The old Gibson House was a proud structure. It resisted as best it could the
wrecking crew’s ball on that day the first part of July this year (1970) when
It was razed to make way for the present Bank of the West building.
It had been built some 75 years ago, about 1896 or 1897, by Dr. W. E. Gibson,
the area’s medical doctor for those years when the town was known as Gilman
and later into the 20th Century after it was called Issaquah. He had come here
with his very petite wife, Sarah, from the East. His home was in Punxsutawney,
Pa., and she was a Hoosier from Indiana.
At first they had lived on the east side of the railroad tracks and had built
the fine, big, square house you see here, in which to raise their two surviving
children, a daughter, Olive, and a son, William.
In those days, Dr. Gibson was the only physician for many miles around and
traveled on his beautiful saddle horse--the envy of many townspeople. It was not
uncommon for him to be gone two or three days on maternity case, starting off
astride his horse with his instrument kit, an axe, saw and rifle slung beside
him, for he just might need these en route. And sometimes he would ride the “speeder”
up the railroad line to North Bend.
He was a man of few words, shy and quiet, but active in the political life of
this community. He became Issaquah’s first mayor after the name was instituted
in 1899 and three times later, in 1900-03, 1908-13 and 1921-24. In between, he
was an active political leader and conducted many town meetings and forums for
candidates.
The daughter of the family, Olive Gibson Bayh, now a resident of San
Francisco, lived here for many years in the small, yellow house next to the
family home. (It was recently moved to the area of the old Hobart Road loop.)
She had built this home for herself on the family property when her own son was
grown and gone from home. Her brother, the son of the family, William, now lives
In Spokane.
Dr. Gibson had two brothers who also resided in Issaquah, John H. and Tom M.
Gibson. Our John H. Gibson Hail, located in the Issaquah city park, is named for
this brother, who for many years was a pharmacist, postmaster of Issaquah and
one-term mayor in 1915-17. The doctor’s office had several locations, but at
one time, about 1908, it was located In this brother’s drugstore.
Mrs. Bayh remembers many Interesting stories of her life with her father in
the big house. She recalls the numerous accidents, mostly very severe, and
illnesses he cared for. When the town had large hop fields, he treated, at one
time, 24 cases of smallpox among the Indian harvesters.
When he was at home and not too busy, he “took care of, landscaped and
maintained” the lovely yard around the house. He did the planting of all the
shrubs, trees and flowerbeds of many different shapes. His love for and pride
In this side of his life is shown In an article in the Issaquah Independent
of September 4, 1908, which read: “Dr. Gibson Is displaying five sample
peaches which grew on trees in his yard. They are delicately colored, and one
measured 10” in diameter.”
Among these outstanding plantings is the now full-grown Ginkgo Biloba tree, a
rare species, there being only a few in the Seattle area and one at our state
capital In Olympia. This one has been preserved by the Bank of the West as part
of its landscaping.
For this we must credit the energy and Interest of a young lady, Susana
Marinelli, a member of the last family to live in the Gibson House. She became
enamored of the lovely tree and brought it to the attention of all the residents
and the bank officials, who in turn responded to her enthusiasm and desires. It
Is standing today on the north side of the bank, and we hope everyone will take
care not to damage It as they drive In and out.
Several other groups of plants which were around the house also have been
preserved—some large, old rhododendrons and other shrubs of Dr. Gibson’s own
plantings. To be sure, they are very large now, because some of them are close
to 70 years old--senior citizens, so to speak.
Dr. Gibson died in 1945, following three years of widowerhood. Since then,
the house has been rented to various families by the succession of owners.
The loss of such an established residence in a community such as Issaquah Is
a trauma to many. It is regrettable that well-built buildings of this type
cannot be preserved. But new people come, and they need new services; and, thus,
changes called “progress” occur. And so we now have a modern,
efficient-looking brick bank building with pavement all around It, in place of a
fine, tall, stately, white clapboard Victorian-period Home.
W.
E. Gibson House:
