Gilbert's First Jail
Posted by: 
simpjkee
N 33° 21.284 W 111° 47.427
12S E 426455 N 3690892
This small building was originally the first jail of Gilbert, AZ.
Waymark Code: WM8TPE
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 05/11/2010
Views: 20
This small building was constructed out of adobe in 1937. It served as both Gilbert's first jail and a tool shed for the Water Works Dept. The jail lacked sanitary facilities, but consisted only of one cell with a cot and a window for ventilation. The cell door was rarely locked and jail occupants frequently escaped through the roof. Additionally, some guests of Gilbert even used it as a hotel room of sorts for overnight trips to the Town. The jail is located beneath the Gilbert Water Tower that was build in 1925.
The jail still stands as it did when originally constructed. However, in 2007, the jail went through an extensive restoration process during the construction of the Water Tower Plaza. During the restoration, the East and South walls were completely removed. Adobe material that was removed as part of the walls was recycled and used again to restore the walls once the foundation was leveled. The windows of the jail were mounted to the roof so that the windows remain in the exact spots they did originally. One section of the wall on the Northwest corner of the jail remains unplastered to provide a 'window' to the original adobe.
The building now serves as a maintanence shed and stands as part of the Water Tower Plaza on the South side of Page Ave., just West of Gilbert Rd. in downtown Gilbert, AZ. The plaza can be visited 24 hours a day, year round.
Address:
45 W. Page Ave.
Gilbert, AZ USA
85234
Open to the public: Yes
Hours:
24 Hours
Fees?:
0
Web link: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
In order to add a new log to the waymark of this category, simply take another photo of the prison from a different angle than the other posts. Also add to the history of the jail when possible.