Yaddo

Yaddo is an artists' retreat on a 400-acre estate in Saratoga Springs, New York. The property consists of a Victorian-style mansion, several working studios, and formal gardens with fountains and stone pathways running between tall trees.

Spencer and Katrina Trask purchased the property in 1881 and transformed it into an artists' residency after the deaths of their four children. The first guests arrived in 1926, one year after Katrina's death, and since then the estate has continuously offered fellowships to creative people from around the world.

The name Yaddo comes from the childlike pronunciation of the word "shadow" by the Trasks' youngest daughter, Christina. Today, writers and composers use rooms and studios across the property for focused working sessions, while visual artists often work in separate studios away from the main house.

The public gardens open in spring and remain accessible through autumn, with the best visiting times in the morning or late afternoon. Visitors should stay on pathways and keep noise low, as artists are working on projects nearby.

The estate contains four small, isolated studios hidden deep in the woods known as the "silent studios." These cabins have no electricity or running water but offer complete seclusion for writers seeking absolute quiet.