Cassadaga

The story of a small Florida community that has drawn spiritual seekers for over 125 years

Calling

itself a "metaphysical mecca," the small town of Cassadaga, between

Orlando and Daytona Beach in central Florida, was established more than

125 years ago on the principle of continuous life, the idea that spirits

of the dead commune with the living. Though the founders of Cassadaga

have passed on to the "spirit plane," the quaint Victorian town remains

the oldest continuously active Spiritualist center in the South and was

added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. While the

community has often been sensationalized and misrepresented, this is the

first serious work to examine its history, people, cultural

environment, and religious system.



After presenting an overview of

nineteenth-century religion, the book explores the town's early years,

distinctive architecture, ritual life, core beliefs, healing work, and

view of the future. It also probes the extent to which Cassadaga has

assimilated New Age beliefs and reflects larger trends in contemporary

American religious culture.



The study includes a group biography

based on interviews with four residents, plus a chapter on the colorful

life of Eloise Page, a practicing medium in Cassadaga for more than 40

years. In addition, it features 47 photographs that guide readers

through the town and portray residents engaged in various sacred and

everyday activities.