James Vick’s Gravesite

Last week I visited Rochester, New York .

I traveled there to give a talk about my James Vick book at the Rare Books Department of the Library of the University of Rochester.

Right after I arrived I remembered that Mt. Hope Cemetery was the site of Vick’s gravesite.

Over the years in traveling to the city I had never visited his burial site.

“Why not now while I am here?” I thought.

The rented car and GPS came in quite handy that morning.

I drove over to Mt. Hope.

The tall cement monument dedicated to Mr. Vick rose above all others as I drove close to the site, which was not far from the entrance.

This is what it looked like that overcast morning: [below]

The cemetery website provides a detailed map of some of the more famous Rochester residents burried here.

The number includes Frederick Douglas as well as Susan B. Anthony.

Landscape architect Fletcher Steele and America’s early nursery owner from Rochester George Elwanger rest in Mt. Hope Cemetery as well.

Vick died May 16, 1882. The tall monument, marked with Vick’s name and the date of death, stands out from all the others surrounding it in that area.

The tall, stark monument to James Vick represents his importance to the city.

This time in May is, by the way, Mr. Vick’s 140th anniversary of his death.