Gilbert Elementary School

Gilbert Elementary School. Heritage District. This is the third elementary school in Gilbert and was built in 1913. The first two schools were part of the Mesa School District. Everett Wilbur, who later became Gilbert’s first mayor in 1920, donated the land where this school was built. The east wing of the school was built in 1913 and had four classrooms, two offices, a central assembly room and a large entryway into the building. The building had no inside plumbing, and there were two outside toilets. A well south of the building provided fresh water. A furnace in the basement provided heat in the winter. During this period about 85 pupils attended the school., In 1916 a north wing was constructed. This wing consisted of two basement rooms and two classrooms just above ground level. A water fountain was installed for the teachers and students. In 1925 the south wing was built adding two additional classrooms. By 1931 the population of students had risen to 281., This school closed in 1977. In 1982 the Gilbert Historical Society began leasing the building and opened it as a museum in May of that year. In 1985 the society purchased the building from the school district for $255,000 thanks to a donation by Otto and Edna Neely. It is the only building in Gilbert on the National Register of Historic Places.