Hope Cemetery
Hope Cemetery
4.5
Full view
The area
Address
Best nearby
Restaurants
35 within 3 miles
Attractions
33 within 6 miles
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
247 reviews
Excellent
173
Very good
61
Average
9
Poor
2
Terrible
2
Cynthia R
Boston, MA64 contributions
Aug 2021
This place is amazing! We spent over two hours, walking around and admiring the memorials - amazing works of art, all made of the famous Barre granite. We were so lucky to meet a local gentleman who was engraving a date on a stone. He told us all about the art of granite carving and engraving as well as several stories behind the memorials. This is truly a not-to-miss place.
Written August 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
NHjo
Saco, ME7,176 contributions
Oct 2022
There are so many fascinating tombstones here. It's known as 'the museum of granite sculptures', carved mostly by Italian stone cutters who were later buried here. The photos I've attached are some of my favorite stones and mausoleums.
Written October 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
KandTRoadTrips
Stuarts Draft, VA7 contributions
Jun 2021
It was very hot the day we were there so that definitely shortened the amount of time we spent, but we still spent a couple hours. Some of the headstones are amazingly intricate and unique. The most unique ones are on the left side of cemetery (as you face main gate) towards the front and then to the left of the (now empty) fountain.
Written June 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Im_traveling_solo
Chicopee, MA342 contributions
Sep 2022
While some may think visiting a cemetery is an odd thing to do, there are some like Mount Auburn in Cambridge MA and Hope Cemetery that are more like outdoor art exhibits.
Set up on a hill overlooking a quiet section of Rte 7 the cemetery is very easy to find. The stones are amazing, both the hand cut granite and some of the more modern computer designed stone. I was surprised at how many people were there to see the stones. I came from western Massachusetts specifically to see them and there were people from New York as well. There was a local gentleman driving around and stopping to give visitors some back stories on the people buried there, the stones and the craftsman. Among those stories was that the cemetery is on the site of the old poor house and that it is town owned and with the exception of 9 stones, all stones are required to be made of granite. He said that the airplane monument was the most expensive stone there as it was hand carved at $600 an hour.
I have traveled to northern Vermont for more than 60 years but had never been to Barre before. I recommend that rather than passing by, you take a side trip off exit 7 and spend a few hours wandering Hope Cemetery and the world's longest zipper - granite of course - on Main St.
Set up on a hill overlooking a quiet section of Rte 7 the cemetery is very easy to find. The stones are amazing, both the hand cut granite and some of the more modern computer designed stone. I was surprised at how many people were there to see the stones. I came from western Massachusetts specifically to see them and there were people from New York as well. There was a local gentleman driving around and stopping to give visitors some back stories on the people buried there, the stones and the craftsman. Among those stories was that the cemetery is on the site of the old poor house and that it is town owned and with the exception of 9 stones, all stones are required to be made of granite. He said that the airplane monument was the most expensive stone there as it was hand carved at $600 an hour.
I have traveled to northern Vermont for more than 60 years but had never been to Barre before. I recommend that rather than passing by, you take a side trip off exit 7 and spend a few hours wandering Hope Cemetery and the world's longest zipper - granite of course - on Main St.
Written September 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Joe and Diane
54 contributions
Jul 2022
We spent just 45 minutes here, could have spent twice that much time. We are so thankful to the woman staffing the Montpelier Visitors Center (on Independence Day!) who recommended we visit. She also gave us a brochure describing more than 30 of the most interesting monuments, which was very helpful and definitely gave us an incentive to visit.
The monuments are stunning works of art. The cemetery was created in the late 1800s to showcase the skills of the area’s stone carvers, and it sure does that. Green rolling hills with gleaming white marble monuments.
It felt a bit weird to be taking photos in a cemetery, but we couldn’t help it.
The monuments are stunning works of art. The cemetery was created in the late 1800s to showcase the skills of the area’s stone carvers, and it sure does that. Green rolling hills with gleaming white marble monuments.
It felt a bit weird to be taking photos in a cemetery, but we couldn’t help it.
Written July 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Lin0515
New Castle, DE582 contributions
Jul 2021
Believe it or not, this was one of our favorite stops on our road trip through Vermont. Most of the granite gravestones are very simple, but many are truly works of art, clearly created with a lot of love for the person who passed away. We were fascinated. You can see most of the gravestones by driving around (which is what we did), but in nice weather this would be interesting to wander around on foot.
Written July 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Teammilitello
Des Moines, IA697 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
We loved driving though this cemetery after our tour of Rock of Ages. The history we were told beforehand helped just understand what we set seeing. Mostly carved by Italians, 3-D flowers, busts carved by hand,… This cemetery is well-maintained & classy.
Written August 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Joanne S
Fort Mill, SC407 contributions
Sep 2021
It is well worth at least a drive through, if not a good wander around, this cemetery. The granite monuments are works of art, and so unusual for cemetery monuments. It is fun to think about why people chose those monuments as memorials for their loved ones...
Written September 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
MJM
15 contributions
Sep 2022 • Couples
This is a simple drive and look at activity that doesn’t take a lot of time but is full of interesting stones to see. They are many highlights spread out over several area of the cemetery. I loved the attention to detail and life like figures.
Written October 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
MongoSchwartz
Traverse City, MI620 contributions
Jun 2022
With the history of granite carving in Barre, it's not surprising that the cemetery should boast some stunning headstones. Moreover, it's a huge plot of land, so if you're interested in this sort of thing, make sure you have plenty of time to do it.
The primary reason for the five stars is because it's a relatively "unusual" destination. Indeed, it seems odd to say "you have to see the cemetery!" but in this case, you should.
The primary reason for the five stars is because it's a relatively "unusual" destination. Indeed, it seems odd to say "you have to see the cemetery!" but in this case, you should.
Written July 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
mo4buckeyes
Cleveland, OH29 contributions
What are the hours in June?
panielsen
Racine323 contributions
Yes, I'm in agreement with the others and don't miss it! Beautiful!
okolee
Chicopee, MA
Do I need a permit for a bus of tourists to go thru Hope Cemetery and see the most unusual headstones? Is there a tour guide available? If so, how long can we expect to spend with the tour guide? Charge?
catherine d
Graniteville, VT62 contributions
No, you do not need a permit. When you get to Hope Cemetery, pull into driveway and pull to the right and park. There are no quides that I know of. If you go on line -- Vermont - com - hope-cemetery it shows some of the granite head stones that you will see there. When you go, you can spend up to an hour admiring the head stones and the workmanship that was done.
Hope Cemetery, Barre
Frequently Asked Questions about Hope Cemetery
- Hotels near Hope Cemetery:
- (3.62 mi) High Hill Inn
- (1.36 mi) Maplecroft Bed And Breakfast
- (4.01 mi) Comfort Inn and Suites at Maplewood
- (1.35 mi) Firehouse Inn
- (1.65 mi) Reynold's House Inn
- Restaurants near Hope Cemetery:
- (1.26 mi) Cornerstone Pub & Kitchen
- (1.41 mi) Meltdown
- (1.35 mi) Ladder 1
- (5.00 mi) Sarducci's
- (1.16 mi) Asian Gourmet