~ ROCHESTER'S HISTORY ~
AN ILLUSTRATED TIMELINE
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VICTORIAN CEMETERY MONUMENTS
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Mount Hope Cemetery, Rochester, NY
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- Sandstone
Another uncommon material for cemetery monuments is sandstone. The sandstone used in Mt. Hope Cemetery is the Medina Sandstone, named for the small town about halfway between Rochester and Niagara Falls. The red, or Grimsby Sandstone, is the variant of the Medina used. A very popular building material. It was used on many buildings in downtown Rochester, and for curbing throughout the city. Although harder than some of the local limestones, it is easier to work with. Rubbing your fingers on it's surface gives a gritty feeling, as the stone breaks back down into sand.
Very susceptible to weathering, it proved to be a poor choice for monuments. The erosion can easily be seen on Lewis Henry Morgan's tomb.
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