abandonedfreak

>> Subject: house
>> Sent: Jan 24, 2012 12:06 PM
>>
>> Hi Let me know if you have any questions about the house.
>> Contact me at any time
>>
>>
>> --
>> Crew Chief
> On Jan 24, 2012, at 12:19 PM, me wrote:
>
>> Yeah, I'd like more info about it and to possibly be able to see it, the listing gave nothing other than its on high street
> Subject: Re: house
>
> 28 high street it's open feel free to look. I haven't been there for a long time
>
> Crew Chief
On Jan 24, 2012, at 12:32 PM, me wrote:

> That can't be right, the city demolished that property a month ago, I have pictures of it on my photobucket and phone
> Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
I
suspected that may had happen. It needed brought to code. I never got notified. Lots for sale now I guess

Crew Chief

me:
Sorry, a lot I can't use doesn't help me, perhaps one of the neighbors would be interested in a yard
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

I caught it right after they started to demo it, shot it on xmas morning, it was gone the next day


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The interiors weren't the best, but it was 1am and I was dodging both the big yellow monster, and the black and white ones as well. but I call this a success, even if it did cost me the case for my point and shoot. The ones are grainy because the battery on my POS died partway through and I had to finish with my phone


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I have been unable to find any history or info on this place, not uncommon for where I live, but anyhow, I went and shot it today, and if any info is found it'll get posted.


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The big mausoleum is kept locked and only able to enter by making an appointment, because it is being renovated to repair vandalism, I'll post the pics if I can get in

The rolling hills, magnificent trees and melancholy artistry that make up Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, NY, combine to create an eerily beautiful setting, meant to house Rochester's dead, at the same time creating a treasured park and museum to the living. The narrow roads of the cemetery wind around the shaded hills leading visitors to parcels of unique character and mood, making this an exciting place to explore. From towering obelisks that seem to pierce the canopy to headstones that hide under blades of short grass, the diversity of the stone monuments here is only trumped by the variety of classes, races and characters that fill the ground beneath. Mausoleums symbolizing power and wealth share hilltops with unmarked gravestones, and unrelated family plots seem to randomly intertwine. Here one can find organization everywhere, with proper rows of matching stones, and carefully labeled sections and maps. But the real treasures here are the solitary markers that lie off near the hillside or in the shadows in their own microcosms and surely have their own stories to tell.

A walk in this cemetery is barely fulfilling without a guidebook, or better yet an experienced tour conductor. Even common graves have stories to tell. Some beaten and broken by time and weather, tell the story of their time and nurture. Wives' stones, snapped in half by unknown forces, have been lovingly rested upon their husband's and the tragedy of a child's death can be felt in the loving words engraved for him or her. An historian can easily discover hundreds of stories buried within the cemetery grounds, an artist can easily tell a thousand more.

The breathtaking geological landscape, the eclectic mix of monuments in various states of decay and repair – from the well-kept and pristine to the illegible and crumbled, and the tales they all have to tell - make Mt. Hope Cemetery one of New York State's best locations for photography.




Roughly 12,000 years ago, the land that is now Mt. Hope Cemetery was under a mile of thick glacial ice. If one were to look closely at the cemetery, evidence of this once predominant ice mass can be seen throughout the entire landscape. As glaciers melt they leave behind, among other things, ridges of rock, rubble, natural embankments and drumlin hills. This type of glacial moraine, to the benefit of the conscientious observer, weaves its way through much of Mt. Hope Cemetery, extending east through Highland Park and Cobbs Hill Park, and forming a risen stretch of land dubbed, in Rochester’s early days, as “Highland.” This particular glacier also left four kettles within the cemetery grounds, one of which still currently holds water (named Sylvan Waters). As one walks the roadways and paths now it’s easy to feel the power of ice that once was.

While Mother Nature transformed the 196 acres of Mount Hope Cemetery into the perfect, park-like setting for the Victorian cemetery to come, one might wonder who or what made it a Victorian cemetery?

Initially, in the western world, it was customary to bury the dead inside churches or in nearby churchyards. In times of disease, wars, or any horrific events, mass graves were generally used. Little regard was made for a cemetery’s location or landscape, so often times these burial practices, and the close proximity of unresolved decay, brought about diseases in the living.. During the reign of Queen Victoria new, rural, landscaped burial grounds were started. These flourished. The concept of a cemetery’s “beautiful park-like landscape” stems from Pere-Lachaise Cemetery, established in Paris in 1804, located on hills chosen specifically because they overlooked the beautiful city.

Rochester went through the process of dealing with its dead right along with the rest of the world, and cemetery expansion became a huge concern during times of frequent cholera outbreaks. While it seemed prudent to remove the early city cemeteries simply for health purposes, a rural cemetery was not an easy sell. Families of those already interred balked at removing their loved ones, and were concerned about unmarked burials or those without family to rebury them elsewhere. The costs in securing an adequate amount of land for a new cemetery seemed extreme. Also, there was the question of how anyone would get to a rural cemetery to pay their respects.

"...howling with wild beasts, frogs and simply too spooky."

On December 27, 1836 the City of Rochester finally acquired the first plot of land for a cemetery (about 56 acres at quite an expense) from Silas Andrus (a land speculator) on the east side of the river, south of the city. General Jacob Gould, Rochester’s first Democratic mayor, was outraged, holding back nothing when he announced, “Why, that ground isn’t fit for pasturing rabbits” Many a citizen felt the area was “howling with wild beasts, frogs and simply too spooky.” All voices heard, this wild, glacial land would eventually grow to become one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world.

Silas Cornell designed the cemetery layout. He carefully put in roads (14 winding miles of them) and cautiously took out trees. It was his skill as a landscape architect that turned this wild, spooky area into a majestic place. Cornell wanted to name the cemetery “Mount Auburn,” after a cemetery he had seen in Boston, but this did not bode well with others. The cemetery remained nameless for months, while work continued on. William Wilson, one of the laborers working there, sent his bills to the city with the notation, “for labor at Mount Hope.” It was the first known usage of the appellation. Maybe Wilson had 'hope' for a better life for his family because of this work, or perhaps, 'hoped' the city would soon come up with a name for the cemetery. Whatever Wilson’s reason on 3 October 1838, Mount Hope Cemetery was officially dedicated. Was Wilson responsible for naming the cemetery? It is yet undetermined…


Mt. Hope Cemetery is 197 acres of glacially sculpted land, set beside the University of Rochester, having come to contain over 350,000 graves since 1838. Many figures of historical importance, such as Frederick Douglass and Susan B Anthony, have been laid to rest within its grounds. It has been well maintained over the years, and serves well as a wonderful spot for a stroll, particularly in the fall.

Mt. Hope is also home to several interesting group plots. There are special plots for veterans of the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War 1. There is also the Firemen's Plot for Rochester firefighters. Immediately adjacent to the firemen's plot, lies 6 men burned beyond recognition in the Steam Gauge and Lantern Works fire. The sixth bodies were burned beyond recognition and buried together and marked with a monument to remember the horrific fire. The Jewish community in Rochester also has a plot especially for the poor within the Jewish community.

Mausoleums include those cut in stone and cast in bronze. Designs include obelisks, Greek themed temples, winged angels, large urns, columns, Gothic towers and angels of mercy. Packed with trees and plants including some rare specimens Mt Hope is more than a cemetery, it's a historical landmark.

A 500 foot tunnel was constructed through the esker of the Indian trail for the purposes of drainage.





There is a reason I chose Mt. Hope for my Halloween post. Now I am not superstitious, nor do I believe in ghosts aliens or the boogey man. I find graveyards to be peaceful and serene. I enjoy wandering around them for hours taking pictures and letting my mind wander. And Mt. Hope was no exception, I thought. I parked and just took my camera, instead of my usual stuff, tripod, back pack and stuff. For some reason as soon as I left the car and started off I had an uneasy feeling. I just brushed it off as my active imagination messing with me, trying to play with all the old horror movies watched. Wandering around the boarded up chapel looking for an entrance just seemed to add to the feeling. And from there I went off toward what must have been the older section. I just could not shake the uneasiness and it kept growing the further I went, and some areas had me flat out nervous.


One of these areas worth mentioning was as I was leaving what must have been a Jewish section by the writing on the graves, I looked up the road and saw a younger looking female there slowly wandering down the road toward me. It was almost like she appeared from nowhere, of course I was lost in my thoughts and texting a little, but I just kept watching her as she seemed to be holding her neck. This is about the point where all the graveyard scenes from Night of the Living Dead came flooding back. I stood nearly froze, unable to take my eyes off her as she came toward me slowly, seeming oblivious to anything around, just holding her neck as she got closer. It wasn't long before I found myself walking backwards at the same pace as she approached at. This went on for a few minutes until she was close and I felt like a fool as I realized she was holding her cell phone, not her neck.



The old chapel




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That was no play with the lighting, that pond really was green and slimey looking
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The next part that really bothered me was in what looked to be a very old section of the cemetery. I saw some cones up on one of the roads and a sign saying there there was some renovation work going on along that road. For some reason that gave me goosebumps. I stood there for some time trying to get my nerve back and push myself to go on further. This was getting to be later evening this part of the graveyard seemed to be more darker than the rest. If this didn't have me on the verge of freaking, the added effect of a group of crows flying in and making a big ruckus had me ready to go. But I just forced myself on, even though an act of god wouldn't have got me down into the area where the work was going on.

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I have to say, as I made my way around and further from this area, I could almost feel the unease subsiding and it was beginning to become like the usual calm that I felt in places like this

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That was my little excursion to Mt. Hope, I didn't get through half of it, as I got kicked out by a security guard that seemed anxious to lock up and get out of there, so I will return and hope next trip is a little calmer.