Tokens anyone?

I don't know who William R Brown was yet but I do have some information that will help.

Congress Hall was a large resort/hotel,resturant/dance hall located in Saratoga Springs New York. I don't know when it was built but it was before 1851 (Begun in 1811 by Gideon Putnam but stopped after an accident from which Mr Putnam died, It was later finished ond opened for business by his heirs in 1812.) and the business burned to the ground sometime between July 1865 and July 1866. It was rebuilt in 1868. (The propriator at the time of the fire an of the rebuilt Congress Hall was Henry H Hathorn. Hathorn purchased Congress Hall in 1854, possibly Brown was an earlier proprietor? This should give you a time range for the token. 1839 - 1854?) The name comes from Congress Spring which was named in honor of one of its discoverers John Gilman, a former member of Congress. Congress Hall closed and was demolished in 1913.

Congress Hall, and it's neighbor the United States Hotel (which burned in 1865) were popular summer resorts for people fleeing the annual cholera epedemics that tended to break out each year in the larger cities. The waters of the local springs (Congress Spring, Cemetary Spring, Empire Spring, and Rock Spring plus several others) were naturally carbonated and were considered to be a curative or preventatives for the cholera.

This is what Congress Hall looked like after it was rebuilt

and this is an image of the banquet hall

A stero-optican image of Congress hall from the back.


So my best guess wouldbe it was an advertising token for the Congress Hall resort between 1839 and 1854 with William Brown as owner.

 

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Thanks conder101. Great info.

 

Agreed!!!