Sharon Springs and Richfield Springs Walking Tours

Otsego 2000 will offer walking tours of Sharon Springs and Richfield Springs focusing on the villages’ historic architecture. The Sharon Springs walk on Sunday, July 31 at 4:30 pm will highlight adaptations made to the built environment to welcome Jewish visitors, especially after World War II. The Richfield Springs walk on Sunday, August 14 at 4:30 pm will focus on the interplay between resort and village architecture. Water, and the healing properties of springs rich in magnesium, iron, and sulfur, brought people to Sharon Springs and Richfield Springs for generations.

Magnesia Spring in Sharon Springs

“After World War II, Jewish travel to Sharon Springs increased as Holocaust survivors received water treatments, and a distinct Jewish culture flourished in the area. Much of the built environment today, including the synagogue, eruv, and guest houses, reflects that period,” says Dr. Cindy Falk, who will lead the tour.        

The buildings constructed in Sharon Springs, many in popular revival styles of the late 1800s and early 1900s, demonstrate just how connected this small Schoharie County village was. Owners built palaces and temples where spring water could be accessed and constructed lodging houses, hotels, and cabins where visitors could stay. 

Former resort hotel in Richfield Springs

Richfield Springs, further west on Route 20, also features buildings designed by noted architects, as well as boarding houses for those looking to escape the city heat and benefit from spring water treatments. In Richfield Springs, public buildings like the library, churches, and school provided stylish community spaces that incorporated the architectural fashions favored by elite seasonal guests. Both Sharon Springs and Richfield Springs are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“Understanding our historic built environment – what distinguishes a Victorian from a Greek Revival or an Italianate building – helps to interpret how our communities developed in relation to the climate and to fashions over time,” said Ellen Pope, Otsego 2000 executive director . “This knowledge is vital to understanding how sense of place is created by our architectural history, and what could be lost if these buildings aren’t preserved for future generations.”

A professor of material culture at the Cooperstown Graduate Program, Dr. Falk served as co-editor of Buildings & Landscapes: The Journal of the Vernacular Architecture Forum for five years. She is an adviser to Otsego 2000. The walking tour series is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

The cost for each tour is $10. Register in advance online (see below) or by calling 607/547-8881.