08/28/2026
Happy Fun Fact Friday! In anticipation of our NEW “Breezing Through Saratoga: R. Newton Brezee Homes” Summer Sunday Stroll, we are highlighting renowned local architect Robert Newton Brezee and his former home at 119 Caroline Street.
Robert Newton Brezee was born on September 26, 1851, in Middleburgh, NY. In 1867, Brezee moved to Saratoga Springs at the age of 16 with the goal of becoming an architect and one day opening his own office in the city. Brezee was completely self-taught, making him an architectural prodigy of sorts. Brezee became successful in Saratoga Springs quickly, given his reputation for being meticulous, honest, and fair with his clients.
In 1881, R. Newton Brezee married dressmaker Jennie M. Carr in Saratoga Springs. The couple had four daughters together: Edna Winford, Claire M., Elizabeth L., and Dorothy Newton. Between approximately 1882 and 1884, Brezee, his wife, and their eldest daughter Edna lived on Long Island where Brezee worked on the planned community of Garden City – a project headed by entrepreneur Alexander Turney Stewart. In 1884, the Brezee family returned to Saratoga Springs, and Brezee opened his office. Brezee’s career skyrocketed from this point, and he ended up being responsible for the design and construction of nearly 50 buildings in Saratoga Springs.
In 1890, the lot at 119 Caroline Street was conveyed to Jennie M. Brezee by William and Mary Comstock. That year, Brezee began to construct a house for the family on the newly acquired property. Brezee specialized in building Colonial Revival and Queen Anne style structures, using the latter for his own home. The Brezee family retained ownership of the property until 1923, when it was conveyed to Edwin and Constance Kellogg. In 1929, Robert Newton Brezee passed away at the age of seventy-eight, and left his estate to his wife Jennie.
To learn more about Robert Newton Brezee and the houses he is credited with building, join us on our “Breezing Through Saratoga: R. Newton Brezee Homes” Sunday Stroll on August 30. To purchase tickets, please visit our website:
https://www.saratogapreservation.org/calendar/sunday-strolls/