"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

Hello Friends!

Friends, Romans, countrymen...y'all. Foodies, gardeners, artists and collectors - let's gather together to share and possibly learn a thing or two in the mix.

Donna Baker

Friday, July 14, 2017

Lily Dale


Or another place I'll never go to.  Lily Dale, NY, City Of Light, birthed the Spiritualist movement in the 1800's.  I heard about Lily Dale a long time ago and it piqued my interest.

Those wacky Victorians, without television nor computers or iPhones took to soothsayers, crystal balls and ghosties.  


Of course, if they went to Lily Dale, they didn't need to communicate with modern day conveniences.


Here is the former tree where mystical things happened.  It became a stump and today is a fenced off cement platform.  


Lily Dale was a popular destination, as it is today.  About 250 year round residents live in cute Victorian houses.  Today, it is inhabited by mystics, mediums and clairvoyants.  In summer, they open their community to thousands of visitors for readings and shopping, programs etc.  Famous psychics and even Deepak Chopra has spoken there.  Signs hang on the doors when the mediums are taking customers.


Before you scoff, here is one story.  Lucille Ball, who lived nearby in Jamestown, went for readings as did many other famous people.  While still young she was told she would meet a Cuban man and become a famous comedian one day.


Residents must go through rigorous testing and study for two years before they are allowed to practice in Lily Dale.  Wouldn't it be fun to visit with them? Many 'speak' to the spirits around you and give you messages from beyond.  One woman spoke of a childhood friend speaking to her from an unseen spirit world.

Myself, I think I'd rather hear about other things, like past lives and future events rather than spirits hovering around me.  There is lots of info on the net about Lily Dale.  Have a look if you are interested.  I find it fascinating, but will never go to western NY.  Too many other places I'd choose, but probably won't ever get to see either.

44 comments:

Out on the prairie said...

lovely homes,a lot of art work.

Elephant's Child said...

It looks a charming area, but I suspect it is expensive too. I am a fence sitter about the mediums. There are definitely some charlatans, which doesn't preclude some genuine people as well.

Joanne Noragon said...

Western New York is knee deep, or more, in "the truth." It also is the home of Chautauquas. Delightful places. I know one millionaire widow who is able to visit, with her daughter, for "learning."

Michelle said...

I have heard of Lily Dale and find it interesting. A lot of things in life I think we don't understand, the practices of this town being one of them. I would like to have a reading, but doubt I will eve visit there.

donna baker said...

Yes, I think it's part of the draw. When I think of upstate and western NY, I think of 5 feet of snow.

donna baker said...

I read one client's review of her session. She said the lady was your average person, talked on about things. The client said she played it with a poker face and wasn't telling the medium anything. Of course, the medium probably knew it all anyway. Client did say she spoke of things that were spot on.

donna baker said...

I think it would be a worthwhile trip. For some, life changing.

donna baker said...

I think there is a lot more in this life we don't see than we do. Religion, spiritualism, nihilism - well, maybe not that, but searching for the meaning of it all.

angryparsnip said...

Interesting post not so sure about the mediums...

cheers, parsnip and thehamish

donna baker said...

Guess you'll have to try it Gayle. One of the mediums is taking a group to South America to see John of God this fall. Oprah went there. He does psychic surgery. I am open to almost anything.

Tom Stephenson said...

That looks like a place which would be good to visit but terrible to live in!

ellen abbott said...

there are things that cannot be perceived by the 5 senses. some people are more open to them than others. my sister sees ghosts. I do believe that some people can pierce the veil though my one experience was a joke. I was already mentally separating from my first husband. there was a series of events I won't go into but his mother thought we should got to a marriage counselor which I declined knowing that it would be a waste of money we didn't have since I was the only one with a job so he got this bright idea to go see a psychic someone recommended but again could not afford the fee for both of us so I told him to do it though I went with him and was going to just sit in the waiting room but when she called him in she called me in too saying she could see that we were both tightly connected. right then I knew she was full of it because I was done with that guy. then it was just like she was making stabbing guesses about our life and not one word about the real issues. he seemed pleased though.

donna baker said...

Ha. Terrible because everyone knows everyone's business? Must be no secrets in Lily Dale.

donna baker said...

Maybe she was cockeyed. I think many are probably charlatans, but definitely some really are clairvoyant. One of the things that convinced me a long time ago, was when Liza Hallaby, daughter of the ambassador to Jordan went to a tea leaf reader in Jordan. She told Liza that someday she would be a queen. She did. Queen Noor of Jordan.

Tom Stephenson said...

I would rather live in Glastonbury, and that's saying something.

La Table De Nana said...

An uncanny resemblance to Martha's Vineyard's Gingerbread homes..

My mom loved Lucille Ball..I wrote her a letter when my mom passed..no answer:( 44 yrs ago..I was surprised.

donna baker said...

It is. How sweet you wrote a letter to Lucille Ball. I watched every show she made. My Mom died is 1969. Not too long after the moon landing.

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

I'd love to go and visit Lily Dale ...... and, I think Tom is right .... good to visit but not a place that I would want to live !!! I would love to go just to see those beautiful houses ..... they are gorgeous .XXXX

donna baker said...

It would be fun to spend some time there. Maybe visit an aunt that lives there. Kind of mind boggling.

Mary said...

I'll go for a visit with Jacqueline - I love her and hope to meet up some day, somewhere, haha!

You must come along too Donna - although I'm not into that stuff I must say I'm learning quite a lot about ghosts and drifters from my current book - Susan Meissner's "A Bridge Across The Ocean". Having travelled on Cunard's original Queen Mary (now dry-docked in Long Beach) I'm always interested in her history - and had no idea she is haunted!

Yes the houses in Lily Dale are quaint but I don't think I could live there!

How are your rats - I've got mice again! The traps were busy for two nights, they probably couldn't stand being outside in the heat index of 106F on Friday - hopefully that's it for now!

Happy day - Mary

donna baker said...

I've only caught one so I sure hope they are entering the poison boxes I put outside the fences. I had to relocate them as they hadn't nibbled a bite. Sigh. I need to climb back in my goldfish pond to clean out the filter and it is so hot, all I want to do is watch my garden, not work in it. This week the son is moving back to Tulsa, so I'll be busy with that. The summer is going so fast. I think it would be fun to go to Lily Dale.

Jacqueline~Cabin and Cottage said...

It's always something with you! haha! I had my Tarot cards read once. I couldn't figure out how a total stranger knew so much about me. It all came true. Best of luck with the rats!!!! I thought about you out there yonder while I was sailing past Oklahoma. Did you hear me yell hi?

Debbie Nolan said...

Dear Donna - now that is a place I never heard of before. Those Victorian homes look gorgeous. Like you it will not be a place I would plan on visiting. Enjoyed reading about it though. Hugs!

donna baker said...

Heard a big howdy. ope you found lots of good stuff. You were smart to go white as nothing brown sells anymore.

donna baker said...

You too Deb. It makes the world endlessly interesting, does it not? Always told my kids if everyone was the same, the world would be boring.

Cathy said...

There's an old saying - 'Don't knock it 'til you try it'. Very true in some cases
I had my cards read once - never met the person before. Was careful in what I said. Things that came up that weren't even spiken about came true.
And 5kms up the road from me here east of Melbourne is a small 'town' called Lilydale.

Sandra Cox said...

I had never heard of Lily Dale, Donna!
Sounds fascinating. Thanks for the info.

donna baker said...

Wow Cathy. That's something. I think there is something out there - whether in a parallel universe, spirit world; I just don't know. Gets back to the things we can't see or fathom. Glad to hear from another Aussie. Elephant's Child is one of my favorite blogs.

donna baker said...

A neat place and history. I looked up some of the mediums' info and I don't know what I expected, but they looked like the next door neighbors.

The Weaver of Grass said...

I rarely hear of the Spiritualist movement these days Donna but I am sure
there are plenty still out there.

Sandra Cox said...

The architecture in those homes is so intricate. Amazing.

Sandra Cox said...

Lucille Ball's fortune is really intriguing.

Down by the sea said...

That is a very unusual town and one I haven't heard of before. The architecture looks delightful. We have a town called Glastonbury which is very New Age (it is also the location of the famous music festival.) The shops in Glastonbury are different and sell things you wouldn't find elsewhere. Sarah x

donna baker said...

Me either Pat. Just think Lily Dale is interesting. Don't know of other places like it. Closest that comes to mind is New Orleans.

donna baker said...

I'm sure it is a really nice place to visit. It is next to a large lake.

donna baker said...

I have heard of their music festivals Sarah. I think Lily Dale is more 'old age' and psychics.

Frances said...

Good morning Donna. Please forgive my lazy blogger syndrome...I have been enjoying getting caught up on your recent posts.
I don't believe that I've before heard of Lily Dale. The architecture does look quainter than quaint. Once I did visit a psychic, a very old British lady who lived in my current neighborhood. Some friends were including her in a documentary film about psychics and witches. She apparently was one of the British witches who were enlisted to help protect London during the Blitz. I still have the notes from my sitting somewhere around here... What amuses me is that about 30 years later, my own tiny apartment greatly resembles how I remember hers looking...except I don't have a black cat. xo

donna baker said...

So glad to hear from you Frances. Today, you are going to swelter in NYC. How is that for a premonition. I just went out for a few and the yard guys ran me back inside. I'm surprised you haven't heard of Lily Dale though I know it is far from NYC. Did the lady tell you anything of import? Glad you came for a visit.

Blogoratti said...

That is indeed an intriguing town and place to visit. A rather mysterious one too. Thanks for sharing it all. Warm greetings!

Share my Garden said...

The houses are delightful, but I'd give this place a miss, I prefer to move forward with optimism and blind ignorance!

donna baker said...

And to you Mr. Blogoratti.

donna baker said...

Yes, I grew up with the maxim, ignorance is bliss. Or is it? And, I'm glad to know you are an optimist Rosemary. I consider myself a realist. Nature or nurture?

jerilanders said...

I think I would pass on this place, even though the buildings are charming, the goings on inside just creep me out. The Victorians had many strange notions and nothing has changed much today. As a student of history, I see that the world and it's people seem to remain the same, no matter what era we live in.

Sandra Cox said...

Hi Donna, I agree with your comment on past lives. That would be fascinating. Hope your week is pleasant and productive.