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Information
Location:
1133 Mt. Hope
Avenue Rochester, NY
14620
Directions.
Phone:
(585) 428-7999
Days / Hours:
All year. Open daily
from dawn until dusk.
Office is closed
holidays.
Maps:
Cemetery grounds;
Google Map;
Topographic;
Bird's-eye view
Admission: Free
Handicap accessibility:
Only the main office.
Pets:
Allowed, on leash. Must
clean up after.
Accommodations:
Maps and
information available at
the office or entrance
kiosks. Restaurants and
shopping along Mt. Hope
Ave.
Best time to visit: Year-round with
fall adding
spectacular color (try
late October), and
winter adding an eerie
calm. Spring and summer
are best for flowers. |
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The breathtaking
geological landscape, the eclectic mix of
monuments in various states of decay and
repair – from the well-kept and pristine to
the illegible and crumbled, and the tales
they all have to tell - make Mt. Hope
Cemetery one of New York State's best locations for
photography.
We put together our
original page on Mt. Hope based on photos
taken in the colorful
autumn months
and returned the following
winter to capture the cemetery blanketed
in snow. Spring was our next stop, and a
well-anticipated one at that. Although our
early spring visits were uninspiring, with
muddy ground and bare trees, May brought a
burst of spring colors and organic growth to
the grounds. During this time the grass
rises rapidly, getting a head start on the
groundskeepers, and concealing much of the
low and inconspicuous stones. Tulips,
daffodils, and wildflowers provide glints of
color within the predominantly freshly green
landscape. Magnolias and various other
flowering trees, dot the southern perimeter
and nearby gravesites. This is the perfect
time to observe the interaction between
man-made gravestones and the encroaching
nature, whose compliment creates much of the
character of this place. It's the management
here that has to keep this all in balance.
Nature, if left unchecked, easily destroys
even the most magnificent monuments.
Despite visiting the cemetery
numerous times prior, this visit felt like a
new one. Familiar places looked brand new
under this fresh growth and the bright
yellow-green color of spring. I explored the
north-west end of the grounds, adjacent to
the Waste Management storage site and
traveled around the northern perimeter
towards a beautiful and sparsely plotted
pine woods near University of Rochester
dorms. This section of the cemetery opens up
to a beautiful grassy field with one or two
trees that are crowded with tombstones that
seem to be seeking shelter in the shade.
It's such a stark contrast from the hilly
tree-covered topography that characterizes
much of Mt Hope.
During my visit, the cemetery
was heavily used by persons walking their
dogs. That's perfectly fine that people can
get out and enjoy the cemetery as a park,
but many of these irresponsible owners had
their pets off of the leash, and they were
on their own, digging around and causing a
lot of noise in this otherwise serene
location. It was appalling that I would
frequently come across evidence that either
the owners didn't know or didn't care that
their pets had left a little disrespect in
the cemetery of all places. It's a shame, and I
hope this will improve as time goes on. |
