}