The Trolley station, Saratoga Springs c.1900-1910
Photo courtesy of the Library Of Congress

A well-known Saratoga Springs resident was Stephen F. Trumbull, who possessed an abundance of talents which he presented all through his long life. He was a native, having been born in an upstairs room of the Adelphi Hotel on Broadway, as his father was employed there. Mr. Trumbull grew up to understand Saratoga and the horses brought in for competition.

He spent his formative years on his father’s farm, near the southern edge of Bear Swamp, which drained, along with the ponds at Yaddo, through porous soil and rock to Lake Lonely and its outlet stream, which discharges into nearby Saratoga Lake. The large Trumbull Farm along the shore of Lake Lonely had a marvelous view of what the early settlers called ''Long Pond," or the "Little Lake.”

Frank Leslie, who made his fortune in the early publishing business, built an impressive estate known as Interlaken on the shores of Saratoga Lake, at the place where it extended westwards to the smaller waterbody he designated as Lake Lonely, not so much to describe isolation but instead the seclusion he appreciated.

The senior Stephen Trumbull was a veteran of the Civil War, and had served with Saratoga’s legendary 77th Regiment. In 1875, he and his wife Celia deeded out two acres from their farm near the intersection of Gridley Street and Nelson Avenue to August Belmont. This property would be incorporated into the grounds of the Saratoga Race Course along its southern boundary for stables, near the present day seven-furlong chute.

Image of Stephen F. Trumbull published in the Saratogian on the day he retired as a City employee at Congress Park, following 16 years of service at the age of 75.

Saratoga Traction double-deck trolley car which stopped at the Trumbull Lakehouse.
Image from Saratoga illustrated: The Visitor’s Guide 1902.

Steve Trumbull successfully operated a Lakehouse, noted for its fine frog legs, fish, broiler, steak and squab dinners, along the outlet of Lake Lonely. The Saratoga Traction Company trolley had a stop there, just before the tracks crossed the outlet creek. Remnants of this trolley trestle and its support piers are clearly visible in present day aerial imagery (43.054119, -73.751759). Steve Trumbull had his whole establishment painted in festive summer colors, looking delightful and inviting. From a tall flag pole, being tossed by gentle winds, flew a gay bunting bearing the name Trumbull.

Stephen Trumbull married Katherine Ramsdill, the adopted daughter of the couple who owned the adjoining farm, along what was referred to in those days as the Red Bridge Road, or the thoroughfare that crossed Lake Lonely’s outlet. Kate became a partner, and perhaps the manager, in all operations of the Lakehouse. Her berry pies from the farm’s bushes were well-known, topped with  fresh whipped cream, made with that morning’s milking and stored in the ice house with Stephen’s harvest of the Lake’s winter production. Everyone at the Lakehouse looked forward to Kate ringing the dinner bell.

Well known at the time, Trumbull's for many years was the gathering place for prominent men in the summer life of Saratoga. Crack jockeys, such as Joe Notter, Carl Schilling, Hugh Penny, Arthur Redfern, Harry La Montagne and many others sought out Trumbull's, where parties started and ended. Owners and trainers also entertained at Trumbull's Lake Lonely resort, where not only food but drink was also provided, which added to much conviviality amongst horseman. The trolley back to Broadway, via the Race Track was an early twentieth century designated driver, for those fully enjoying themselves and the company of kindred souls.

A subtle yet noticeable fragrance rose from the lily pad blooms spiking the surface of Lake Lonely, providing respite from the sun for our felicitous fish friends on a bright day, and the trees grew to the water’s edge in numerous locations. On the east side, sheer crags rise up from the basin's edge, this bluff created a distinct feature which impressed many visitors at Lake Lonely with a powerful echo effect where ones voice repeated back and forth like a badminton shuttlecock. Steve Trumbull would occasionally fire a pistol into the ground, and the many horse trainers who visited the Lakehouse, would always reach for their ever present split-second watch, to note the replication length of the shot. The impact of the resonance is greatest at twilight.

Lake Lonely. Photo by Super Source Media Studios

Mr. Trumbull was something of a sensation for his talent in reconditioning of injured race horses, and developed a reputation for accomplishment along these lines for his treatments. An incident of this type is detailed in a February 10, 1932 Saratogian article many years after the actual event took place,

“Tony Aste, ‘bootblack king,’ of New York City, was another of Mr. Trumbull's friends. While he was racing horses here on season, Jack Point broke down. Aste turned him over to Mr. Trumbull, and Mr. Trumbull wintered him, along with many others. He worked over Jack Point as he would have worked over a sick child. Finally he had him back in condition, and then he broke, him to harness. Aste sent word that he was coming up to Saratoga Springs to see his horse. It was winter time. Mr. Trumbull met him near the station with a horse and cutter, and drove him out to the Lake Lonely farm. "Where's Jack Point?" Aste asked as he alighted. "You've been riding behind him all the way from Saratoga Springs," Mr. Trumbull replied. That same Jack Point, the next season, won all the biggest handicap and stake events in the country, including the Brooklyn Handicap, which was run that year at Sheepshead Bay.”

Many, who visited Saratoga to see their Thoroughbreds compete, also brought along their favorite and fastest trotting horses, which they would race in their own rig against their fellow owners on the Saratoga Speedway, which has evolved into the present Fifth Avenue along the Oklahoma Track. Mr. Trumbull’s convenient location allowed him to act as trainer for some Tammany Hall luminaries with fast trotters, visiting the Spa to see those racing under their colors.

Tucked deep inside the Saratoga Springs Public Library Saratoga Room’s “Lakehouse Folder” is a transcribed copy of an undated original document titled; “Where is Lake Lonely?” Our well informed correspondent from the past informs us that unlike the other Lakehouses, Trumbull’s did not conduct games of chance and although they operated a hotel and tavern, it was staffed by the owner’s daughters; a family hospitality operation in every respect.

The vast summer colony at Saratoga Springs created a concern over the treatment of sewage. In an era where “dilution was the best solution” it is amazing to see so many articles and editorials in the local daily, with even the term “pollution” being used in print, and the immense concern shown for the Lake Lonely fishery. Just as in our time, genuine concern did not always lead to a positive solution.

Trolley service connected Saratoga Lake, the Trumbull Lakehouse, the Race Course on Union Avenue and the hotels and boarding houses on Broadway. Image from Saratoga illustrated: The Visitor’s Guide 1902.

The waterfront Trumbull Lakehouse opened in the springtime, and operated until late autumn each season. In the winter Steve Trumbull would turn to his wintertime passion, building and operating the local toboggan slide, which made Saratobogganing a frigid season spectacle for many years.

In mid-November of 1911, the hand of fate dealt a weighty blow, with a fire at the Trumbull Lakehouse. The hotel had been closed for the season, but occupied by the Trumbull family with the exception of Mr. Trumbull, who was at work in the village on the Woodlawn Park toboggan slide. An alarm was issued for assistance. Chief Shadwick responded, and made quick time to Lake Lonely with the chemical engine and a force of men. The fire spread rapidly, however, and the firemen could do little to save the building. Neighbors hastened to assist, but it was soon seen that the building was doomed, and an effort was made to save the contents before a howling wind could further spread the flames. The Lakehouse burned to the ground, along with two barns. Even though his operations were only lightly insured, Stephen Trumbull decided to rebuild his hotel.

During the rebuild in 1912, the Trumbulls occupied Race View at 75 Nelson Avenue, which only a few years before had been relocated from the Race Track grounds on the opposite side of the street. Kate served fish and chicken dinners to her displaced customers there.

Steve Trumbull increased his municipal responsibilities as a maintenance worker in Congress Park, as the Village, and soon to be City, of Saratoga Springs expanded that marvelous location with the acquisition of the Canfield Casino and Congress Hall, which they would demolish in order to place the Spencer Trask “Spirit of Life” Memorial.

The second version Trumbull Lakehouse was completed and opened in the spring of 1914, and was just as successful as the original. As hard as it is to believe, this rebuilt structure burned to the ground in mid-November of the first full year of operation. This time the fire occurred in the middle of the night and the Trumbulls lost everything within the uninsured structure, including their life savings, escaping in only bedclothes.

Without the funds to rebuild, Kate and Steve would cater picnics on the shore of Lake Lonely for several years. In 1925 plans began for the abandonment of the trolley line, and in 1928 the Trumbulls sold their farm to fellow horseman Matt Byrnes.

They lived in town after that, and Kate passed away in 1930. Steve Trumbull remained a fixture in Congress Park until he was forced to retire in 1932 upon reaching the then mandatory termination age of 75. He occupied 26 Caroline Street until his death in February 1938, and was mourned by his many friends in Saratoga Springs and beyond.