Significance of The Marsten House

The Marsten House sits on top of a hill. From the Marsten House, one has a view of much of what goes on in the town. The Marsten House was once occupied by Hubert and Birdie Marsten, thus its name. Hubert kills birdie and then himself in 1939, and the mail carrier finds Hubert and Birdie dead in the house. From that time until roughly the beginning of the story in 1975, nobody inhabits the house.