Lily Dale was incorporated in 1879 as Cassadaga Lake Free Association, a camp and meeting place for Spiritualists and Freethinkers. The name was changed to The City of Light in 1903 and finally to Lily Dale Assembly in 1906. The purpose of Lily Dale is to further the science, philosophy, & religion of Spiritualism.
Lily Dale is a hamlet located in the Town of Pomfret on the east side of Cassadaga Lake, next to the Village of Cassadaga. Located in southwestern New York State, it is one hour southwest of Buffalo, halfway to the Pennsylvania border. Lily Dale's year-round population is estimated to be 275. Each year approximately 22,000 visitors come for classes, workshops, public church services and mediumship demonstrations, lectures, and private appointments with mediums. In recent years, guest lecturers have included Lisa Williams, Dee Wallace, members of "Ghost Hunters," Tibetan monks, James Van Praagh, Dr. Wayne Dyer, and Deepak Chopra.
Lily Dale is located on the east side of Upper Cassadaga Lake at an elevation of approximately 1325 ft. Its coordinates are 42°21'06" North, 79°19'27" West (42.351725, -79.324211). Its main route of access is New York State Route 60, which is located about .5 miles east of the hamlet and runs north and south to the cities of Dunkirk and Jamestown. The Cassadaga Job Corps Center can be seen across the lake from Lily Dale. Another very small lake, Mud Lake, is located between Lily Dale and Route 60.