Cassadaga has long been easy to admire through a windshield. New York State Route 60 runs through the heart of the village, bringing travelers past quiet water, wooded shorelines and a village center with the cozy feel of another era. While Cassadaga is certainly a scenic view for people on their way somewhere else, the community is working to become a destination rather than simply a “drive-by.” The goal is not to remake Cassadaga, but to help more people recognize and support what is already there.

Cassadaga begins with an enviable collection of natural assets. Its three interconnected glacial lakes support fishing, paddling, swimming and wildlife watching. The Cassadaga Lakes Nature Park protects shoreline, wetlands and forest, while the village beach, parks and floating stage create gathering places for residents and visitors. Fall colors, winter recreation and proximity to Lily Dale extend the community’s appeal well beyond the traditional summer season. Turning that natural beauty into a four-season destination requires coordination among village leaders, community organizations and local businesses. Together, they are working to preserve what makes Cassadaga distinctive while creating more reasons for people to visit, stay and return.

The Cassadaga Main Street Master Plan and Village Revitalization Plan provides a framework for that work. Developed with the Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development and support from the Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth, the plan connects individual projects to a larger community vision. It also focuses attention on the Route 60 corridor, where Cassadaga has both its greatest visibility and its greatest opportunity. The village is exploring branding, marketing, wayfinding, pedestrian improvements and other possibilities that could better connect Route 60 travelers with Cassadaga’s businesses, lakes and recreational assets. Applications through Market New York, NY Forward and Chautauqua County’s 3% Occupancy Tax Tourism Product Development Grant Program could eventually help fund parts of that vision. Complete Streets concepts, which consider the safety and accessibility of motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists and people of all ages and abilities, may also inform future projects.

The momentum behind Cassadaga’s transformation is already visible in the people, organizations and businesses doing the work every day.

The Cassadaga Lakes Association, founded in 1957, continues its longstanding stewardship of the community’s defining natural resource. Its work includes water-quality monitoring, education, safety programs, weed control and advocacy for the lakes and their tributaries. Citizens for a Better Cassadaga contributes across a broad spectrum of recreational, artistic, beautification, business-development and quality-of-life projects. Its work can be seen in community events and improvements. The Cassadaga Community and Business Alliance concentrates on economic activation, entrepreneurship, hospitality and responsible tourism. It helps connect existing and prospective businesses with support services while advocating for growth that respects Cassadaga’s residential character and natural environment.

Each organization has its own focus, which will be explored more fully elsewhere in this publication, but their efforts converge around a common premise: Cassadaga’s future will be strongest when environmental stewardship, community life and economic development reinforce one another.

That same sense of shared purpose is visible throughout the village’s business community. Individually, these businesses meet local needs and offer distinctive experiences. Together, they give Route 60 travelers a growing list of reasons to turn a trip through Cassadaga into a visit.

At 3 Lakes Café, coffee, breakfast and lunch come with the unmistakable feeling of a neighborhood gathering place. The café will be honored as the CHQ Chamber’s 2026 Hospitality Business of the Year at the chamber’s Oct. 8 awards banquet, which is a significant recognition for both the business and the village.

Blue Tomato LLC introduces visitors to lakeside living through its Blue Oar Lakehouse and Blue Canoe Lake Cottage. The thoughtfully renovated vacation properties encourage guests to experience Cassadaga slowly and support the village’s vision for responsible overnight tourism.

Cassadaga Hook and Paddle brings visitors directly onto the water with beginner-friendly kayak and fishing-boat rentals, meeting customers at the Middle Cassadaga Lake launch. Its emphasis on quiet recreation, wildlife and local stewardship is a natural fit for the community’s four-season destination identity.

Daw Daw’s Delights, LLC is growing from a home-based bakery toward a future storefront. Its cookies, made by owner Amanda Lancaster, demonstrate how small-scale entrepreneurship can develop into a visible part of Main Street.

K.C.R. Enterprises provides local automotive service and represents the kind of dependable, established business that keeps a rural community functioning year-round. It serves residents while also offering reassurance to the many motorists traveling through the Route 60 corridor.

The RED House brings people together on a distinctive historic property with a Victorian manor, timber barn and wooded grounds. Located at 91 Frisbee Road, the venue focuses on weddings and other special events, including ceremonies and receptions.

Savvy Hair Design owner, Dawn Beckman, has created space not only for her own work but also for other professionals, including booth renter Abbey DuBois. From quick cuts to “savvy” style, Savvy Hair Design gives clients the opportunity to leave feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

The T Party, one of Cassadaga’s newest arrivals, is preparing to celebrate with a CHQ Chamber ribbon-cutting in the coming weeks. The new venue offers event spaces for meetings and parties, as well as event planning for those special occasions. Its opening adds another small business to the community and another reason for visitors to explore what is new in the village.

Carter Landscaping contributes the outdoor expertise that helps homes, businesses and community spaces put their best face forward. That work complements a broader effort to strengthen Cassadaga’s curb appeal while preserving its welcoming, small-town character.

At 86 North Main Street, Alec J. Witkowski has assembled a highly visible business hub that includes Wit’s Convenience and VP Racing Fuels, King Kone and Fermentation Station Wine & Spirits. It is precisely the kind of place where a Route 60 traveler can stop for one reason and discover several more. Witkowski is also a dedicated leader in the village’s planning and broader economic-development efforts.

Together, these enterprises make Cassadaga more than a collection of attractions. They make it a living community: a place to buy a cup of coffee, repair a vehicle, book a celebration, enjoy the lakes, support an entrepreneur or simply linger longer than expected. They also demonstrate that the village’s four-season ambitions are grounded in real experiences. A summer visitor can paddle the lakes and attend a concert at the floating stage. Fall brings colorful shorelines and weekends beside the water. Winter creates opportunities for snowmobiling and other cold-weather recreation. Throughout the year, local businesses provide the food, services, accommodations and gathering places that turn outdoor assets into a complete visit.

Cover Photos: Jacob Toy

The Village of Cassadaga is working to become more than a pass-through community by giving Route 60 travelers a reason to stop, invest and stay. The Board of Trustees recently announced a new economic development agenda with a campaign name and theme: “Four Seasons connecting nature, tourism and prosperity in a hallmark community.” The theme gives the village a unified identity for grant funding, branding, tourism and community investment.

The initiative builds on the Village of Cassadaga Main Street Master Plan and Village Revitalization Framework, developed through a collaborative process involving the village, Chautauqua County Planning Department, Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth, residents, business owners and other community stakeholders. The master plan and framework notes various focus areas to invest in and make improvements on throughout the village, including improving pedestrian safety, strengthening the village center, building on community identity through landscaping and village beautification, improving the connection between Main Street and key community destinations, enhancing public spaces such as Village Commons Park and other community areas and supporting local businesses.

The village’s economic vision centers on building a vibrant, healthy and authentically local rural community. Its goals include helping families thrive, supporting business growth, preserving local heritage, improving quality of life and creating sustainable opportunities that attract new investment, welcome new families, retain talent and strengthen the community for future generations.

Mayor Rudy Abersold said the village’s economic mission and campaign are intended to show residents, businesses, development partners and potential funders that Cassadaga has “the desire, willingness and ability to support strategic economic growth.” He also highlighted the village’s natural seasonal assets and its location on “the most traveled highway in Chautauqua County.”

A newly formed NY Forward Grant Committee is working on the development of a comprehensive grant submission for this year. The NY Forward grant program supports smaller and rural downtown communities with their revitalization. Made up of local business owners and residents, the committee is chaired by Nathan Pownall and is working closely with village trustees to identify priority projects that support Cassadaga’s eco-tourism economy.

“For our rural community, we have a vision centered on economic development, four-season recreation, business development, workforce development, housing and quality of life,” said NY Forward Committee Chairman Nathan Pownall. “We want our residents to live well and encourage vacationers to visit often.”

The NY Forward Planning Committee includes Pownall, chairman, along with Laura Pownall, AJ Witkowski, Dave Rowley, Susan Asquith, Teri Seibert, Sean Seibert, Chris Cooke, Rob Lederman, Jake Toy, BJ Monacelli, Emma Cook and Tammie Wichlacz.

In addition to pursuing NY Forward funding, the village is seeking other grant opportunities. With assistance from the Chautauqua County Planning Department, the village recently applied to the New York State Market NY Program for funding to support a comprehensive branding, marketing and wayfinding signage initiative. Likewise, Cassadaga is looking to improve its water infrastructure with an $8.6 million to $9.5 million capital improvement project to replace century-old water lines and improve water quality.

The Main Street plan also identifies potential funding sources for future projects, including the state Consolidated Funding Application, Transportation Alternatives Program, New York Main Street program, parks and recreation grants, water-quality programs and other state and federal infrastructure resources. The plan calls for projects to be advanced in phases as funding, partnerships and agency coordination make them possible.

Village officials hope these efforts will help build an eco-tourism destination anchored by a 217-acre lake system that supports boating, swimming and sport fishing. The region also offers access to Chautauqua County’s 400 miles of managed snowmobile trails, extending its appeal into the winter season.

By connecting its natural assets with strategic investment, Cassadaga is positioning itself as a year-round destination and a stronger place to live, visit and do business. The Discover Cassadaga vision gives the village a clear path forward: honoring its rural character while building new opportunities for residents, visitors and future generations.

Dave Rowley spent 42 years in the broadcasting industry before retiring in 2023. He served as news director at WDOE and WBKX for 31 years, previously worked at WKSN-WHUG in Jamestown and began his career at the former WBUZ in Fredonia. Rowley attended SUNY Fredonia and is a graduate of Fredonia High School. In addition to his broadcasting career, Rowley has remained active in local organizations. He currently serves on the Cassadaga Village Board of Trustees, along with boards of the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, the Cassadaga Lakes Association and the Kiwanis Club of Falconer. Rowley is also a member of the Sons of the American Legion, Post 1280 in Cassadaga.