News Release - City to Celebrate 175th Anniversary of Mount Hope Cemetery

City of Rochester

News Release

(Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013) – Mayor Thomas S. Richards and U.S. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter will join staff and volunteers at Mount Hope Cemetery to commemorate the historic cemetery’s 175th anniversary at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 5. The public is invited to attend events planned to celebrate the occasion at the north end of the cemetery near the Mount Hope Cemetery Gatehouse, 791 Mt. Hope Ave. Refreshments will be served following the formal program, and other activities are planned throughout the day.

Originally dedicated on October 3, 1838, Mount Hope Cemetery is the oldest municipal Victorian cemetery in the nation. Spanning nearly 200 acres, Mount Hope is a working cemetery and a landmark that draws thousands of visitors each year who come to experience the history and natural beauty that make Mount Hope a valued community asset.

The City of Rochester and the Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery are working to establish a tree management plan for the cemetery. In recognition of this effort and Mount Hope’s 175th anniversary, private donations are being solicited to assist with reforestation efforts to ensure the restoration and growth of magnificent trees throughout Mount Hope for future generations to enjoy. For more information, visit www.cityofrochester.gov/reforestmounthope.

Other events planned on the day of the anniversary event include:

• 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Mount Hope Memorabilia Sale / north Mt. Hope Avenue entrance featuring Mount Hope Cemetery-themed books and artwork depicting images of the cemetery will be on sale. Donated photographic prints, including those from the recent City Hall Link Gallery exhibit, “A Beautiful Place to Rest: Rochester’s Mount Hope Cemetery,” will be sold to benefit the Reforest Mount Hope fundraising campaign.
• 10 to 11 a.m.: Crematory Open House / 1133 Mt. Hope Ave. (south entrance): Learn more about the Crematory at Mount Hope, the most modern facility of its kind in the Greater Rochester area. Opened in the spring of 2011, the facility adjoins the cemetery’s administrative offices.

• 11 a.m.: Walking Tour of Mount Hope Cemetery / Mt. Hope Avenue south entrance. Two-hour walking tour led by Friends of Mount Hope (FOMH) through the south section of the grounds on paved roads and even terrain. Learn about 19th and 20th century Rochesterians including Rufus Sibley, co-founder of Sibley, Lindsay and Curr department store; Frank Gannett, founder of the Democrat and Chronicle; James Vick, founder of Vick's Nursery; Alexander Millener, Revolutionary War drummer; and others. ($5 fee, free for children under 16 years old and FOMH members.)

• 11 a.m. and noon: Sneak Peek Inside Chapel / Mt. Hope Avenue south entrance. Not normally open to the public, the doors of the 1912 Chapel will be open for a peek inside from the rear vestibule. (Note: Individuals will not be allowed to enter the chapel.)    

For information about Mount Hope Cemetery, call 428-7970 or visit www.cityofrochester.gov/mounthope.

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Media Contact: For more information contact Cemetery Manager Jeffrey Simmons at 208-0553 or via email at simmonsj@cityofrochester.gov.