Art of the Cemetery: Ghosts of Glassmaking

Join The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes on Wednesday June 3, 2026 at 10am as we explore 3 cemeteries and visit the graves of both well-known and lesser-known glass specialists throughout the history of Corning.

Corning is known as the Crystal City because of its vast history of glass production and innovation. Names such as Hawkes Glass, Frederick Carder, and the Houghton Family stand out among our prolific glass history, but have you ever heard of the Giometti Brothers, Eggington's Glass Cutting Shop, or Mary Purcell Roche?

On this special glass-themed cemetery tour guides will lead visitors through St. Mary's Cemetery, Hope Cemetery, and Hope Annex to discuss the history of glassmaking in the Corning region through the men, women, and businesses that have made it possible. At each stop, we will detail the history of the glassmakers and innovators as well as discuss the art on the gravestones we visit.

Please be sure to dress for a trek over uneven ground. Some sites will be flat and others will be hilly.