Gilbert

About Gilbert

Gilbert is a family-friendly city of about 270,000 people in the southeast Phoenix area, one of the fastest-growing towns in the country over the past few decades. It began in 1902 as a railroad siding named for William Gilbert, who gave land for the tracks, and it was once known as the Hay Shipping Capital of the World. Farm fields have mostly given way to neighborhoods, but the town keeps a little of its agricultural character.

The Heritage District is Gilbert's lively downtown, where the old water tower watches over restaurants, breweries and patios that fill up on warm evenings. A short drive south, Agritopia blends an urban farm with restaurants and a coffee roaster, and SanTan Village is the area's big open-air shopping center.

Gilbert is also known for its parks. The Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch has trails around recharge ponds that attract hundreds of bird species, plus a public observatory, while Freestone Park and Gilbert Regional Park offer lakes, playgrounds and sports fields. The lakeside neighborhood of Val Vista Lakes shows how water shapes life here, and the desert trails of the San Tan Mountains are close by.