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were held in the dining hall and were invitationonly affairs%u2014to draw only the best people from the surrounding area. The camp%u2019s six-week summer season of 1927 attracted 20,000 people. For a time, the Union Traction Company had a spur with a trolley stop inside the grounds. Obviously, it was a phenomenal amount of growth within just a few short years. Under the superb leadership of Rev. Mable Riffle, the camp continued to grow and improve. Soon two hotels (with a total of 225 rooms), a chapel, more cottages, and attractive landscaping were added. Riffle, a former school teacher turned medium, was secretary of the Indiana Association of Spiritualists from 1909 to 1961. She never wanted to be the organization%u2019s president, and felt she could be more effective as its secretary. When making decisions, her primary criteria was, %u201cis it good for the camp?%u201d Feisty at times, a critic once claimed Riffle heard a couple mention the word fraud, and told them, %u201cWe do not have that kind of talk here. Now get your goddam ass off these hallowed grounds and don%u2019t come back.%u201dA Feminism ConnectionFrom its beginnings, Spiritualism has been a strong proponent of feminism, something well documented in Radical Spirits: Spiritualism and Women%u2019s Rights in Nineteenth Century America by Ann Braude. National suffragists Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton said Spiritualism was the only religion that included and promoted women and gave them an opportunity to become ordained leaders. Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for president of the United States, who created her own brokerage firm, had several husbands, and was an advocate of free love, was also a Spiritualist and a medium.Amelia Colby-Luther, another nationally known suffragist, was one of the founders of Camp Chesterfield, and one of its association%u2019s early vice presidents. In 1920, Mrs. May Wright Sewall, who was ranked as one of Indianapolis%u2019 %u201cthree most eminent citizens,%u201d published a Spiritualist book entitled, Neither Dead nor Sleeping, with an introduction by Booth Tarkington. Among her many notable achievements, Mrs. Sewall helped establish the Art Association of Indianapolis (which became the Indianapolis Museum of Art) and the John Herron Art Institute. In addition, she was a nationally recognized women%u2019srights and peace activist. Not one to flaunt her Spiritualist beliefs, she kept her psychic experiences a secret for nearly 25-years because those who contacted her from the spirit world told her not to share this aspect of her life with others. Her book was released just prior to her death, and a New York Times Book Review praised it by saying, %u201camazing is hardly too strong of a word.%u201dThe seminary at Camp Chesterfield has certainly shown feminist leanings. Since opening, there have always been more female students than male, it has ordained more women than men, and in 2019 it held a conference devoted to the topic of female Suffrage and Spiritualism.