Saratoga: Taking in a village on a walking history tour

"The 1890s regulator clock at Oak Street's Saratoga Elementary School shows 12 noon on the day of my visit while my iPhone clock flashes 2:57 p.m. Time does stand still in the quaint town of Saratoga, especially when you're on a self-guided historic walk through its thoroughfares. In all, the walk takes us through 26 stops, each showing us how Saratoga, nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, has preserved its character while evolving with the times."

"Over a hundred years ago, it was a resort town focused on health: Mineral springs were discovered a mile and a half from the village in 1850. Two San Francisco businessmen built a wellness-focused resort on 720 acres around the springs and opened it in the summer of 1866. After the hotel was destroyed in a 1903 fire, the acreage became a lush picnic spot on the Valley of Heart's Delight tour."

"In the early 20th century, the breathtaking natural beauty surrounding Saratoga drew tourists seeking to escape the bustle of nearby cities like San Francisco and Berkeley. During the springtime, the Peninsular Railway's 65-mile Blossom Trolley Trip brought thousands of visitors, wrote the late Willys Peck, a Mercury News copy editor and Saratoga historian, for the line afforded passengers an unequaled opportunity to view and inhale the matchless phenomenon of mile after mile of trees in fragrant bloom."

Saratoga sits in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains and retains a small-town, historic atmosphere centered on a 26-stop self-guided walking tour. Mineral springs discovered in 1850 spawned a 720-acre wellness resort opened in 1866; after a 1903 fire the grounds became a popular picnic area. Early 20th-century visitors came to admire the region's natural beauty, especially during the Peninsular Railway's 65-mile Blossom Trolley Trip showcasing miles of blooming trees. Vast orchards of prunes, apricots and cherries, along with vineyards and wineries, shaped local agriculture. Impressionist painter Theodore Wores established a Saratoga studio and painted regional landscapes until 1938.

Read at www.mercurynews.com