The Legacy of Mary O’Brien Gibson
A steadfast advocate of cultural and artistic endeavors, philanthropist Mary O’Brien Gibson (1915-2007) was a devoted supporter of historic preservation efforts throughout her adult life. Born in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, to banker Cornelius and his wife Anna Cook O’Brien, Mary was committed to preserving and protecting their historic home, Veraestau.
With its earliest portions dating back to 1810, Veraestau was originally the home of Indiana Supreme Court Justice Jesse Lynch Holman, who later served as a Federal District Court Judge for Indiana. In 1936, the O’Brien family began their expansion and preservation of the 116-acre property; in 1973, they worked to have it listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and in 2004 they gave Veraestau to Indiana Landmarks.
In 1972, Gibson and her mother established IU’s Cornelius O’Brien Lecture Series to honor the life and preservation efforts of Cornelius O’Brien. In 1984, Gibson created a permanent endowment for the university’s Committee on Historic Preservation to ensure the series’ continuation.
Mary O’Brien Gibson’s support of Indiana University also included contributions to the restoration of spaces in the Indiana Memorial Union and the establishment of graduate internships and professorships at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). In recognition of her generosity, she received the IUPUI Spirit of Philanthropy Award in 1996.