LAVERN GIBSON
LaVern Gibson was a successful local businessman and life-long resident of Vigo County. He was devoted to his family and the betterment of his community. Among his many contributions to the area was an inspired vision that came from watching his grandson compete in cross country. Gibson endowed 240 acres of land that had previously served Terre Haute and Vigo County as, first, a coal mine and later as a sanitary landfill to become the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course. The vision became a reality in the early 1990s when Gibson enlisted the help of his son, Max; his grandson, Greg, an accomplished distance runner; and two respected cross country coaches, John McNichols of Indiana State University and Bill Welch of Rose-Hulman. They all launched a plan to retool the property as a championship cross country course, dedicated in 1997. Gibson made numerous contributions to the Wabash Valley, however, his vision for the land resulted in a world-class facility, setting a new standard for the sport and establishing Cross Country Town, USA.
