La Grange in Fayette County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1867
When yellow fever struck La Grange in August 1867, many citizens left town hoping to avoid the disease. Within a few weeks, as homes with "yellow jack" were quarantined and businesses closed, La Grange appeared deserted. In some cases, entire families were lost as caregivers fell ill after tending the sick. Indiscriminate to age, race or class, the disease struck the wealthy and prominent as well as the poor. Several doctors, the district judge, the sheriff, and both the district and county clerks were among its casualties. While yellow fever affected many communities, its toll on La Grange was catastrophic with fatalities estimated at over 200, fifteen to twenty percent of the total population. Evidence of the epidemic may be seen in the Old La Grange City Cemetery where a large number of gravestones show deaths from August through October 1867. However, the outbreak was so overwhelming that many victims lie unidentified in mass graves in the northeastern corner of the cemetery. These victims remind us of the once-devastating disease and its effect on early citizens.
Erected 2016 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 18523.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Disasters. A significant historical year for this entry is 1867.
Location. 29° 54.672′ N, 96° 52.078′ W. Marker is in La Grange, Texas, in Fayette County. Marker is on East Colorado Street east of North College Street, on the right when traveling east. Located on north side of Old La Grange Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: La Grange TX 78945, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. James Seaton Lester (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fayette County, C.S.A. (about 400 feet away); Old City Cemetery (about 400 feet away); a different marker also named Fayette County (about 700 feet away); St. James Episcopal Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); Webb-Schneider House (approx. half a mile away); Bradshaw-Killough House (approx. half a mile away); Casino Hall (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in La Grange.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 18, 2017. It was originally submitted on October 17, 2017, by Gregory Walker of La Grange, Texas. This page has been viewed 655 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 17, 2017, by Gregory Walker of La Grange, Texas. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.