Founded 1894.
By medium George P. Colby, who had homesteaded the land in 1875 and deeded 35 acres in 1894 to form the Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meeting Association.
Source: Wikipedia [S65].
Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp — A 10-Minute Drive from Historic DeLand
Quick answer: The Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp, about 10 minutes northeast of DeLand, Florida, was founded in 1894 by medium George P. Colby. It is the oldest active religious community in the Southeast, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and open to visitors for historic tours and certified-medium readings.
Location
Address: 1112 Stevens St, Cassadaga, FL 32706Hours: Historic district open 24/7; bookstore and readings have specific hours
Get directions on Google Maps
The origin story
Cassadaga's founding is one of the most distinctive origin stories in Florida. The short version: George P. Colby, a medium from Cassadaga, New York, was (per camp tradition) led to this Central Florida site by his Native American spirit guide "Seneca." Colby homesteaded the land in 1875 and deeded 35 acres in 1894 to form the Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meeting Association [S65, S66].
The camp grew from a seasonal tent meeting into a permanent village of cottages, a hotel, a bookstore, and a meeting hall — the architectural footprint now recognized on the National Register [S65].
Three facts worth citing
National Register listed 1991.
The Cassadaga Historic District is federally recognized on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Source: Wikipedia [S65].
~55 resident mediums.
Certified practitioners live and work on-site; readings are available by appointment through the camp directory.
Source: Cassadaga Camp [S66].
What to do at Cassadaga
- Self-guided walking tour — the camp publishes a free map with numbered historic buildings.
- Guided historic tour — offered by the Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp bookstore; check the current schedule.
- Certified-medium readings — book directly with an individual medium via the camp directory.
- Cassadaga Hotel — a separately operated historic inn adjacent to the camp; dinners, dining, and paranormal events.
Why include Cassadaga on a DeLand trip
Cassadaga rounds out the West Volusia heritage day: DeLand's Stetson-era mansion, Stetson University, and downtown historic district pair naturally with a late-afternoon walk through the Cassadaga Historic District. It's the oldest surviving intentional religious community in the Southeast, and it happens to sit next door to Florida's oldest private college town. Neither Mount Dora nor Winter Park can match that combination.
Etiquette for visitors
- Cassadaga is a working religious community, not a theme park.
- Respect residents' privacy — most cottages are private homes.
- Photography of buildings is welcome; ask before photographing residents.
- Keep voices down near the meeting hall, especially during services.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Cassadaga, Florida?
- 1112 Stevens St, Cassadaga, FL 32706 — about 9 miles (10–15 minutes by car) east of downtown DeLand via SR-472.
- When was Cassadaga founded?
- 1894 — the Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meeting Association was incorporated that year by George P. Colby. Colby had originally homesteaded the land in 1875. [S65]
- Is Cassadaga free to visit?
- The camp grounds are free to walk. Historic tours and medium readings are priced per service.
- Is Cassadaga really the oldest Spiritualist camp in the South?
- Yes. The Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp is the oldest active religious community in the Southeast, continuously operating since 1894. [S65]
- Is Cassadaga on the National Register?
- Yes — the Cassadaga Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. [S65]
- Can you get a reading at Cassadaga?
- Yes. Certified mediums live on-site and take appointments through the camp directory. [S66]