Lily Dale (Spiritualist Assembly)
Lily Dale (Spiritualist Assembly)
One of the oldest camp organizations of American Spiritualism. It was established in 1880 as the Cassadaga Free Lake Association situated in beautiful countryside in the Chautauqua hills, scarcely two hours drive from the city of Buffalo. In 1906 the site was renamed Lily Dale. It comprised 80 acres with hundreds of cottages, gathering places, and a hotel for the many summer guests, as well as a post office and a library. For many years it became a focal point for world famous lecturers and mediums, including its share of fradulent mediums, demonstrating every variety of phenomena.
The old Hydesville house, which was the center of the Fox family knockings that resulted in the founding of American Spiritualism, was removed to Lily Dale in 1916 but burned to the ground in 1955. It was recreated in 1968 as a tourist attraction on the Hydesville site. Lily Dale still conducts a program through the summer. It may be contacted at 5 Melrose Park, Lily Dale, NY 14752.
Sources:
Whiting, Lilian. "The Spiritualistic Camp-Meetings in the United States." Annals of Psychical Science (January 1907).