Gilbert, Arizona

Cattle were raised in the fields in Gilbert as well as on the desert east of town. Many of these cattle were shipped from the corrals alongside the railroad just east of the Gilbert Depot. Cattle were driven down Guadalupe or Elliot Road from east of town right to the corrals for shipment. Farms were being established with all the ameni ties of the Midwest. Below is a picture showing the replacement of cactus and sagebrush with trees around homes in the Gilbert area.

After President Theodore Roosevelt enacted the Bureau of Reclamation Act, he directed the building of the dam. Construction began at the confluence of the Salt River and Tonto Creek in 1904.To even begin the enormous project, roads had to be dragged to the site so equip ment could be delivered as needed.The work went on for seven years. On March 18, 1911, President Roosevelt dedicated the dam bearing his name.

k Farmhouse with trees

k Roosevelt Dam 1961

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