Little Known Facts about Gilbert Arizona

Growing up in Tempe in the 60's and 70's, all I really knew about Gilbert back then was that it was a little town, way out east, where all the farmers and cowboys lived.  

The population of Gilbert back then was about 5000.  The US60 Superstition Freeway ended at Gilbert Rd. because there just wasn't much after that until you got all the way out to Apache Junction.

I remember wanting to buy a pick up truck and being hesitant to go look at one in particular because it was all the way out in Gilbert on a farm at Gilbert Rd and Baseline.

My how times have changed.....

Today, Gilbert is currently the most populous incorporated town in the United States. It encompasses 76 square miles and has made a rapid transformation from an agriculture-based community to an economically diverse suburban center. In the last two decades, Gilbert has grown at an extremely high rate, increasing in population from 5,717 in 1980 to more than 239,000 residents today.

Here are some Little Known Facts about Gilbert:

• Once a farming community known as the "Hay Capital of the World", Gilbert got its boost with the building of the Roosevelt Dam. The dam helped regulate water for farming. In 1920, when the town was incorporated, there were 500 hundred families farming in Gilbert.

• The town is named for William Gilbert.  Mr. Gilbert was a farmer who offered up his own land to the railroad and soon had a rail siding on his property. What is a rail siding?  A rail siding was an off shoot, or spur of rail, off of the main line that allowed the loading and unloading of material without blocking the main tracks. Mr. Gilbert essentially had customers coming right to his property and buying his crops.

• Ayer's Grocery Store, the first store in Gilbert, opened in 1910 and became the location of the first post office in 1912. Gilbert Elementary School opened in 1913

• Many professional athletes and musicians call Gilbert home.  From sports as varied as professional wrestling to ice dancing, to NFL and NBA players, to members of top ranked bands and more, have called Gilbert home or still do. Gilbert is either hometown for, or hometown from, members of Linkin Park, Lifehouse, Scary Kids Scaring Kids (SKSK) and Jimmy Eat World. And let’s not forget to mention the “hip hop violinist” of America’s Got Talent and Youtube fame,  Lindsey Stirling.

• Here are some interesting demographics provided by the US Census Bureau:

  Percentage White: 83.3%
  Percentage African American: 3.7%
  Percentage Asian: 6%
  Percentage Latino/a or Hispanic (of any race): 14.7%

  Median age: 32.2

  Median family income: $86,271

Looking for things to do in Gilbert?

Try some of these activities:

• Gilbert Days and Rodeo
• Gilbert Days 5k Run and 1 Mile Fun Run
• Fourth of July Festivities
• So Long to Summer Fest
• Family Halloween Carnival
• Concerts in the Park Series
• Gilbert's Holiday Nights of Lights

Are you hungry?  Here are my 5 favorite places to eat:

• Joe's Farm Grill
• Joe's Real BBQ
• Liberty Market
• Henhouse Cafe
• Gecko Grill

And finally, if you want to get out and enjoy the great Gilbert weather:

• Cosmo Dog Park
• Crossroads District Park
• Discovery District Park
• Elliot District Park
• Freestone District Park | Skate Park
• McQueen District Park

The above information barely scratches the surface of all that is Gilbert.  Come check out this wonderful town I and many others call home. There is a place for you here too!