Mount Hope Cemetery
Mount Hope Cemetery is a National Historic Site, the first Municipal Victorian cemetery in the United States, a case study in glacial geology, and the final resting place to more people than reside in Rochester, New York, today. Our mission is to involve the community in restoring and celebrating this landmark.
History
The grounds of Mount Hope as we see them today have existed since around 1838. And the geology which shaped this unique piece of land goes back 10,000 years to when the area was underneath the Laurentide ice sheet, a glacier nearly 2 miles thick. This land gets its character from these glaciers receding, and as was the goal of the committee tasked with establishing a cemetery in Rochester in 1836, this character was to be preserved and celebrated.
The Kettles of Mount Hope Cemetery
This project began with a focus on restoring the dry kettle next to Sylvan Waters to it's original exquisite condition. Home to 67 unmarked graves, plus dozens marked, our project is to bring new life to a special part of Mount Hope Cemetery. The cemetery has 4 or 5 kettles, which are natural formations created by glaciers:
"Kettles form when a block of stagnant ice (a serac) detaches from the glacier. Eventually, it becomes wholly or partially buried in sediment and slowly melts, leaving behind a pit. In many cases, water begins fills the depression and forms a pond or lake—a kettle. Kettles can be feet or miles long, but they are usually shallow."
National Park Service