Gideon Bibles Endure in U.S. Motel Rooms
The Gideon Bible has become a defining feature of American roadside culture and Protestant tradition, distributed in hotels since 1908 and totaling more than 2.5 billion copies worldwide, including places like prisons, military bases, hospitals, and even the White House. As hotels modernize, the Bible’s ubiquity remains a quiet cultural touchstone while commentators highlight its biblicist ethos as a distinctive element of American life.
Lifestyle · 5 sources · Aug 26, 2026Read itThe journal
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About Gideons International
The Gideons International is an evangelical Christian association for men founded in 1899 in Janesville, Wisconsin, whose primary activity is distributing free copies of the Bible worldwide. It distributes complete Bibles or portions thereof in over 100 languages, most widely known in lodging rooms, in addition to medical facilities, schools, military bases, as well as jails and prisons. The association takes its name from the Biblical figure Gideon depicted in Judges 6.
Everything about Gideons International →- Country
- United States
- Headquarters
- Nashville
- Inception
- July 1, 1899
- Website
- http://www.gideons.org/