hope cemetery

149CatherineM

This may sound odd but the Hope Cemetery in Barre is a beautiful place to visit. The headstones and monuments show the skills of the stone workers in the local granite industry. There are many inspiring works of art.

FJDriver

Barre has long been known as the granite capital, if not of the world, then at least North America. A great number of Italian artisans flowed into the area over the years to perform their carving skills, and the results will astound anyone. Hope Cemetery displays some of the unique and elaborate granite sculpting skills of these families, and it is definitely worth the trip to see their art on display. From the tasteful to the bizarre, you will see it all here. Spend a warm summer afternoon walking through granite art on display. You will not be disappointed.

DevonSue

Brilliant popped in stayed two hours so much to see great craftsmanship, very tranquil setting. Excellent headstones so inventive and poignant

bap2015

This cemetery is quite an amazing place and well worth visiting. I enjoyed two aspects. First, the skill of the granite workers who created striking art that transcends the typical headstone and becomes a stock car, a soccer ball, a WWI biplane, a chain that arcs in the air, a cello, a scene of the Bay of Naples, and much more. Second, the positive, loving, and hopeful feelings that the cemetery presents. The area's rich Italian influence is everywhere apparent in the name and some of the granite artwork

lisam0518

We missed our tour of Rock of Ages so we decided to see the next best thing. These carvers are quite the artists and thankfully for those who have already left this earth the ones who had a sense of humor the carvers were left with a fun exciting task of immortalizing them for future generations. This quite possibly was one of the most interesting and fun cemeteries I have ever been too. So many interesting stones and so many stories to tell. Great visit.

AnnC576

In the days before there was protection from the granite fumes, the cutters didn't live a long life. They knew this and carved their headstones while they were healthy. Many came from Italy as attested to from the names on the headstones and there is a statue honoring these immigrants in Barre. They cut elaborate headstones in Hope Cemetery and there are many old headstones and many more new ones. It's unlike any cemetery I have ever seen. The imaginative and beautiful headstones attest to the skill of these cutters. The grounds are perfectly manicured. You will not forget the beauty of this place.

mxlonerider

Great attraction to see the craftsmanship in some of the memorials and also to discover some of the history of the region as well as the local granite industry. I would highly recommend that a visit be preceded by a stop at the Rock of Ages visitor center.

149sheilag

This place is more an outdoor art museum than a cemetery. The level of skill and artistry in the headstones is remarkable. We were here for two hours!

LM391

Going here almost seems a bit morbid. But everyone stops in. It's worth a trip to see all the different and unique monuments.

BeachGrandmax4

We enjoy visiting unique places when we travel, so Hope Cemetery was one of the top places on our agenda when planning our trip to Vermont. We had a beautiful fall day and enjoyed our walk through. The grounds are pristine and the monuments are absolutely amazing! They range from quirky, to simple, to ornate to luxurious. These are truly the work of talented artists who make these from the granite in the nearby Rock of Ages Quarry. Some might think touring a cemetery is a little odd, but this really a gallery consisting of art pieces made by sculptors and craftsmen. One bit of advice. Visit the quarry before visiting Hope Cemetery. You'll receive great information and have a greater understanding of the things you see there. Must see attraction if in the Barre/Graniteville area!

Brssjunk

When the hotellier told us we should really see the Hope Cemetery in town, I thought they were nuts, but fortunately I followed their advice. Barre is the center of the Granite carving industry and many of the carvers have created their own memorials which are unlike anything I had seen before. There were all sorts of unusual monuments. One was for a couple and they are portrayed holding hands in bed. Others included an automobile, a biplane, a bas relief of all of his passions, a cube with things he thought were important, 2 pyramids with instructions for a good life, a soccer ball, a life size carving of himself.... I could go on and on, but you just have to see it.

brendak629

Beautiful grounds with very unique monuments & sculptures! Near the quarry and easy to find. Well worth the walk and we had a beautiful fall day.

going5star

The cemetery is a short distance from the Rock of Ages plant and worth the drive through the grounds. There are two entrances, so don't panic when you miss the first one since the second one is the main.

travelingfan2

WOW! There are some really ornate, crazy, simple, outlandish, etc grave markers here. I enjoyed driving around and seeing many of them. Not being from this part of the country and not knowing about the granite industry in Barre, I thought this was something to see! Spend 15 minutes here or spend an hour…but I certainly think it’s worth a visit. I did go to Rock of Ages afterwards and truly enjoyed the tour there!

Gina049

Cemetery's are not usually on the top of my list to visit while traveling. However this one should not be missed. Like everyone is saying, beautiful grounds, great craftsmanship and very unique stones to look at. A must see when in Barre.