Headstones in Rochester & the Finger Lakes: A Granite Memorial Guide

Rochester and the Finger Lakes combine one of upstate New York's largest cities with lake towns, vineyards, college communities and farm country. Rochester's Mount Hope Cemetery — resting place of Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony — is one of the oldest municipal Victorian cemeteries in the country. Around the lakes, small village and church cemeteries, and the simple burial grounds of Old Order Mennonite communities in Yates County, show a very different memorial tradition.

The counties

• Monroe — Rochester and its suburbs.
• Ontario — Canandaigua, Geneva and Victor.
• Livingston — Geneseo and the Genesee Valley.
• Wayne — the Lake Ontario shore and orchards.
• Seneca — Seneca Falls and Waterloo.
• Yates — Penn Yan and Keuka Lake.
• Schuyler — Watkins Glen and Seneca Lake's south end.
• Tompkins — Ithaca and Cayuga Lake.

City cemeteries vs village cemeteries

Rochester-area cemeteries — municipal, Catholic, Jewish and non-sectarian — typically publish formal monument regulations, require approval and schedule installations. Historic sections may have additional design rules.

Village and town cemeteries around the lakes are often simpler but still have rules on size and installation. Ask who approves monuments and request written approval. Our cemetery rules guide helps.

Simplicity and plain traditions

Some Finger Lakes faith communities favor plain, uniform markers. Even outside those communities, many families here prefer understated memorials:

• Grey granite with a honed finish.
• Simple tablet or bevel shapes.
• Name and dates only, or a single short line.

Our grey granite guide explains why grey remains the traditional choice.

Lake and orchard country weather

Lake Ontario's shore in Wayne and Monroe counties gets lake-effect snow, and the whole region has cold winters with many freeze-thaw cycles. Use dense granite with a quality polish and foundations below the frost line. Most cemeteries pause installation in frozen ground.

Personal touches

Vineyards, lakes, gorges and farms often inspire memorial artwork. Grapevines, a sailboat on Seneca Lake, a barn or a waterfall etched on black granite can be beautiful. Our custom engraving guide has more ideas. Check your cemetery's rules on image size.

Factory-direct to the Finger Lakes

Marwaa Memorials manufactures in our own factory and delivers door-to-door under DAP terms — freight, customs and duties included. Design in our Design Studio and request a quote.

Related: Western New York, Central New York, Southern Tier, the statewide county guide and all New York service areas.