Saratoga County History Center Announces Publication of New Book – Saratogian

BALLSTON SPA, NY – The Saratoga County History Center recently announced the release of a new book on local history. “Off the Northway” is a compilation of 83 articles written by longtime local journalist Stephen Williams.

The book, a collection of his weekly “Off the Northway” columns and other stories covering the period from 2005 to 2020, will be published and on sale from June 28. The author will give a presentation and book signing on this date at 7 p.m. at the History Center at the Brookside Museum, 6 Charlton St, Ballston Spa. Pre-registration for the event is available at https://brooksidemuseum.org/.

The book will also be available at local bookstores, additional book signings will be announced and on amazon.com

“Off the Northway” provides a reporter’s up-close perspective on the events that impacted people living in Saratoga County during this 15-year period and reflects on the changes seen throughout the county as a result of construction of the Adirondack Northway six decades ago. As with all good storytellers, Williams’ articles often capture the past and give readers pause to think about the future.

“Not only does the book take the reader back in time, but many of the articles are still relevant to the communities that straddle the Northway,” commented Jim Richmond, Chair of the History Center’s Publications Committee.

One of the main topics is the long roller coaster story of dreaming up, designing, negotiating and building the $15 billion GlobalFoundries semiconductor factory in Malta, which recently announced plans to build a second factory on its sprawling Luther Forest site.

Other topics included in “Off the Northway” include stories about the ongoing efforts to manage development and environmental protection, some of the unusual local history of Saratoga County and Saratoga Springs, and the author’s views on local politics and politicians in the early years of the 21st century. One of the key players in the GlobalFoundries story, State Senator Joe Bruno, is widely covered, as are State Senators Jim Tedisco and Roy McDonald.

“Although he later fell out of favor, Senator Bruno was among the key people who transformed the Capital Region into a technology hub and brought GlobalFoundries to Saratoga County,” Williams said. “I wanted to tell this story and write about the changes I’ve seen – as well as the things that haven’t changed – throughout my career. Each story has an introduction explaining why it was written and sometimes a postscript explaining how the issues raised may have unfolded.

This is the second book published by the History Center. Plans are underway to publish a second volume of “Saratoga County Stories” in the fall, based on the “This Week in Saratoga County History” series written by various local historians and “history buffs.”

For more information, please contact the Saratoga County History Center or James Richmond at saratogacohistoryroundtable@gmail.com.