How to visit Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester NY

Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, NY, is one of the oldest active municipal Victorian burial grounds in the US. Packed with geological, historical and sculptural wonders, it is well worth a look if you are in the area and there are several ways to make the most of your visit.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Attend a guided tour. The Friends of Mount Hope preservation society gives general tours on Saturdays and Sundays from May through October, and theme tours throughout the summer. A full list is available on their website.

2. Research your family tree. Burial records from the cemetery's inception in 1838 until 2002 are available online, or you can visit the cemetery office in person Monday to Friday 8.30am to 3.30pm, where staff can help you locate graves of your ancestors. (Note: to be fair to the busy cemetery staff, please be reasonably sure you actually have ancestors at Mount Hope before asking them to drag out their hundreds of record books!)

3. Give yourself a guided tour. Maps are available at the entrance or at the cemetery office which show grave locations of notable permanent residents such as Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass and Frank Gannett.

Tips & Warnings

• If this is your first visit to Mount Hope Cemetery and you do not have a GPS or other navigation system in your car (or you are on foot), it is wise to obtain a cemetery map from one of the entrance stations. It is a large cemetery with sometimes confusing road patterns, and the gates are locked promptly at closing time.

Resources

• Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery
• Mount Hope Cemetery burial records online