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Ladies,
If you ever wondered about what being a CD was like in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Google search for "Casa Susanna."
Casa Susanna was a secluded retreat for CDs, located about a two hour drive north of New York City, in a mountain town called Jewett, New York.
Casa Susanna was operated by Susanna and her wife and provided a secluded private place where Susanna and her many CD girl friends could express their femininity, away from public eyes. Susanna and her wife owned and operated a wig store in NYC, which they would close on certain weekends, then travel upstate and open the CD retreat. Word of the CD retreat in the pre-digital age was advertised in paper CD publications and by word-of-mouth.
Many photos exist of the numerous CDs who passed through Casa Susanna, over the years, and if you lived during that time frame, you will recognize the elegant way women dressed, even in a casual setting like this CD retreat.
Dresses, heels, girdles, stockings, beautiful hair styles, gloves, make up, etc. were all standard for women in the 50s and 60s, and that is what the girls of Casa Susanna wore.
I was in junior high school, then high school during those years, and I was fascinated with female clothing. My mother wore the latest beautiful fashion clothing, but it was the girl across the street who "feminized" me and taught me so much about being a girl. She shared much of her clothing with me and helped me shop for my own female items. Sadly, my father was transferred out-of-state, and we lost contact.
Casa Susanna ceased operating sometime in 1965-66, and it is thought Susanna's failing health was the reason. I found out about a year ago that the abandon property was up for sale. Real estate agent photos showed a badly deteriorating main building, sitting on an overgrown property. Supposedly, Jewett, NY is now a popular ski area, during the winter months.
Ironically, Susanna began renting out to deer hunters in the early 1960s, in order to keep income coming in to support Casa Susanna. The "girls" and the deer hunters, so the story goes, got along very well, because beside cross dressing, the "girls" had the usual male interests, the same interests that the deer hunters had.
Peggy Sue, thanks so much for the topic! I think I have seen pictures of Cassa Susanna from time to time, but did not realize their origin. I do love some of the photos with the 50s and 60s styles and the great care the ladies put into their presentation. And they cleaned up pretty well after dressing a deer outback, LOL!
There is a Casa Susanna hardback book, full of photos, and it can be ordered via Amazon. I got a copy, then passed it on to another sister in our support group. It was all photos, virtually no stories, history, biographies, etc.
So the story goes, two guys found a box full of Casa Susanna photos at a NYC yard sale and then published most of the photos in the book which is now available for public purchase.
Some Casa Susanna stories are floating around the internet, like supposedly there was a New Jersey police chief who was one of the girls, as well as a NY judge. Who knows if this is true?
I have never heard of Casa Susanna, but I am glad that you've shared that story with us. I have sometimes thought of how one managed to dress in the past, and most would of been like I was in the 60's, I thought that my desires were bad and somehow wrong.
Heaven knows how one made contact with each other back then. I doubt that I would of had the courage to reveal this side to anyone else.
Amy
An older girl in our support group told me that Tri-ESS would publish small ads in magazines like Penthouse. Communication was via U.S. mail, and Tri-ESS would respond in plain brown envelopes to anyone who wrote to them. They would also pass your address on to a local Tri-ESS chapter in your area. I about went into a panic and sweat, when both Tri-ESS and the local chapter responded to me in the early 80s, when I was still in the Navy. Oh my gosh, there was a local Tri-ESS chapter located right in Norfolk, Virginia! I had a very high-level security clearance and feared it would be revoked.
Although I never reached out to Tri-ESS, their literature was so wonderfully informative. I found out I was not crazy and that there were other heterosexual men just like me who enjoyed getting all dolled up in pretty female clothing. That stuck in my memory, and after the Navy, I did contact Tri-ESS again, and this time I did stay in touch with them!
Would be nice if the book could have included some quotes or anecdotes from our earlier sisterhood. But it is still a wonderful way to memorialize their time together. Like today, I would expect that CDs at Casa Suzanne cut across cultures and society at large.
I had heard of Casa Susanna and have enjoyed the photos to be found online. I've always been fascinated by that peripd in our trans history. So many things were beginning to open up for us. Harvey Fierstein even produced a Broadway play about Casa Susanna. He called it Casa Valentina.❤❤❤
I used "read" Penthouse from time to time, but never noticed an ad like that. In part because during that time my feminine side was very well suppressed.
Thanks for the extra info. I will try to find that book on Amazon and order it sometime. By that I mean when my youngest, who recently moved back in, is back out, either working elsewhere, or at school.
Amy
As old as I am (72), I never heard of Casa Susanna. However, per your suggestion I Googled it, and let me tell you, most of these “ladies” are/were awesome! Since my early formative years took place in the late 50’s, early 60’s, I’m well acquainted with the wardrobe and hairstyles of that era.
I wish I could go back in time and be one of them!
Good point, Rochelle. The photos from Casa Susanna show all white girls, except for one absolutely beautiful Oriental girl. One story says the Oriental girl was a stock broker/financial analyst who worked on Wall street at the NY stock exchange. My support group here in Atlanta has an African-American husband and wife who are members, as well as an African-American girl who is the girl friend of one of our members.
Great Story!! I must check it out, Thank you so much!!
I have heard of this before and a transwoman I know from college (when she was still a guy) has comptes it to her home. I don’t think that’s exactly accurate but perhaps I will reach out someday. I like to think about how nice it would be to visit a place like that. I can’t imagine anything more relaxing. If I were to ever get the chance to have a solo vacation there’s no doubt I would dress the whole time but that kind of support would be unparalleled.
I think there s video on YouTube I am not about that but I feel the same way like Aoife it would be so nice to be able to go somewhere and be out and about without all the fears that some of us have you know
Aoife,
If you ever have the opportunity to get away for a weekend, you are more than welcome to come to one of our monthly meeting weekends. We meet in a private hotel suite for one weekend every month.
Sigma Epsilon is the local Atlanta chapter of Tri-ESS.
www.sigmaepsilonatlanta.org
This sounds really great! Looks like you’re having an amazing time doing it all right now. Very envious! By the time I am able to join in I’ll probably (and hopefully) be onto another region of the world but at least I’m plugged in now!
Hearts and rainbows!