About Gilbert AZ
Gilbert is a town in the state of Arizona, which is located within the Maricopa County. The town of Gilbert is situated on the southeastern direction of the City of Phoenix, and is also a principal part of the Phoenix Metropolis. Gilbert has the distinction of being the 6th biggest municipality in the state of Arizona, and the 5th biggest of its kind in the Phoenix Metropolitan region. The Town of Gilbert is well noted for effecting a rapid conversion from an agriculturally based community into an economically diverse suburban area. As such, in the past 30 years, Gilbert has grown in population from 5,717 in 1980, to an estimated population of 248,279 in 2018.
The Town of Gilbert traces its origins from William ‘Bobby’ Gilbert who offered some land to the Arizona Eastern Railway at the turn of the 20th century to link Phoenix with Florence. This Arizona town was officially incorporated in the year 1920, and was at first a farming community that grew thanks to the rail line and the building of the Roosevelt Dam together with the Eastern Canal and Consolidated Canal. The Town of Gilbert continued to be an agricultural town for numerous years on end, and even earned the nickname of the ‘Hay Capital of the World in the 1910s and 1920s.
Gilbert is as well home to a number of historic structures and buildings, some of which are listed in the National Register for Historic Places and others are termed historic by the Gilbert Heritage District. One of the most prominent of which is the Gilbert Elementary School that was constructed in the 1910s, and is now home to the Gilbert Historical Museum. The Gilbert Elementary School is listed in the National Register for Historic Places. There is as well the Gilbert Water Tower, which was constructed in the 1920s, and is now listed as historical by the Gilbert Heritage District. The Town of Gilbert also boasts of the Gilbert First Jail House that was constructed in the mid 1920s, and is now listed as historical by the Gilbert Heritage District. There is as well the Liberty Market, which was constructed in the mid 1930s, and was established by the Dong family. The neon sign which the market still bears was designed by Mae Ong, the spouse of Ben Ong who bought the market in 1943. This Arizona town is also home to the Bank of Gilbert that was constructed in the late 1910s, and at the moment houses an insurance firm. This building is now listed as historical by the Gilbert Heritage District.
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Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch
The Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch stretches southwards of the Guadeloupe Drive, and is a preserve that was established just before the turn of the 21st century. Its main objective is to preserve and protect valuable water resources and wildlife habitats. This Town of Gilbert attraction spans over 110 acres, 70 of which consists of a grand total of 7 water recharge basins. To which end, the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch boasts of almost 300 different species of animals, birds and insects. It also comes complete with more than 4.5 miles of hiking trails, a paleontology dig site, a number of vegetative zones and an observatory. This Gilbert preserve as well provides diverse community outreach programs, educational programs and splendid outdoor recreational opportunities suited for all ages.
Gilbert Farmers Market
The Gilbert Farmers Market is situated in the downtown area on the western direction of the historic Gilbert Water Tower. Essentially, this is an open air Saturday market that offers the freshest locally grown organic produce, fresh fruits, veggies and even artisan products. The Gilbert Farmers Market remains open all year round, on each Saturday, with a few exempted dates. Over the course of summer, this Gilbert market hosts almost 60 vendors and during autumn and spring, nearly 100 vendors. These vendors provide diverse locally grown produce from farms in the region. The main objective of the Gilbert Farmers Market is to promote local sustainability, healthy eating and green living practices in the local community and surrounding region.
Gilbert Historical Museum
The Gilbert Historical Museum showcases the history of the Town of Gilbert and the surrounding area. It is situated on the south end of the bustling Gilbert Heritage District, and is housed in a landmark building which is listed on the National Register for Historic Places that was formerly part of the Gilbert Elementary School, constructed in 1913. The Gilbert Historical Museum holds a repository of artifacts, objects, photos, and documents related to the history of this Arizona town. It also enables visitors to explore the past, present and future of the town via a variety of captivating exhibits, presentations and displays chronicling Gilbert’s rich history. The courtyard of the Gilbert Historical Museum is also packed with original farming implements and equipment, many of which date back to the town’s formative years.
Freestone District Park
The Freestone District Park is an expansive family oriented public park that sits on a 188 acre parcel of land characterized by well maintained landscapes. It also comes complete with diverse outdoor recreational activities and sports facilities. This includes athletic fields, a recreational center, a mini amusement park featuring trains and carnival rides, a children’s playground, a skate park, an amphitheater and a number of picnic grounds with tables. Gilbert’s Freestone District Park also offers fabulous fishing opportunities, and remains open all year round.
Gilbert Rotary Centennial Observatory
The Gilbert Rotary Centennial Observatory is situated within the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch, and is a community observatory owned by the Town of Gilbert and operated by the Riparian Institute. It is open to the public each Friday and Saturday evening at nightfall throughout the course of the year. Ideally, it houses a 16” diameter Meade and a state of art modified Richey – Cretien scope. Also, on each 2nd Friday of every month, the Gilbert Rotary Centennial Observatory hosts a public star party that features astronomy associated talks and viewing of stars with extra telescopes provided by the members of the East Valley Astronomy Club.
Hale Center Theatre
The Hale Center Theatre is a family friendly theatre, which showcases a variety of theatrical performances and shows including both Broadway and Off Broadway shows. Not to mention other favorites and interactive theatre based educational programs. School students and drama enthusiasts can get to discover more thanks to diverse classes, day camps and workshops. They can as well join a student matinee program and participate in live theatre tours.
Joe’s Real BBQ
Joe’s Real BBQ is a café style restaurant that is located on Gilbert Road. It is highly renowned for serving traditional barbecue ribs, chopped brisket and pulled pork. All of which are tastefully smoked over pecan wood and serves in a casual relaxed setting. Joe’s Real BBQ is housed in a historic building, which goes back to 1929, and exudes an ambiance of the state of Arizona’s agricultural ‘golden age.’ This family friendly, farm based eatery serves a menu of finger licking good BBQ and meat dishes together with fresh salads and steamed veggies, lots of side dishes and decadent desserts. Some of the most popular signature dishes of Joe’s Real BBQ include pecan smoked beef brisket and pulled pork, turkey jalapero sausages, pork ribs and stuffed baker along with seasonal house made cobbler for dessert.
Liberty Market
Liberty Market is a historic corner building located at the center of Old Town, and houses an award winning sleek café. it serves American light fare, sandwiches, salads, breakfast plates, hand tossed pizza and a selection of specialty coffee, fine wine and handcrafted cocktails. This café’s menu features locally focused cuisine including hand made pastries, omelets and pancakes for breakfast, light fare like salads, chicken dishes, and soups for lunch and diverse meat, chicken, fish and vegetarian options for dinner.