Gilford Pest House Burial Ground in Gilford, New Hampshire

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Get directions Goodwin Road
Gilford, New Hampshire 03249 United States

Coordinates: 43.53583, -71.40639
Cemetery ID:

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The Gilford Pest House Burial Ground a has a road-side marker, four granite cornerstone markers, and a location marker with this inscription:

The Legend of the Goodwin Road Gilford Pest House.
This is the site where the pest house once stood. Unoccupied from 1840-1845, built by the Whittier Family. During 1885, five brothers were sent to this house when Gilford began to isolate their sick. It is believed they had "spotted fever" or "smallpox". The brothers died here. The house was eventually destroyed by fire in 1885. Arthur Eaton recalled, "The men who came to fight the village fire, turned and fled when they saw where it was." Not long after the fire, folks in town reported five hardwood trees had grown out of the ashes. It is said the trees represented their souls, that the trees became known as "The Brothers". Sometime later, a sixth tree tried to take root near the standing. It is believe the brothers resented the sixth tree. It was struck by lightning and fell, being quickly destroyed.

Hector Bolduc investigated the story of five unmarked graves to the rear of the cellar hole and found this to be true. The granite markers here were set by the Thompson Ames Historical Society. They show where the corners of the Pest House were located.