Gibson celebrates 125 years

GIBSON — The Town of Gibson threw itself a 125th birthday bash Saturday with vendors and the band Beach Fever providing entertainment.

Overcast skies and breezy conditions threatened rain which, fortunately, never materialized.

Vickie Leech, town resident and volunteer who organized the birthday bash said, “February 28, 1899 this town was incorporated. I thought we needed to celebrate the fact that we’ve been incorporated 125 years. I’m also hoping that through doing things like this, we’ll bring some life back to the little town of Gibson.”

As the band belted out beach music, attendees strolled around Gibson Park browsing vendor offerings. The town was selling 125th birthday t-shirts for $12 while other merchants peddled dreamcatchers, yard art, jewelry, handmade clothing, knit and crochet items, Tupperware, wreaths, freeze-dried candy, cupcakes, cake slices and more.

Food trucks were on hand to dole out pizza, snow cones, BBQ, burgers, and other treats.

Patron and resident Regina Adams said she was having a good time.

“They need to do things like this more often,” Adams said. “I’ve seen people I haven’t seen in years.”

Her friend, who wished to remain anonymous, agreed and said, “I’m enjoying seeing old friends and neighbors. I’m a former Gibson resident — I live in Bennettsville now — and I haven’t seen Gibson do something like this in a while. It’s a good thing to put them on the map and shine the spotlight on this little town.”

Though it was incorporated in 1899, the town was actually founded in 1846 when a post office was built in the area. The town was named after the first postmaster Noah Gibson. By 1899, Gibson was a burgeoning railroad town with a bank, hotel, movie theater and a large general store.

The Raleigh and Augusta Air Line Railroad built a spur from Gibson to Hamlet in 1884 and another railroad company built one from Gibson to Bennettsville, South Carolina in 1891. The railroads helped get goods shipped into Scotland County and cotton and other commodities shipped out.