Can you imagine 90 years ago some cowboys, railroad or business guys standing around saying “this is a good place for a town”. Wow! Well, that’s not exactly how Gilbert came to be, there was a lot more negociating and planning, even 90 years ago.

The Town of Gilbert webpage Community Profile has a great explaination of the history of Gilbert.

Happy Birthday:  Celebrating 90 Years

There may be no cake, no surprise party – but there is definitely a festive atmosphere in the air as we celebrate our 90th anniversary of the incorporation of our Town.

Nine decades ago, we were an agriculturally-based square mile Town originally developed as a train station in the late 1890s. Today, we are more than 220,000 residents strong in 73 square miles that will someday be the center of the Southeast Valley.

Throughout this year, we are planning to incorporate our birthday into every event, and we encourage residents to also pay tribute to our Town’s progress and celebrate our anniversary throughout the year. Send us your plans and we can post them on our community calendar and invite your neighbors.

We have a lot to be proud of, as we have grown into the safest community in the state with amenities that have continue to attract new residents and growth. Send us your ideas and your plans to celebrate, to publicinformation@gilbertaz.gov or call (480) 503-6766.

History of Gilbert

Gilbert is a young, affluent community in central Arizona. Incorporated on July 6, 1920, Gilbert is a relatively new community that has seen tremendous growth during the past two decades. The 2009 Gilbert Community Profile provides a broad overview of this growing town and metropolitan area, including demo-graphics, business resources, and community resources. It is an excellent reference for businesses and residents alike.

The Hay Capital of the World

In 1902, the Arizona Eastern Railway asked for donations of right of way in order to establish a rail line between Phoenix and Florence. A rail siding was established on property owned by William “Bobby” Gilbert. The siding, and the town that sprung up around it, eventually became known as Gilbert. Gilbert was a prime farming community, fueled by the construction of the Roosevelt Dam and the Eastern and Consolidated Canals in 1911. It remained an agriculture town for many years, and was known as the “Hay Capital of the World” until the late 1920s. Gilbert began to take its current shape during the 1970s when the Town Council approved a strip annexation that encompassed 53 square miles of county land. Although the population was only 1,971 in 1970 the Council realized that Gilbert would eventually grow and develop much like the neighboring communities of Tempe, Mesa, and Chandler. This proved to be a farsighted decision as Gilbert positioned itself for growth in the 1980s and beyond.

Over the Fourth of July weekend there are many activities planned to celebrate Gilbert’s birthday. Look for a list here in the next 10 days.

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