Former mayor Alexandre Gilbert, who donated land to build the Promenade and was instrumental in rebuilding much of the town after a fire in 1912, will be honored during a ceremony Sept. 27.

Haystack Lodgings owners Antoine and Rocio Simmons, who recently purchased the mayor’s former home, now operating as the Gilbert Inn, will unveil a bronze historical marker honoring Gilbert and his family for their contributions to Seaside.

The unveiling will be at 12:30 p.m. Sept. 27, on the corner of Avenue A and Beach Drive. An old fashioned family picnic will follow. Seaside Mayor Don Larson, along with descendants of Alexandre and Emma Gilbert, will attend the ceremony, and the public is invited.

As an entrepreneur, merchant, land developer, businessman and mayor, Alexandre Gilbert helped lay the foundation for what Seaside has become today. It was his vision for Seaside to become a coastal resort town where families could enjoy what reminded him of his own home town of La Rochelle, France. The Gilbert District is named after him.