That Small Town Feel

This article in the AZ Tribune piqued my interest about another small town Gilbert that is figuring out how to deal with growth, and then I started reminiscing about our own Gilbert.

The Mister was born and raised in Gilbert, and has watched it literally grow from the bustling small town (not sleepy, which is the normal phrase, as though all the shopkeepers are dozing in rockers in front of their stores; though farmers do go to bed early in order to be up long before sunrise) of 2,000 folks to the bustling fastest-growing town of 170,000 today. Some changes were welcome, like shopping closer to home; some changes were very difficult, like changing from an agricultural community to what seemed like a metropolis and traffic and the dreaded red tile roof infestation.

Gone are the days of "The Good Eats Dairy Bar" on Gilbert Road, and shooting off model rockets in the field next to the house. We don't even see crop dusters nearby anymore, the very thing that got the Mister excited about flying.

Morrison Ranch was actually born out of this clash of cultures; how could one promote Gilbert's agricultural heritage, while welcoming the change brought on by the influx of people wanting to share that heritage? How about straight streets that remind one of the straight rows of cotton; and rows of trees that point back to the citrus and pecan groves that used to be so prevalent? How about large open spaces that bring to mind the open fields where the Mister and Bias For Action used to have dirt clod wars? How about homes that face the street, homes that have front porches, and front streets that are pleasant to walk along, as one mingles with one's neighbors? How about neighborhoods, and even retail centers, that cater to the pedestrian rather than the car? If a mom wanted to send her ten year old son to get some milk from the store, could he do it without crossing major thoroughfares? Some of these desires have worked out better than others (after all, we aren't eliminating cars, we still have to go to Diamondbacks, Suns, Cardinals, Coyotes, and Rattlers games) within the present framework, but it is gratifying to see the end result taking shape.

Some folks have questioned whether we are trying to copy the midwestern style; and some have wondered why we didn't pursue a desert landscaping theme. The answer is that this land has been in agriculture for over 70 years, much of it cleared by the Mister's grandfather. It wouldn't feel right somehow to put it back to desert; and we've never lived in the midwest. This is an urban version of that small town Gilbert, in which the Mister grew up.