[7] Gibbon originated as a railway town that was first settled by German and Scandinavian immigrants around 1865.

The town was incorporated in 1887 and named for General John Gibbon, a commandant at Fort Snelling from 1880 to 1882.

[8] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.88 square miles (2.28 km2), all of it land.

[9] Gibbon is located along Minnesota State Highway 19 at its junction with Sibley County Road 2.

Gibbon is the district office and elementary school home of GFW ISD #2365.