Mount. Hope-Highland Historic District (Additional Documentation)
Why it's listed
On the east bank of the Genesee River in Rochester, this district of about 200 acres combines Highland Park, the older part of Mt. Hope Cemetery and the houses along Mount Hope Avenue. Much of the land once belonged to the Ellwanger and Barry nursery, among the largest in the world in its day. The two nurserymen shaped the area's character, hiring leading architects. In 1854 A.J. Davis designed their stone nursery office, and Warner Castle, modeled on a Scottish castle, was built the same year. Later additions include the Patrick Barry House of 1857, an 1876 Ellwanger house, four cottages for nursery employees, and Claude Bragdon's shingled houses on Castle Park. The cemetery, laid out in 1838, has a Gothic chapel, gatehouse, gazebo and elaborate mausoleums reflecting Victorian attitudes toward death. Highland Park grew from a 1887 gift of land by Ellwanger and Barry. Together these elements preserve a landscaped nineteenth-century environment with notable architecture.
Significance in brief: The district was shaped by the Ellwanger and Barry nursery, whose owners commissioned notable architects such as A.J. Davis and set a standard of architectural distinction along Mt. Hope Avenue. It contains Gothic-inspired houses, Warner Castle, the nursery office and cemetery buildings, preserved in a landscaped setting. The older cemetery section is also included for its role in the social history of the city's Victorian era.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 74001261, listed January 21, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Bounded roughly by the Clarissa St. Bridge, Genesee River, Grove and Mt. Hope Aves., plus, Rochester |
|---|---|
| County | Monroe County |
| Listed | January 21, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001261 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 19th and 20th centuries (no specific dates given) |
| Architect / builder | A.J. Davis; A.J. Warner and J. Foster Warner; Gervase Wheeler; James Cutler; Claude Bragdon; Waasdorp, Northrup and Kaelber |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival and Gothic-derived; also Shingle style and Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Landscape Architecture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as excellent and altered; the district is occupied and mixes private residences, park, government and other uses. |
| Acreage | 230 |
| Coordinates | 43.13589, -77.61084 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 74001261.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6921282
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.