Spiritualism, like many religions, is based in a belief in God, but the distinguishing feature of Spiritualism is a belief that spirits of the dead can be contacted and can provide information about the afterlife.

The beginning of Spiritualism can be traced back to the events of one night: March 31, 1848. The place was Hydesville, NY, just north of Newark, Wayne County. The Fox family lived there in a modest home.

While there are many skeptics of the Fox sisters’ story millions of Spiritualists believe the events are sacred. The remains of the Fox home, now just foundation, are a shrine to believers. The site is protected by a shelter erected by the Spiritualist Church.

This report is an overview of the events of that night as told by two Spiritualists; Pastor Robin Higgins of the Plymouth Spiritualist Church in Rochester, and Tracy Murphy who calls herself the caretaker of the site.