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Gilbert at a Glance
Situated 26 mi (42 km) southeast of Phoenix,
Gilbert is a rapidly growing town with its origins in farming. Named
after one of the area’s earliest homesteaders from the 1890s, William
(Bobby) M. Gilbert, the Arizona
town first became known for its quality hay, which supplied the US
Army’s horses during World War I and earned the title “Hay Capital of
the World” until the mid 1900s. More recently, Gilbert has left its
agricultural roots behind and has seen its population swell, making it one of the Phoenix
valley’s largest metro areas.
Today, Gilbert describes itself as a young, affluent community with an
active, outdoor lifestyle. Canals that were originally built to aid
land irrigation and transportation are now part of the Central
Trail System, which offers 135 mi (217 km) of trails for
walking, running, biking and horseback riding. In similar fashion,
Water Ranch in north Gilbert has become home to the Riparian
Institute and Preserve, a 110-acre (45-ha) reserve that is
open to the public and regularly visited by over 200 species of birds,
making it a popular spot for birdwatchers and wildlife photographers.
Visitors, meanwhile, can find the heart of the town in its downtown
historic district. The Gilbert
Historical Museum, housed in a former schoolhouse, works to
preserve Gilbert’s early history while a collection of unique
restaurants and shops, as well as the Hale
Centre Theatre, represent the town’s growing and flourishing
future.
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Travel Articles about Gilbert |
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