Choosing the right funeral monument is a very personal experience for families. While there are a number of ornate options available when it comes to burial markers, monuments, and headstones, the history of funeral monuments hasn’t always presented as many options. McGee Monuments in Rochester, NY, has been serving the funeral monument needs of the local community since 1900. In that time, the family-owned company has seen a lot of changes when it comes to grave stone design. But the history of grave markers actually goes back much further.

Here's a brief timeline of the history of grave stones:

• The first civilizations to honor the dead with headstones were the ancient Romans and the Celtics.
• In early U.S. history, people would bury the deceased by their homes with piles of stones or wood.
• From roughly 1650 to around 1900, slate and sandstone square grave markers were the materials of choice.
• Marble and limestone gained popularity from the late 1700's to the early 20^th Century among the wealthy.
• Granite started to become the material of choice for grave stones around the mid-1800's because of its durability and dense characteristics and continues to be the most popular grave stone option today.

McGee Monuments offers granite graves stones in a variety of colors and styles to accommodate any need. They also have a wide selection of different monument sizes from which to choose. In all, they have over 100 designs to select from. For more information about McGee Monuments or to learn about their full range of services, call (585) 546-4602, or visit them online.