Cassadaga, Florida

Cassadaga
Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp
Unincorporated community
Nickname(s): "Psychic Capital of the World"
Cassadaga

Location in Volusia County and the state of Florida

Coordinates: 28°57′59″N 81°14′09″W / 28.96639°N 81.23583°W / 28.96639; -81.23583Coordinates: 28°57′59″N 81°14′09″W / 28.96639°N 81.23583°W / 28.96639; -81.23583
Country  United States
State  Florida
County Volusia
Established 1894
Founded by George Colby
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code(s) 32706
Area code(s) 386
Website www.cassadaga.org
Historic Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp

Cassadaga (a Seneca Indian word meaning "Water beneath the rocks") is a small unincorporated community located in Volusia County, Florida, just north of Deltona. It is especially known for having a large number of psychics and mediums, and has consequently been named the "Psychic Capital of the World".[1]

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 trance medium 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". Colby attended summer Spiritualist Camp meetings at Lily Dale, New York, the town adjacent to Cassadaga, New York.[2]

Colby worked with several spirit guides who would give him knowledge. One of his spirit guides was an Indian named Seneca, who had manifested to Colby during a seance in Lake Mills, Iowa. According to Colby, Seneca had instructed him to travel south to 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 led him to was the same area that Colby had seen during the seance in Iowa.

Colby had arrived in Florida in 1875, and on the 18th of 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.[2] 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 Educational building, used for musical performances and gatherings.[3] Nearby is the Colby-Alderman Park.

The principles of spirituality that are taught by the people at Cassadaga state, "Spiritualism has no dogma or creed, just a simple set of nine principles to help guide our lives".[3] According to the teachings of Spiritualism, it is the "Science, philosophy, and religion based upon the principle of continuous life".[3] On March 14, 1991, the Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist camp was declared a U.S. Historic District. The Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp is a federal tax-exempt Church currently governed by a Board of Trustees.

Popular culture

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Quoted from "Visiting The Psychic Capital Of The World", Bill Geist, CBS Sunday Morning, December 30, 2007.
  2. 1 2 Cassadaga, Florida Yesterday and Today by Elizabeth Owens, 2001
  3. 1 2 3 Cassadaga, Spiritualist Camp Guide Book, Calendar/ Directory Annual Program, 2007 -2008

External links

Cassadaga (Florida) travel guide from Wikivoyage

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