Hello and welcome to my feature town: Cassadaga.. It’s a small village—I think town is too big for the place—in Central florida.
I thought you might like to do a day out and off the beaten path in Florida. Cassadaga i about 25 miles west of Daytona Beach….You can take I-4 there—west from Daytona or East from Sanford. Then exit on Route 472 and go west…then right on North Kentucky and then right on Cassadaga.
Or take 17-92—I recommend this if you’d just like to take a day off and explore all those little back roads I keep telling you about
I’d start once you cross the St Johns an leave Sanford—-
The first town there (well kinda) is DeBary
Things to Do in DeBary
My recommendation on what not to miss here is:
DeBary Hall Historic Site
Orange City is next I think—-it clings along 17 for several miles and there are all manner of restaurants and shops and more to see and do (note these are situated along or near the road and a few miles in the case of Blue Springs Park—and some may technically reside in Deland—-but they’re all before you get to your turn off for Cassadaga so I’m just including them in Orange City which is easier
This is located in one of my favorite places along the route here the 1876 Heritage Inn (on the East of the road—it’s a big white but obviously older building with restaurant, accommadations and I just love wandering about it and now it has a postal musuem…who’d have thought????!!!!
You continue on once you’ve made your choices of places to go and see—until you get to 472 and go east on 472
Continue till you get to N. Kentucky Ave and go left/north
Then turn right/east again on Cassadaga.
There are parking areas in this town—-some below (on the far side of the hotel where I like to park)….but you will have to look about and find one….the town’s streets are narrow….but there have been some parking space worked out —ya just gotta look form them.
Some, if not all may have heard of this small town brcasue of its psychic roots and continued occupacy of a Spirtualist Colony here.
This town has been in Florida over 100 years and was founded by George P. Colby who came here in 1875. Mr Colby, a Trance Mediumm
from Pike, NY., had traveled about the US giving private readings and conducting seances in
the later half of the 19th c. He was said to have had multiple spirit guides
including a native American and a German professor. One of these guides, while he was in Iowa influenced him to go to Florida. He did so voyaging down the St. John’s river and leaving the boat at Blue Springs
Reportedly at his guide’s instruction. He continued on to this town’s location and like they say, the rest is history.
The first hotel, owned by an Emma J. Huff, burned on Christmas Night 1926. The camp began reconstruction of the hotel the following year, and it was completed in 1928.
The True Spirit of Cassadaga—Robin Mimna
Originally called a camp it was named Cassadaga (means “Rocks beneath the water) after another Spiritualist camp/village in New York state for which it was a winter retreat.
Today it is a quiet town, though it has thousands of visitors every year, with out even a traffic light. A lovely place to walk about and enjoy the peace and quiet—that is if you don’t go when there’s a major event going on. There are quiet wooded mefitation parks located about the town and along the lake.
Others say that the atmosphere is invluenced by the city setting on a portal to different demensions “in yourself and the spirit.” Who knows, but people have been known to come here from all over the world to experience and see the city.
But for me a lot of the atmosphere is definately from the buildings and houses tht were built between the 1890’s to the 1920’s and it was declared a historic district in 1994.
While some might have a powerful spiritual experience, others may visit and find that it’s simply a historic town that offers a quiet retreat from the bustle of everyday life.
Cassadaga: 24 hours in Florida’s ‘Psychic Capital of the World’
Cassadaga Hotel and Spiritual Center – Cassadaga Hotels, Florida
355 Casadaga Rd
386-228-2323
This is one of my favorite parts of Cassadaga, Built in the 1920’a and restored more recently there are cozy beds available, a gift shop that includes all manner of interesting items. Part of the hotel is used by mediums and you can set up an appointment at that same gift shop. All this along with healing and wellness facilities and they also offer all manner of lectures, spiritual and physhic mediumship develoment classes and workshops, servicrs and much more.
Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp
There are 40 Certified Mediums at Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp who give readings, and almost as many Certified Healers who help people tap into their inherent self-healing ability.
If you go to the web sites for any of these businesses you may find that the listed address is Lake Helen—they are in Cassadaga but the town is so small as to not have a post office–so they are part of the Lake Helen postal system.
Located in the hotel, it is the only restaurant in town, they have a full Italian Restaurant and bar—as well as a small coffee shop in the lobby of the hotel.
I’ve eaten and had a few drinks here from time to time and I would recommend it fully—great Italian food. Including the coffee in the lobby.
The camp’s tiny historic district, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is home to century-old Victorian buildings. Many are painted in cheery shades of lilac and turquoise and decorated with sunflowers, the official symbol of Spiritualism.
Want to Communicate With the Dead? Head to This Small Town in Florida
By Terry Ward
Oct 16, 2019
1112 Stevens Street
386-228-2880
Across the Street from the Hotel
10 am – 6 pm, Mon thru Sat and 11:30 am to 5 pm Sunday
Tours are given from this location including Historical Cassadaga.
and at night Beyond thr Veil as well as the Encounter the Spirits Tour.
also click above for a schedule of events including on Zoom.
This is a shop full of all manner of items—books to jewelry and lots of things in between.
NOTICE :
In-person Lyceum, Sunday Church Service, Sunday Message Service & Wednesday Night Message Services have resumed
Limitations include masks required and social distancing
House in the Lake Helen
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Next Tuesday come back and I’ll finish your visit to Cassadaga and move on to the 4th town (Debary, Orange City, Cassadaga and Lake Helen) and last part of this visit in another lovely and a bit bigger town in this area Lake Helen.
Lake Macy Park Lake Helen, Florida
