Friends of Mt. Hope

FRIENDS OF MOUNT HOPE CEMETERY -- NEWS -- 2021

MARCH 2021

FEBRUARY 2021

MOURNING IN THE MORNING LECTURE -- FEBRUARY 2021

A NATION OF JOINERS: Regalia and the History of Fraternalism in America
Presented by Dennis Carr

Saturday, February 13
10:30 a.m.
A ZOOM program presented in partnership with the Central Library

From the early nineteenth through the twentieth century the symbols and emblems of secret societies and benefit organizations appear on monuments in Mount Hope Cemetery. By the 1920s, half of the entire population of the United States belonged to at least one secret order or fraternal benefit society. Although their practices and ceremonies can appear silly today, these organizations played a vital role in the culture of their time in providing social "safety net" benefits, pre-digital age networking and powerful lobbying efforts for their members. This program explores the evidence left by these groups in Mount Hope Cemetery and across American culture.

JANUARY 2021

FRIGID FUN!

We all know that Mount Hope is lovely all year round, and we at the FOMH have outdoor volunteer opportunities during every season.

Currently we have a polar bear crew who get together on Saturday mornings several times a month to cut out seedlings around gravestones. See the before/after shots below:

before and after images of shrub removal between gravestones

And we welcome new workers! If you are a person of adventure and would like to provide a vital service to the Cemetery, go to "Contact Us" at the top of this page. We will connect you with our outdoor work organizer. You would be most welcome! -- FOMH

EMIL HOMERIN––longtime trustee, exceptional tour guide, and esteemed friend, died December 26 at the age of 65. In this month's Epitaph, several of his colleagues at the Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery pay tribute to him and to his devotion and contributions to the FOMH.

The FOMH board has established a fund to plant a tree in Homerin's memory. In the spring we will stage a dedication, inviting friends, family, and colleagues to Mount Hope Cemetery.

Gifts to the Emil Homerin Tree Fund may be sent to :

Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery
PO Box 18713
Rochester, NY 14618.

Please note "Emil Homerin tree" in the memo section of your check. Thank you.

2021 WINTER WALKING TOURS

Start Time 11:00 a.m. on three Saturdays:Jan. 30, Feb. 27, and March 27 (The January tour was sold out.)
Meet: South entrance, 1133 Mount Hope Avenue (opposite Distillery Restaurant)
Admission: $12 (Free for FOMH Members)

ALL TOUR GOERS (INCLUDING FOMH MEMBERS) MUST REGISTER AND ACQUIRE TICKETS IN ADVANCE.

The Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery offer three opportunities to experience the beauty of the cemetery in winter. The 60-90 minute tour route is entirely on flat, paved roads that are routinely plowed by cemetery staff. In addition to historical information about Mount Hope and famous Rochester citizens who are buried in the south end, tours will include stops at the cemetery's newest mausoleum and an impressive monument erected by the Union Pacific Railroad. Each tour will follow a different route.

All tour participants must wear masks and maintain social distance. Tour size is limited, so register early to save your spot.

SECTION A RESTORATION PROJECT -- We have reached 80% of our goal!!  Sincere thanks to our donors.

Please help us fund the last 20% of this critical project. What a difference we can make!

Section A attracts many visitors, and we all know that when we take a walk in a cemetery, the first things that catch our eyes are the broken, toppled, or otherwise damaged monuments. We have counted 148 grave-stones in Section A that need restoration. And we have received an estimate from a trusted contractor that the restoration work would cost $14,800.

Please be a financial contributor at whatever amount suits you. To contribute, please send a check , with the notation "Section A Restoration," to: 

Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery

PO Box 18713  Rochester, New York 14618

Our Sincere Thanks for Your Support!

MOURNING IN THE MORNING LECTURES -- WINTER 2021

Working with the Central Library, the Friends are pleased to announce that the "Mourning in the Morning" series will continue on Zoom in 2021.

Lillian Wald Portrait

"Lillian D. Wald: Rochester's Renaissance Woman"

Presented by Patricia Corcoran

Saturday, January 9th on Zoom -- 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The legacy of Lillian D. Wald continues long after her death in 1940. Her work as a nurse, a social worker, and head worker at Henry Street Settlement in New York reveals a life of pioneering contributions to improve the lives of the poor and disenfranchised.

Patricia Corcoran is currently the president of the Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery. She is a retired Rochester City School District teacher.