The Islands Homeowner Magazine - Gary Colin

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Bryan Johnson Publisher/CEO

Gilbert Town

ONCE UPON A TIME...

the Town of Gilbert used to be a far away suburb of Phoenix that existed in a time and place all its own. Officially founded on July 6, 1920, Gilbert Recently celebrated its centennial celebration. Much has changed in the past century and the sleepy little town has experienced explosive growth in everything from its population and housing to its businesses and culture.

A rail line was established between Phoenix and Florence in 1902. Specifically, a rail siding that was established on the land of William “Bobby” Gilbert literally gave birth to the sleepy area of Gilbert which, at the time, was a robust farming community because of the recent construction of the Roosevelt Dam and Eastern Consolidated Canals. The Town of Gilbert was incorporated in 1920 and up until that time, it was known as the “Hay Capital of the World. ” Opened in 1910, the first grocery store in Gilbert was Ayer ’s Grocery Store and served as the location of the first post office in 1912.

The location of Gilbert ’s post office bounced around several times before settling on the east side of Gilbert Road in downtown, where it stillstands today. In the early 1970s, Gilbert as we know it now began to evolve when the town council approved a 53 -square mile annexation of county land. At the time, Gilbert ’s population was less than 2,000. But, the town council took note of how Tempe, Chandler and Mesa were beginning to boom and readied the town for a similar style of growth. By the 1980s, Gilbert ’s population grew to 5,717 and boomed to 237,133 as of 2016, with signs that the family friendly community will keep growing. Recent additions of hospitals, hotels, strip malls and restaurants have continued to further fuel the town ’s population boom.

There are people of many faiths in Gilbert. Back during Gilbert ’s earliest days, some followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints were escaping LDS colonies in Mexico, due in part, to the forces of revolutionary, Pancho Villa. Some of those people settled in Gilbert and became a part of the farming community and some of the initial population. Today, both LDS and Catholic communities are prominent in the town.

On March 2, 2014, the LDS church founded a large temple in Gilbert. Although the Town of Gilbert may not be as old as some cities in Arizona, there are still many historic structures that are either fully preserved or in the process of preservation. Some of those buildings include Gilbert Elementary School, Gilbert High School, The Gilbert Water Tower, The Tone Building that now houses Joe ’s Real BBQ, Liberty Market, The Bank of Gilbert and several others. Large swaths of land that were once home to citrus trees, corn and other crops gave way to housing developments and businesses. Today, Gilbert ’s largest employers include Walmart, Go Daddy, Fry ’s Food and Drug, the Town of Gilbert, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, Banner Health and Gilbert Public Schools. For those wanting to explore more about Gilbert’s history, a trip to HD South, home to Gilbert Historical Museum is a must. There, visitors will get a full visual trip down memory lane that encompasses the important milestones and people involved in founding the Town of Gilbert.

Displays include photographs and important artifacts housed in several different rooms. The courtyard also includes a lot of different pieces of vintage farming equipment that pay tribute to Gilbert ’s agricultural past. Gallery 4 at HD South incorporates the works of many talented artists. Works in the gallery are designed to provoke thoughtful conversations pertaining to history, community and culture.

1. Barrio Queen

2. Coming Soon 2024

3. Champions Sports Saloon

4. Clever Koi

5. Creamistry

6. Culinary Dropout

7. Prep and Pastry

8. Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row

9. Farmhouse Restaurant

10. Joe’s Real BBQ

11. Joyride Taco House

12. Level 1 Arcade Bar

13. Liberty Market

14. Lolo’s Chicken & Waffles

15. The Bar

16. O.H.S.O. Brewery + Distillery

17. Oregano’s Pizza Bistro

18. Petersen’ s Ice Cream and Café

19. Shaq’s Big Chicken

20. Postino East

21. Rocket Fizz

22. Romeo’s Euro Café

23. Snooze A.M. Eatery

24. SoCal Fish Taco Company

25. Sotol Modern Cocktail Kitchen

26. Sushi Brokers

27.The Porch

28. Topo

29. The White Rabbit Bar

30. Zinburger

In 2007 SanTan Brewing Company disrupted a stale world of beer, creating innovative craft brews for modern beer drinkers. In 2015, SanTan Spirits was born from a brewers desire to continue the journey of fermentation. Our tours take visitors on a unique, step -by -step experience through our craft process in our working 35,000 square foot production facility.

The newest expansion of SanTan Brewing Company includes tours of the craft beer and spirits labs, tasting samples, a peek into the science and similarities behind the brewing and distilling process, and an intimate education about the history and future of SanTan Brewing Company.

SanTan Tours feature 10 stops along the brewery and distillery path. You’ll visit stations like Grain Handling, The Brewhouse, Barrel Aging, Packaging and more. At select stops, you ’ll have the opportunity to taste samples of the products at various stages of production. Each tour is led by

a Santan expert who will guide you through the 35,000 sq. ft. facility and answer questions along the way. At the conclusion of the tour, relax at our tasting bar where you can purchase additional tastings, canned beers, bottled spirits and exclusive merchandise.

L LOCATED JUST 10 MINUTES AWAY FROM OUR HISTORIC DOWNTOWN CHANDLER LOCATION

SanTan Gardens is all about being a wonderful place to drink, hangout with family and friends, and listen to live music from local musicians. Not too rowdy, not too laid back, just a good old fashioned good time.

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