Saratoga, Texas
Saratoga, Texas | |
|---|---|
| Nickname: Birthplace of George Jones | |
  Saratoga  Saratoga | |
| Coordinates: 30°17′03″N 94°31′46″W / 30.28417°N 94.52944°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| Counties | Hardin |
| Elevation | 89 ft (27 m) |
| Time zone | CST |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT |
| GNIS feature ID | 1346698[1] |
Saratoga is an unincorporated community in Hardin County, Texas, United States.[1] It is located about 26 miles (42 km) northwest of Beaumont and adjacent to the Big Thicket National Preserve.[2] The ZIP code is 77585. Saratoga is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan statistical area.
History
The original name for this community was New Sour Lake. The first significant landmark discovery of this area was the sulfur-smelling spring by J. F. Cotton in the 1850s. As late as 1865, he tried to establish an oil well on the site, but failed due to inadequate machinery.[3]
In the 1880s, P. S. Watts wanted to profit from the spring using the unique "medicinal" properties of the water (a popular trend at the time). To draw would-be visitors to the site, Watts changed the name of the site to "Saratoga" to replicate the famous resort at Saratoga Springs, New York.[4] He built a hotel and rental cottages for potential customers, but only a few came.
Years later, with the success of the Lucas Gusher within Spindletop at Beaumont, the first profitable wells were drilled at Saratoga. In 1904, an extension of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway was built from Saratoga to Bragg Station.[4]
Notable people
- George Jones (1931–2013), country musician
- Joseph Warren Sheehy (1910–1967), judge
References
- ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Saratoga, Texas
- ^ Texas Atlas & Gazetteer, DeLorme, 4th ed., 2001, p.72 ISBN 0899333206
- ^ Saratoga, Hardin County, East Texas
- ^ a b Association, Texas State Historical. "Saratoga, Texas: A Historical Overview of Oil and Timber Town". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
Municipalities and communities of Hardin County, Texas, United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| Authority control databases: Geographic |
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