Gibson reached its zenith in 1919 when it had twelve hundred occupants. Its obituary came in the late 1940s when the dwindling demand for coal erased the town from the map. In the meantime, however, there was a hotel, hospital, Catholic Church and a school that was open ten months of the years. The mining of coal actually began in 1882 with the discovery of the Gallup Mine. In 1902 a fire broke out forcing the abandonment of the mine. New shafts were sunk and the town continued to prosper until the 1940s when all operations ceased. Today nothing remains except its history. Courtesy Henry Chenoweth.

GIBSON: In 1890 a mining community 3 mi N of Gallup. Named for a coal mine official. Submitted by: Samuel W McWhorter