History of Cassadaga

The Cassadaga Spiritualist camp began when the Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meeting Association was founded by George P. Colby, from Pike, New York, a Medium (spirituality) who traveled to many different states, giving readings and seances. He was well known, and in his travels, Colby...

History of Cassadaga

The Cassadaga Spiritualist camp began when the Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meeting Association was founded by George P. Colby, from Pike, New York, a Medium (spirituality) who traveled to many different states, giving readings and seances. He was well known, and in his travels, Colby was referred to as the'seer of spiritualism'. Mr. Colby attended summer Spiritualist Camp meetings at Lily Dale, New York, the town adjacent to Cassadaga, New York.

Mr. Colby worked with several spirit guides, who would channel knowledge to him. One of his guides was an Indian named Seneca, that had manifested to Colby during a seance in Lake Mills, Iowa. According to Colby, the guide Seneca had instructed him to travel to the south, into Florida, where he eventually arrived at a place called the Blue Springs Landing, near Orange City, Florida. According to Colby, the area that Seneca had lead him to was the same area that Colby had seen during the seance in Iowa.

Colby had arrived in Florida in 1875, and several decades later, on the 18 December, 1894 the charter was granted to form The Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meeting Association. Later on January 3, 1895 Colby had signed a warranty deed to the Association for thirty-five acres. The people who came to the Spiritualist Camp in the early days of its formation were affluent and well educated. The Cassadaga Spiritualist camp was named after the small Spiritualist Camp community found outside of Lily Dale, New York. The Spiritualist Camp Association later received additional acreage that expanded the camp to the current fifty-seven acres.

The Cassadaga Camp, Today
Today, the Camp features the Cassadaga Hotel, a central auditorium, The Colby Memorial Temple, a community library, the Caesar Forman Healing Center, a Camp Bookstore, and a welcome center. Also, there is the Andrew Jackson Davis building, used for musical performances and gatherings, and the annual Cassadaga Masquerade Ball.