As we begin the Month of March 2023, The Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp pays tribute to the women that have played such a big role in the creation of Spiritualism and also celebrate the anniversary of Modern Spiritualism on March 31, 1848.  

On that date in 1848, The Fox sisters began interacting with the Spirit world. As is described on the website "Beyond the Veil, Spiritualism in the 19th Century"  "Modern Spiritualism began in the 1840s in a small town in New York, and quickly grew to become one of the greatest – and most divisive – religious movements of the 19th Century. Almost all historians point to movement beginning in 1848 in Hydesville, New York, where sisters Maggie and Kate Fox began communicating with a “spirit” in their home through rappings and knockings. The girls became a phenomenon; before long they were communicating with spirits around the nation in front of hundreds of rapt audience members. Soon, spiritual mediums could be found in almost every town. America’s new religion had taken root and showed no signs of stopping."  

Mrs. Marion H. Skidmore 1825-1895 

Born Marion Johnson, September 8th 1825 Marion H. Skidmore was a very active women of her day in support of Spiritualism.  She is the subject of an interesting article published in the monthly periodical known as the Cassadagan in Meadville Pennsylvania in 1895.  Lily Dale Assembly, a sister camp to the Southern Cassadaga Camp and located in Lily Dale NY is the home of the Marion H Skidmore Library that houses the largest collection of Spiritualist Books in the world. 

Cora Lodencia Veronica Scott (April 21, 1840 – January 3, 1923) was one of the best-known mediums of the Spiritualism movement of the last half of the 19th century. Here is a link to her Wikipedia page.

Leonora Piper (Leonora Evelina Simonds; 27 June 1857 – 3 June 1950) was a famous American trance medium in the area of Spiritualism. ​​​​Here is a link to her Wikipedia page. 

There are many more women in Spiritualism that could be mentioned here and would be worth researching. We hope you will continue to pursue investigating the history of other pioneers of Spiritualism and those instrumental in its formation into what it is today. 

It took 42 months to complete the entire renovation of Colby Memorial Temple in Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp. The just over 6,000 square foot building came about in 1923.  
Rev. Jerry Moore, president of SCSCMA, said the repairing of the exterior cracks, mostly in front, power washing and painting were recently completed. He said the cost of the latest renovation was about $14,000 bringing the grand total to about $74,000.

 “We are celebrating this day and are pleased that the final touches were ready for our Annual Candlelight (Christmas) Service,” which was Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. “It’s been a long time coming. Now, on to the next (historic building).”

Colby Memorial Temple is used for Sunday Service, which begins at 10:30 a.m. and has three parts – hands-on healing, spiritual lecture and spirit greetings with the latter proving the continuity of life. The attendance range is 75-100. Wednesday Night Message Service starts at 7 p.m. with hands-on healing and messages to follow. The attendance range is 20-50.

“It’s beautiful to see our Colby Memorial Temple polished,” said Pastor Rev. Suzanne Dewees, Ph.D. “It brings a fresh energy, a new beginning to our services and our organization.” Colby Memorial Temple was closed previously for renovations and repairs for 26 months and reopened Aug. 22, 2021, for a soft opening.

Building age, permits, contractors and Covid-19 all affected the construction process. The biggest part of the repair was one of the wood trusses, which is now eight feet. The repair was tied into the ceiling and roof.
Other repairs included electrical – switches, receptacles, electric boxes, breakers, lights, fans – push bars on the doors, exit lighting and smoke detectors. He said he did plenty of work, including restoring an entryway and framing a window. Thirty-five precent of the interior walls were replaced with special plaster mixtures were used to preserve the historic masonry. It is believed horsehair was used when Colby Memorial Temple was built; today, Hemp fiber was used for the crack repairs.

The cost for repairs came in around $60,000, which doesn’t tell the whole picture – materials, in-kind services, 125th fundraising monies and direct donations – were a big help.
Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meeting Association, which has been existence since 1894, is 57 acres and has 55 homes, according to its website. The association, which has about 160 members, has seven buildings.
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With historic buildings, repairs are ongoing. Major repairs on Brigham Hall, which was built in 1897, were completed in 2018, and one year later repairs were completed on the Slater House, built in the early 1900s.
To donate, visit the website or send a check or money order to P.O. Box 319, Cassadaga, FL 32706. Note Colby Memorial Temple Fund. Or go Cassadaga.org to donate.
“We thank you in advance for your donation and appreciate your support,” Moore said. “We hope to see you soon.”