Dawn gathers slowly over the Hudson, the mist curling around Fort Hardy Park like the breath of another century. A dog’s bark carries across the water, startling a flock of geese into motion. It’s a small, vivid reminder that history never fully sleeps in Schuylerville—it moves, it listens, it watches, sometimes on four legs. The past is stitched into every living rhythm here, and few writers have captured that connection between life and legacy as gracefully as Megin Potter.
An experienced feature writer with more than 1,500 published works, Potter has spent her career revealing what makes the Saratoga region of Upstate New York so distinct. Her stories explore the people, history, animals, and organizations that define this place’s uncommon character. Her book, Saratoga Dogs: Past to Present, extends that exploration with warmth and wit, tracing how canines have shaped—and mirrored—the community’s story from colonial fields to modern sidewalks. Through her writing, everyday encounters become threads in the larger fabric of local heritage.
The Interview
PP: What first inspired you to explore Saratoga’s history through the eyes—and paws—of its dogs?
MP: In 2023, I started volunteering for The Friends of Fort Hardy Park, Inc., a nonprofit volunteer group building the Schuylerville Dog Park and Community Garden in Fort Hardy Park. Through this work, I started to hear lots of stories about people and their dogs and was inspired to write Saratoga Dogs:Past to Present, which came out in August.
One thing I heard over and over again, through the exclusive interviews and the research I unearthed while writing this book,is something we all know, which is that dogs are great companions. What I discovered however, is how we have used the dogs’ size, strength, speed – as well as their fantastic sense of smell – to turn the tides of history in this area.
PP: Many of the dogs in your book were witnesses to, or even participants in, the Revolutionary era’s defining moments. How did researching these “brave barkers” change your understanding of Saratoga’s role in the Revolution?
MP: During the Revolutionary War, Saratoga was a turning point for the people of this land, but also for their pets. When the British army surrendered in Saratoga on October 17th, 1777, their dogs became prisoners of war alongside them.
Dogs served as army mascots and soldiers during the war. Little dogs, like terriers and Pomeranians could swiftly navigate through unfamiliar terrain carrying messages that determined troop movements across the battlefield.
Big dogs, including Malamutes and Newfoundlands, had the strength to pull heavy loads of equipment, supplies, weapons, and wounded soldiers through places where pack animals couldn’t go (even across treacherous snow-covered terrain during the Revolutionary War’s harsh winter campaigns).
The canines’ keen senses and brave barking alerted their owners when strangers were approaching, protecting them, whether they were on the battlefield, at a farmstead, or living with the natives of this area.
PP: Your work often highlights forgotten or overlooked histories. What do these canine stories reveal about the people, places, and emotions behind America’s struggle for independence?
MP: When you examine dogs through history, you get a clearer understanding of who their owners were, what was considered morally acceptable in society at the time, and how America’s attitudes towards its pets have evolved into the ones we hold today .
In the 18th century, animal rights weren’t yet established and medical advancements were still years away, so fleas and disease kept people fearful of dogs. Whips and chains kept them under control. Dog fights and races were widely considered acceptable forms of entertainment. Blood hounds and coonhounds were often trained to capture runaway slaves.
Most of all, these stories demonstrate that historical figures are humans full of contradictions. For example, while he is knownas the heroic “Father of our Country”, George Washington was also a dog breeder and is considered the “Father of the American Foxhound”. Washington loved and admired his dogs, and respected his combatants’ dogs in a way that starkly contrasted with the brutality he and other plantation owners, including Thomas Jefferson, demonstrated when they ordered their slaves’ dogs to be killed.
PP: You’re deeply involved with the Friends of Fort Hardy Park, a key partner in Saratoga 250. How does that work complement your writing, and what does it mean to see the park becoming a gathering space for commemoration and community?
MP: I have been writing feature articles for Saratoga TODAY newspaper and their magazines since 2013. I write about spectacular homes, amazing businesses, awesome organizations, beautiful brides, and YES, even dogs once in a while. I was elected President of the Friends of Fort Hardy Park in 2024 and began writing Saratoga Dogs: Past to Present to raise awareness not only of the shared history that we’ve experienced, but how we can use what we’ve learned to create a place were the community and its canines can coexist.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the Friends of Fort Hardy Park. Only at Fort Hardy Park can people (and their pets) go to the Champlain Canal Region Gateway Visitors Center, learn about the American Revolution and this area’s history, then step out the door to continue their journey by foot or bicycle on Schuylerville’s network of trails, by boat down the Hudson River, or on a drive along this area’s scenic roadways.
PP: As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, how do you hope readers and visitors will see Saratoga—and its dogs—differently?
MP: In the last 250 years, New York State has emerged as a leader in animal rights and in 2015, the vibrant city of Saratoga Springs, now known as the “City within the Country”, was designated a dog-friendly downtown. Throughout Saratoga County and the surrounding Capital Region, there are now so many businesses and services catering to our canine companions that it is easy to forget just how much has changed through the years (and how recent some of these changes actually are).
My hope is that those reading Saratoga Dogs: Past to Present will be inspired to join with the Friends of Fort Hardy Park in appreciating and preserving Fort Hardy Park, the Battle of Saratoga’s “Field of Grounded Arms” – an important greenspace that has held the memory of the people and the paws at the center of “Old Saratoga” for hundreds of years.
Why It Matters
As the nation approaches its Semiquincentennial, heritage tourism depends increasingly on storytellers who can interpret history through living communities. The Battles of Saratoga transformed the course of the Revolution, but their echoes endure through the people who continue to tell and retell what happened here—and why it still matters. Writers like Megin Potter translate those echoes into narratives that inspire civic pride, empathy, and stewardship.
History is not a relic waiting behind glass; it is something encountered daily, wagging its tail beside the Hudson and leading us forward into remembrance.
Nanty Narking’s Necessary Nuisances
In the spirited slang of early 19th-century London, “nanty narking” meant great fun—often of the tavern sort, where wit flowed as freely as ale. Were I in London—or anywhere a bell rings above a well-stocked bar—I should raise a glass in hearty approval. And yet, how delightfully ironic to call one’s observations “nuisances”! Herein lies a modest collection to guide your weekend diversions with equal parts merriment and prudence, as Mr. Franklin might say: “A spoonful of wit is worth a barrel of wisdom.”
🌦️ Seasonal Suppositions – Weather
Our esteemed sages at the Hudson Crossing Park weather station—part of the New York State Mesonet —more precise than any almanac penned by candlelight—have cast their instruments skyward and divined a damp disposition ahead. Expect a courtship with rain throughout the weekend, as if the heavens themselves were in a melancholy mood. Daylight hours shall flirt with the low 50s, while nightfall brings a chill sharp enough to nip the nose, dipping below the freezing mark. As Poor Richard might say: He that lies down with clear skies may rise with wet stockings.
🚧 Riding the Whip
In the 18th century, the “whip” was no mere driver—he was a master of mud, ruts, oand roadside diplomacy. Today, we tip our tricorne hats to modern engineers, for Route 32 is OPEN once more! The crossing over the Kroma Kill near Quaker Springs has been restored, and travelers may now cruise with ease where once only the boldest coachman dared.
As Poor Richard might say: “He that travels well-paved roads need not fear the jolt of fortune.”
🗺️ On Access and Guidance
Thirty-eight days into the first federal shutdown—the longest in our Republic’s annals—the grounds of Saratoga National Historical Park remain open to the vigilant and the curious. Though the tour road and visitor buildings lie shuttered like taverns on a fast day, the spirit of inquiry need not be stilled.
Yet our thoughts turn to the federal employees of the park—dedicated professionals whose talents and stewardship are vital to preserving this sacred ground. This is no way to treat those who have devoted their careers to public service and historical care. Their absence is felt not only in silence, but in risk.
The Schuyler House, Nelson House, and Saratoga Monument—each a vessel of Revolutionary memory—have not been properly closed for the winter. Without the watchful hands of curators, we fear for the damage that cold, moisture, and neglect may bring. These are not just buildings; they are chapters in the American story.
And in nine short days, we face a missed moment of profound potential. With the premiere of Ken Burns’ The American Revolution, our national parks—especially Saratoga—could have stood ready to amplify the narrative, deepen the context, and welcome visitors into the very landscapes where liberty was won. Instead, doors remain locked, and stories go untold.
As Franklin might remind us: “Lost time is never found again.” Let us not squander the chance to connect past and present, nor leave our storytellers idle when the nation needs their voice. History waits for no one—but it rewards those who heed its call.
🎟️ Events Worth the Trouble
We are in the dark days, in normal times the Saratoga National Historical Park would be hosting a great lecture series but that is shuttered.