Gilbert

History

Gilbert owes its beginnings to William "Bobby" Gilbert who provided land to the Arizona Eastern Railway in 1902 to construct a rail line between Phoenix and Florence, Arizona. Ayer's Grocery Store, the first store in Gilbert, opened in 1910 and became the location of the first post office in 1912. The town post office moved several times before settling on the east side of Gilbert Road in downtown, where it still stands today. In 1912, many Mormons who had fled the Mormon colonies in Mexico due to the actions of the forces of Pancho Villa settled in Gilbert. By 1915, they began holding church meetings at the Gilbert Elementary School. In 1918, they were organized into the Gilbert Ward.
Incorporated in July 1920, Gilbert was primarily a farming community fueled by the rail line and construction of the Roosevelt Dam and the Eastern and Consolidated Canals. It remained an agricultural town for many years and was known as the "Hay Capital of the World" from 1911 until the late 1920s.

By plane

• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) +1 602 275-4958 is the main air gateway to Arizona. It is in East Phoenix 3 miles from downtown. All major U.S. carriers serve Phoenix Sky Harbor with lots of flights to major cities across the country. Southwest Airlines and American Airlines have hubs at Sky Harbor. It is approximately 30 minutes from Gilbert.
• Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) +1 480-988-7600 i east of Phoenix, in neighboring Mesa. It is served mainly by Allegiant Air, although Vision Airlines also offers service from North Las Vegas. This is a small airport that is being redeveloped into a major regional airport.

By car

Gilbert is primarily served by one area freeway—the Santan Freeway portion of Loop 202. A small section of the US 60 Superstition Freeway also skirts the northern boundary of the town at the Higley Road interchange (Exit 186). Several regional arterials also serve the area, including Williams Field Road, Chandler Boulevard, and Gilbert Road.

By bus

Car and bus are the easiest ways to get around Gilbert.

• Cosmo Dog Park

  phone: +1 480 503 6200
  address: 2502 E. Ray Rd
  One of the best dog parks in the nation. Lake for the dogs to play in. Separate areas for active and timid dogs. Ramadas, tables and benches available. Lighted for use at night.

• Discovery Park

  address: 2214 E Pecos Road
  A 48-acre park. The park was named for the discovery of fossils of a Columbian Mammoth near the site during construction.

• Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch

  address: 2757 E. Guadalupe Rd
  Walking paths through a series of ponds. Bring your camera, several hundred different types of birds come here every year. The park also contains an observatory, dinosaur find and archeology find areas. Year-round fishing at the Water Ranch Lake (permits required).

• Gilbert Historical Museum

  address: 10 S. Gilbert Rd
  Variety of exhibits about the founding and growth of the Town of Gilbert.

• Hale Centre Theatre

  address: 50 W. Page Ave
  Theatre-in-the-round. Does a season with plays, musicals and children's theatre. Prices vary. Special group rates are available.

• American Eagle Outfitters

  address: San Tan Village Shopping Center
  Affordable casual clothing.

• Apple Store

  address: SanTan Village Shopping Center
  Specializing in Apple computer products.

• Farm House Restaurant

  address: 228 N Gilbert Rd
  Fresh breakfasts served daily. Many travelers go out of their way to make a stop here.

• Liberty Market

  address: 230 N. Gilbert Rd
  Serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Local favorite. No reservations. Moderately priced. Restrooms are a must see.

• Joe's Real Barbeque

  address: 301 N. Gilbert Rd
  Great BBQ, atmosphere. Another local favorite. No reservations but plenty of room both indoors and out. Excellent value for the price. Can handle parties of almost any size. Take out and catering.

• Joe's Farm Grill

  address: 3000 Ray Rd
  American food using vegetables grown on the farm. Featured on the Food Network. Built on an existing farm, they left the gigantic cottonwood trees which makes eating outdoors a real pleasure. Portions are large.

• Flancers Cafe

  address: 610 N. Gilbert Rd
  Great sandwiches. Take-out available. You can also buy their famous bread to take home and make your own sandwiches.

• Lulu's Taco Shop

  address: 610 N. Gilbert Rd
  Mexican. Some of the best Mexican food in Gilbert. Open for breakfast and lunch. Excellent breakfast burritos.

• Some Burros!

  address: Market Street and Williams Field Rd
  Excellent portion sizes for exceptional food. Family owned and run business with four locations in the Valley. Macha burros are always a favorite. Dining indoors or out. Takeout available.

• Euro Cafe

  address: 207 N. Gilbert Rd. Suite 105
  International and eclectic foods. Excellent wine list. Offers food and wine pairing and wine makers dinners for $45 a person, reservations required in advance. Excellent dessert menu. Caters.

• Phoenicia Cafe II

  phone: +1 480-503-4976
  address: 1150 S. Gilbert Rd, Ste 104
  Greek and Mediterranean food. Excellent lunch menu with buffet. Now serving breakfast. Also have a Tempe location. Take out available.

• Waldo's BBQ

  address: 2743 S. Market St Ste 111
  Specializes is BBQ ribs but is famous for all things BBQ. Take-out and catering available. Original location still in Mesa, Az. Famous for its wall decor as well. A local favorite.

• In-N-Out Burger

  address: 2449 S. Market St
  American fast food but freshly cooked. You can watch them cut the potatoes for the french fries. Great food for the price. Cooked to order. Takeout as well. Child friendly.

• Oregano's Pizza Bistro

  address: 328 N. Gilbert Rd
  Excellent pizza and other Italian foods. Pizzas range from 12" to 18" for thin crust. Stuffed pizzas are 8" to 12" Large variety of styles of pizzas and toppings. Will deliver for large parties. Takeout available.

• J K Chinese Gourmet

  address: 2540 S. Val Vista Dr. #106
  Great food, excellent service. Hidden in a smaller shopping center, but worth the visit. Takeout available.

• Yao Chinese Cuisine

  address: 2487 S. Gilbert #102
  One of the top 100 Chinese restaurants in America. Extensive Chinese menu. Lunch specials.

• Pita Jungle

  address: 1431 E. Williams Field Rd. Ste. 101
  Healthy foods. Catering. Extensive menu and friendly service.

• Thai Chili 2 Go

  phone: +1 480 566 8061
  address: 1887 E Williams Field Road
  Thai food made with authentic ingredients

• Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row

  phone: +1 480 476 8595
  address: 323 N. Gilbert Rd
  Country bar with American cuisine and nightlife

• The Brass Tap

  phone: +1 480 268 9557
  address: 313 N Gilbert Rd
  Over 60 beers on tap.

• Fox Cigar Bar

  phone: +1 480 917 3117
  address: 1464 East Williams Field Road
  Has a selection of beer, whiskey, and cigars.

• The White Rabbit

  phone: +1 480 750 0099
  address: 207 N Gilbert Road
  A speakeasy in downtown Gilbert.

• Hampton Inn and Suites

  address: 3265 E Market St

• Hyatt Place

  address: 3275 E Market St

• Home 2 Suites

  address: 3333 E Market St

• DoubleTree

  address: 1800 S SanTan Village Parkway