About Nathan S. Gibson - Nate Gibson's Eastham

Bearse’s Lane – 1965-1971

In 1965, Nate’s parents, R. Jerrold (Jerry) Gibson (1929-2015) and Mary Jane Gibson (1933-2023) purchased a house on Bearse’s Lane in Eastham, Massachusetts.

Bearse’s Lane house before porch addition on the right side. Nate, Ben, Mark, Lili, Becky, Tris, and Laura Gibson.

While living at the house at Bearse’s Lane, Nate dressed up as police officer — hinting at the summer job he would later have.

Gibson Cottages – 1966 –

In May, 1966, Jerry and Mary Jane Gibson purchased Homer Smith Cottages from Johanna Smith. At the time they purchased the cottages, Jerry and Mary Jane’s family included four children: Rachel, Nate, Mark and Becky. They grew up spending summers on the Cape.

At Gibson cottages, 1969.

In 1971, the Gibsons moved from Bearse’s Lane in Eastham to live in cottage 7. Jerry built a porch to add to cottage 7 and Nate and Mark shingled the outside.

Gibsons Buy Parkside Motel

After buying the cottages, Jerry and Mary Jane invested in a motel in Eastham. Originally, Eastham Motor Courts (pictured here), the Gibsons changed the name to Parkside Motel.

The Gales sold the motel to Walter and Florence Ulles in 1955. The Gibsons purchased it in 1967.

Winifred Jean Gibson (Nate’s grandmother) managed the motel in the summertime.

The Gibson family all helped out at Parkside.

The Gibsons sold Parkside Motel in 1972.

The Village Laudromat

In the summers, Nate worked at the Village Laudromat in Orleans.

*Front row:* Ben Gibson, Nate Gibson, Mark Gibson;
*back row:* Lili Gibson, Jean Gibson, Becky Gibson, Martha Hitchcock, Rachel Gibson.

Nate worked at the gas station across from the Eastham Post Office, pumping gas and helping in the convenience store. He met Clarence, who was the cook at the Gristmill Restaurant and directed traffic in front of the post office in the mornings. Nate asked Clarence how he got that job and Clarence said that he just applied for it. The next summer Nate applied for a job directing traffic with the Eastham Police Department.

Nate worked for the Eastham Police Department starting in 1979. He directed traffic at the intersection of Route 6 and Samoset Road in 1979 and was a special police officer from 1980 to 1983.