Explore: Mt Hope Catholic Cemetery in Pontiac
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 9, 2024)
Pontiac, MI – Spending an hour or two wandering through beautiful historic cemeteries is wonderful in so many ways, and my recent visit to Mt. Hope Catholic Cemetery was no exception.
Established in 1864, Mt. Hope is where Pontiac’s earliest non-native residents were laid to rest, including Civil War veterans, early business owners, and community leaders. The cemetery is now maintained by the Archdiocese of Detroit.
The name, Mt Hope reflects the mood of this space, which holds both sadness and hope in the ways that families have chosen to express their love and remembrance of those they’ve lost. Through over a century and a half of deaths there have been graveside statues of angels, saints, and Jesus, with the occasional lamb mixed in to mark the graves of babies.
Nature slowly is taking over as tombstones and statues age in the ever-changing Michigan weather, leaving many adorned with green moss or details of discoloration. The names and pictures on the graves show the cultural mix that is Pontiac’s legacy.
Visitors can honor the deceased, or get their steps in walking among the tombstones looking for interesting details and aiming for the best pictures. On the day of my visit, a light dusting of snow added to the melancholy ambiance. Stumbling upon the area reserved for infants and babies made for a particularly touching experience.
Though graves are decades old, many are kept up and decorated by families who make the time to remember, and honor their loved ones with flowers, flags, grave blankets, trinkets and other personal touches. There are also more recent additions, some with markers bearing pictures of the loved ones buried there.
Mt. Hope Catholic Cemetery is located at 727 Orchard Lake Road in Pontiac, not far from Beaudette Park. The cemetery is still an active site for burials. Those wanting more information can reach out through Catholic Funeral and Cemetery Services at https://www.cfcsdetroit.org/location/mount-hope/.
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