779 North Broadway

in Saratoga Springs

History of 779 North Broadway – Built in 1882 for William B. Gage who was the proprietor of the United States Hotel for over 45 years. Gage was married to Caroline Marvin, daughter of James Marvin, co-owner of the hotel. The family resided here until William’s death in 1925.

In 1926, James A. Leary, a prominent lawyer and head of the Saratoga County Republicans, purchased the property. James was the son of Daniel Leary who with his brother John built many significant brick structures in Saratoga Springs. The Leary Brothers built Convention Hall on Broadway, the Armory on Lake Avenue and School #2 on Van Dam Street. Possibly that is what attracted James to this magnificent brick home. Residing with Leary and his wife was their niece, Ruth T. Wallace, who was orphaned. The Learys divorced in the mid 1930s, and in 1933, the property was conveyed to Wallace. James and Ruth resided there until their deaths in 1953 and 1967 respectively. At the time of Ruth Wallace’s death, she left an estate of nearly $5,000,000 to the Catholic Church.

In 1968, Dr. James Dorsey and his wife Patricia purchased 779 North Broadway. The Dorsey family lived there for nearly 20 years.

James Brennan bought it in 1987 and made notable renovations. The gazebo porch, designed by architect Tom Frost, was added.

Owned today by Mr. and Mrs. Donald Adam, city records show this brick Queen Anne Victorian as having 8,688 sqft with 8 bedrooms and 7 baths. The decorative chimney, 5 fireplaces, ornate brickwork on the many dormers, and the spectacular porch make 779 North Broadway truly a gem of historic preservation.

The Centennial Series

The city of Saratoga Springs was chartered on April 7, 1915. In celebration of our 100 years this summer, Roohan Realty brings you “The Centennial Series,” featuring the history of local properties – from origin to what we see today.

Do you own a historic property or know one you’d like to see featured? Submit an inquiry and our contributing writer will contact you.