Fromberg in Carbon County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
John Gibson House
Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 17, 2020
1. John Gibson House Marker
Inscription.
Norwegian-born immigrant John Gibson arrived in the Clarks Fork Valley at the turn of the twentieth century and soon opened brickyards in Fromberg and nearby Belfry. Gibson became one of the areas most prominent contractors, constructing Frombergs first brick building, the I.O.O.F. Hall, in 1906. Gibsons future, however, did not lie in bricks. When a competitor supplanted his company in 1909, the resolute contractor established a small concrete plant adjacent to this property. Here Gibson began to manufacture concrete block for building construction, sidewalk blocks, drain tile, flue liners, and fenceposts. By the 1910s, his patented culvert design was acclaimed the best on the market, and in 1914, Gibson supplied the concrete for the construction of the Fromberg Concrete Arch Bridge. To promote the use of concrete and demonstrate its viability in residential construction, Gibson built his own home of concrete block next to the factory circa 1909. It was, and still is, unique to
Fromberg. Gibson subsequently enlarged the home and in 1929, tastefully remodeled it adding Craftsman style detailing. A gable-roofed front
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porch and extended eaves with exposed rafters add the characteristic elements of this popular style. Concrete lug sills and stucco with an unusual mixture of rock and colored glass reveal Gibsons exceptionally fine craftsmanship.
Location. 45° 23.513′ N, 108° 54.615′ W. Marker is in Fromberg, Montana, in Carbon County. It is on West River Street near Missouri Avenue North, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 219 West River Street, Fromberg MT 59029, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Montana’s Yellowstone Country. It is also in the American Mountain West and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Ruperts Land and also the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers.
Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 17, 2020
Credits. This page was last revised on July 23, 2021. It was originally submitted on February 14, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 304 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on February 14, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
