ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Mt. Hope Cemetery on the southeast side of the City of Rochester is, in some ways, a big outdoor museum.
"You can go to the Eastman House, or you can go to the Susan B. Anthony House or the Rochester Museum (and Science Center), but here, here you get the whole thing," said Dennis Carr, Friends of Mt. Hope Cemetery.
Dedicated in 1838, and situated on 196 acres with 14 1/2 miles of roadway, Mt. Hope Cemetery is one of the first municipal Victorian cemeteries in the country.
"This served as the city's first park for almost 50 years until Highland Park opened across the street."
There are more than 300,000 people buried at Mt. Hope Cemetery; many of whom have had a significant impact on Rochester and around the world.
Mt. Hope Cemetery is the final resting place for many Revolutionary war heroes, Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass, and both Bausch and Lomb.
"I think in addition to being business partners, they were good friends, and there are a lot of examples of good business partners being buried together," said Carr.
More than a dozen banners lining the avenue outside the cemetery make note of the noteworthy people buried here. Many visitors take a guided tour of the cemetery provided by the Friends of Mt. Hope Cemetery. The nonprofit organization was founded in 1980, and volunteers lead a memorable journey that offers a history lesson.
"It's a jewel here, you know," said Marilyn Nolte, Friends of Mt. Hope Cemetery. "People come in here all the time. I always tell people that everyday of the year except maybe Christmas and New Year's, people are in here visiting Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass."
Mt. Hope Cemetery has proven to be more than just a burial place. It is a public attraction and cultural landmark.
"This is sort of the survey course in Rochester history. I think this is the place to come."