LEAD Inc, in partnership with the city of Gas City and local visionaries, is working to preserve a Grant County Historical Home and develop a Leadership Training Center.

Our Vision

The vision of the Thompson-Ray House is to facilitate and house programs that develop leaders through education, service and community.

History of Thompson-Ray House

This house is a Colonial Revival built for John L. Thompson. Hiram Elder was the architect, and John H. Waldron was the builder. (Mr. Waldron was also the builder of the East and West Schools in Gas City.) They started building the house in 1902, and it was finished in 1906. Mr. Thompson personally oversaw the construction of the house.

In 1902, the full basement in the home was hand dug by the workers of the Thompson Glass Factory which was owned by John L. Thompson. The factory was shut down for the summer because they did not have any electricity for fans and it was just too hot to work in the factory. This way the workers were able to have a paycheck during the summer. Marguerite and Bob Ray bought the house in 1950 from the widow of John L. Thompson. At that time, Bob Ray was in his sixth term as the mayor of Gas City.

In 1952, the Republican Party asked Bob Ray to do the second nomination on the floor to elect Dwight D. “Ike” Eisenhower for President of the United States. After Ike was elected, he had to go to Marion, Indiana, to give a speech and went to the Thompson-Ray house to personally thank Bob Ray.