Gilbert Inn - 1892

Gilbert Inn - 1892. Historic Home of Alexandre Gilbert. Alexandre Gilbert, one of the founding fathers of Seaside, was born in the coastal town of LaRochelle, France on April 16, 1845, the son of Frank and Mary Gilbert. At the age of twenty-four and just prior to the Franco-Prussian war (1870-71), Alexandre married Emma Loncol in Paris, France, on January 22, 1869. In 1871, after the war, the Gilberts immigrated to San Francisco, California. , In San Francisco, Alexandre developed his skills as a carpenter and cabinet maker. He also built and established the Gilbert House, a hotel and boarding house; , Learning in 1881 that land was "cheap" in Oregon, the Gilberts move north to Astoria. , Struck by the rugged beauty of the Oregon coast and the resemblance to his native France, he saw great potential and spent the next 54 years helping to develop businesses, property, and communities in the area. , One of his greatest achievements was the 1 1/2 mile Promenade. Alexandre wanted the beach to remain open to the public, so he acquired the property and then donated it to the city. He also developed the downtown business district called the Gilbert Block. He was Mayor of Seaside during the 1912 fire that burned most of the city, and is credited with the leadership needed to turn this horrific event into an opportunity to rebuild Seaside with an emphasis on permanent concrete buildings. , In his life, Alexandre worked as a soldier, carpenter, hotel and boarding house operator, saloon operator, insurance and real estate salesman, Port of Astoria commissioner, French consul, and Mayor of Seaside. , It has been said of Alexandre that he was "a fine representative of the solid and sustainable business men of Clatsop County" and "a man of great enterprise and forethought," "...a citizen of affluence and influence." , His family simply says, "He was loved."