Gilbert’s water tower went from working infrastructure to a place to pause

Image: Archival photograph of Gilbert’s water tower, September 14, 2009; the surrounding plaza, access and landscaping may have changed.

A landmark can remain useful after its original job ends. Gilbert’s Water Tower Plaza surrounds a structure the town says was built in 1927, first storing water for firefighting and later drinking water until 1985. Preservation gave it another role as a familiar point of reference in the Heritage District.

The plaza opened in 2008 and occupies seven-tenths of an acre at 45 West Page Avenue. The town lists seating, grass, water features and a historical adobe pump house beside the tower. It is a compact place to pause, making the structure part of everyday downtown activity rather than an object seen only from a passing car.

Look at the relationship between the tower and the space around its base. What makes somewhere comfortable to stop, and how does an old piece of infrastructure help people describe where they are? The answers can come from an ordinary visit without needing a special event or a long historical tour.

Check the current park page for opening information and notices affecting water features before promising a splash-pad visit. The 2009 photograph accompanying this article is deliberately dated: it records a real view of the landmark, while leaving today’s parking, landscaping and access arrangements to current information and the signs on site.

Sources and visit details

• Town of Gilbert: Water Tower Plaza history, location and current visitor information

Photo: Cygnusloop99 / Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized and converted to WebP; the site wordmark may be added in display.