Site of Gibson Hotel

Site of Gibson Hotel. . The Gibson family was among the early settlers of Trinity County, with George Gibson settling in Sumpter in 1857 and later marrying Elzirah Ann White. They and their family moved to the new railroad and lumber center of Trinity Station in 1872. George and Elzirah's son, James Benjamin (Ben) Gibson Sr. (1863-1937), was a land agent for John Martin Thompson's lumber company, and later county surveyor and entrepreneur. In 1906, he married Jessie Barnes Clegg (1883-1948); the couple had four children. When a Feb. 1909 fire destroyed the Holland House Hotel, Ben purchased ten town lots at the site, facing the train depot. He commissioned a two-story, u-shaped, red brick hotel, completed later in 1909, with the main entrance facing Front Street (later Gibson and then Railroad Street)., The Gibson Hotel boasted 40 guest rooms, plus sample rooms where salesmen displayed their wares. A center courtyard included the kitchen. The lobby had a high ceiling and a grand double staircase. The grand dining room was a popular destination for business and train passengers. Most second-floor guest rooms had windows facing front or main streets, and those without windows were outfitted with ceiling fans and gas heaters as well as screen doors for ventilation, most rooms included a private bath, and communal baths were also available. The hotel leased first-floor space to other businesses including the Mansell and Cochran pharmacies, but ownership remained with the Gibson family. By 1970 maintenance on the building became a challenge and the building was sold to the First National Bank of Trinity. The hotel was demolished in 1980. For decades it was a commercial and social hub and a symbol of progress and prosperity.