The Yost House

298 West Water Street

The Catharine V. Yost Museum is an extraordinary site. Constructed before the turn of the 20th century, the house was owned and occupied by a single family for nearly 100 years. When the last member of the Yost family passed away, the house and everything in it was deeded to the City of Pontiac.

The Yost House Museum is open by appointment. During the tourist season, it is open on selected Saturday's for public tours. Taking photographs inside the home is prohibited. To arrange a private tour, please contact the Tourism office at (815) 844-5847.

Yost House Features

The Yost House is a 3-story, wood-framed structure built for Z.F. Yost, a Pontiac attorney. Built in 1898, this 5 bedroom, Queen Anne-style house rests on the north bank of the Vermilion River, providing a clear view of the river below.

Visitors enjoy that same scenery today, filtered through the many trees and shrubs that offer a haven for visiting songbirds and waterfowl. The interior of the home remains today much as it was at the turn of the 20th Century. Most of the furnishings are original to the home, and many date back to the 1850s. Docents at the Yost Museum provide the historical and cultural background to help the visitor appreciate life in that earlier, more quaint era.