The "pest house" was a place to care for people having contagious diseases such as small pox or adult measles.  The sexton of the Linwood Cemetery, Mr. Yarbrough, and his wife prepared meals in their home for residents of the house.  Mr. Yarbrough would take the meals to the front porch each day and leave them.  Those quarantined would eat in seclusion in their rooms.  Folks lived there until their diseases subsided and then returned to their families.

   The house had four white posts on the front porch with separate rooms for each occupant.

   I lived at this time in a house on 15th Street which was full of gullies and served as a playground for children.  All the kids talked about the "pest house" as they played together in the gullies.

contributed by: Lanette Rogers Gregory