Gilbert, Arizona

CHAPTER II

Railroad and Other Transportation T he railroad through Gilbert, Arizona was a dream of Frank Murphy, who came to Arizona in 1877. He later incorporated the Phoenix and Eastern Railroad Company on August 31, 1901. Murphy’s purpose in building his railroad was to bring copper and gold from the mountains around the Kelvin, Mammoth, Winkleman, Mineral Creek (later called Ray), and Hayden mining towns, all situated along the Gila River. Gold had been found in

Mammoth in 1879 on the Hackeny and Aaben claims. In 1903, ninety-six miles of track was laid from Phoenix through the Gilbert area and on to Winkleman. The line ran from Phoenix through Tempe and on to Mesa, where it turned south. At Baseline Road, the track turned southeast erly in an almost straight line to a point on the north side of the Gila River near Florence. At that point the track met the Gila River, fol lowing the river easterly to the great mineral deposits that were already being developed. With limited water resources, a few of the early farmers were already growing alfalfa in the area. The future Gilbert just happened to lie along the route for the Phoenix and Eastern Railroad.

k Man with springwagon. Springs were added for comfort.

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