Hydesville Memorial Park
1510 Hydesville Road Newark, NY 14513
The site where the Fox Sisters first communicated with Spirit
The Birthplace and Shrine of Modern Spiritualism
On December 11, 1847, the Fox Family moved to the rural community of Hydesville, New York.
During the last two weeks of March 1848, strange knockings were heard at night from the floors, walls, and furniture.
On the night of March 31, 1848, Katie suddenly thought of talking to the knocks. She said, "Here, Mr. Split-foot (a common nickname for the devil), do as I do."
She rapped several times on the floor, and the spirit responded with the same number of raps.
During the night of March 31, 1848, Katie suddenly thought of talking to the knocks. She said, "Here, Mr. Split-foot (a common nickname for the devil), do as I do."
She rapped several times on the floor, and the Spirit responded with the same number of raps.
The breakthrough had been made! This was the first recognition that Spirit had intelligence. A system was established for asking questions, and Spirit would rap once for yes and no rap for no.
Neighbors were summoned to the house to witness the phenomena. This single event began an explosion of interest in Spirit Communication and led to the founding of the religion of Spiritualism.
In 1915, Benjamin Bartlett moved the Fox cottage from Hydesville, New York, to Lily Dale, the headquarters for the National Spiritualist Association of Churches.
Unfortunately, the cottage mysteriously burned down in 1955.
In 1998, the National Spiritualist Association of Churches purchased the property where the Fox Cottage stood. Today, it is a memorial park designed for Spiritualists Worldwide.
The park is in a rural community in Wayne County, New York.
This new building is on the site of the original Fox Cottage
Rev. Sidney Schwartz, Pastor of Gifts of the Spirit Church at Hydesville Memorial Park.
Inside this structure is a picture of the Fox sisters, and one can view the exposed foundation of the original cottage.
A brick path surrounds the building. Many bricks have been inscribed by people or groups who value Spiritualism; some are Spiritualist memorials.
Rev. Joseph Merrill
President of the National Spiritualist Association of Churches
Sally Crowell
Attended Gifts of the Spirit Church
Rev. James Buchanan
A Lily Dale Medium
First Spiritualist Church of Willimantic, CT
Carl Hewitt was president of this church for several years
Connecticut State Spiritualist Association
The rest of the Memorial’s grounds is a park dedicated to meditation and inward reflection.
The National Spiritualist Association of Churches' brochure on Hydesville Memorial Park.