1885 photo of Chestwood showing its original owners, Charles and Jennie Slade. Photograph gifted by Caroline Slade's grand-nephew.
Written by Carol Godette | Photos provided
Thirty-year-old Kristi Krulcik and thirty-one-year-old Marco Anichini are two old souls who found each other in college. Their shared love of history led them to each rent apartments in restored older buildings; their shared appreciation for history and craftsmanship made them natural partners in life. After their August 2020 marriage in Saratoga Springs, several “serendipitous moments kept popping up” involving the house, Chestwood at 432 Grand Avenue. They drove past the house the day after their wedding in August 2020 “just to look.” In October of that year, a friend reported a considerable price cut on the house, which made her think of them.
However, the newly married couple planned to live in Munich, Germany. A sudden decline in their family's health precipitated their return to Saratoga.
They looked at three older homes, but once they toured Chestwood, they knew they had found their forever home. In 2020, the Snyder family sought just the right buyer for the iconic Victorian. The 150-year-old Second Empire-style house, designed by well-known architect G.B. Croff, had only ever seen two other families walk its creaky floors: the Slades for nearly 100 years and the Snyders for almost 50. Both families were steeped in Saratoga’s history, and Marco and Kristi were the perfect couple to appreciate their legacy.
Charles G. Slade hired Croff to build the distinctive home on Grand Avenue. He and his bride, Jennie, moved in on their wedding day in October 1874, when the property’s location was described as “one mile west of the village.” (In the 1970s, the mailing address was RD 3 Grand Avenue; today, it is 432 Grand Avenue.)
Slade owned and operated one of the most flourishing stone quarries in the state, providing the stone foundation for Saratoga’s Convention Hall, the State Armory, and Bethesda Church. A 1927 interview with Jennie Slade, in The Saratogian, described her “immense pride in the fact that Yaddo, constructed by Spencer Trask, was built entirely with stone from her husband’s quarry.”
The Slades’ only son, John, lived at Chestwood for nearly 90 years, 60 plus of which were shared with his wife, Caroline. John Slade was a prominent attorney, often called “Mr. Saratoga.” As former president of the Yaddo Corporation, he left an indelible mark on our community. He and his beloved wife and author, Caroline, filled every nook and cranny of Chestwood with over 8,000 books. Maureen Sweeney Torrens recalls visiting the Slades with her parents, Michael and Beatrice Sweeney. “Books were stacked on the stairs, bathrooms - everywhere,” said Reney.
The Slades had no children and were fearful that Chestwood would “be chopped up into beehive apartments.” Initially, John had attorney Harry Snyder draft papers for Chestwood’s demolition upon his and his wife’s death. However, as Slade got to know Harry and his wife Helen, Slade changed his mind. He entrusted Chestwood to the Snyders and their seven children, knowing they would keep and maintain his beloved homestead.
Harry and Helen renovated the house and raised their seven children in the stately home. The Snyders mirrored the Slades’ progressive values and dedication to the community. Their oldest daughter, Mary Snyder, was 15 when the family moved from their Phila Street home to 432 Grand Avenue after John Slade’s death. Mary initially missed being in the heart of Saratoga, but the property’s big barn and her large third-floor bedroom made up for it.
“My sister Kathy and I shared the best bedroom with a view of the base of the Adirondacks from four tall windows. It had a beautiful bathroom with a vintage sink and shower. A big part of the house was the great barn—it was very clean and divided into small rooms. Our parents hired a couple to watch us whenever they were away. I remember having a big party in the barn when my parents were gone - dozens of people came.” Marco and Kristi had a barn sale at the house after they moved in. Some of their customers shared their memories of the epic barn parties. Harry and his family took their time finding new owners who did not want to chop the house up and would continue to preserve Chestwood. Kristi and Marco were thankful to get to know Harry before his July 2022 passing. They enjoyed hearing his stories about Chestwood and its history.
As Kristi and Marco stepped into third-owner roles, they were keenly aware of their inherited legacy. After spending a morning with them at Chestwood, I was overwhelmed by their extensive research on every aspect of the home’s history. They have delved deep into G. B. Croff’s life and architecture; they spent days learning all they could about John and Caroline Slade and interviewed everyone they could find who could provide insights into either former owner.
They both have jobs in the tech world and were inspired to start an Instagram to share Chestwood’s amazing history and their work to preserve the house and its history. It has helped them make connections and expand their research. Currently, over 13,500 followers enjoy posts on Chestwood’s history and Kristi and Marco’s preservation journey on their Instagram account @chestwoodsaratoga. Marco and Kristi collaboratively work on their captions. Kristi’s primary role is to write the caption, and Marco’s role is editor and fact-checker. Marco strives to be “absolutely sure the information we post is accurate.”
They accept that they will never be done renovating the house and choose to spend more time and more money using original materials like copper and brick that will stand the test of time. “Our goal is to leave behind a house that survives us, giving it another 150 years,” said Marco.
