Over the years, Gilbert has gained a reputation as one of the coldest locations in Arkansas. Landmarks include Mays General Store.
- CountySearcy County
- Population26 (2020 U.S. Census)
- Historic places1 on the National Register
Over the years, Gilbert has gained a reputation as one of the coldest locations in Arkansas. Landmarks include Mays General Store.
Gilbert, Arkansas gifts and souvenirs: 21 designs made from Gilbert's own map, landmarks and history, from $10 to $95. Printed to order and shipped free in the USA.
| Popular | Price |
|---|---|
| Gilbert Hometown Ornament | $23 |
| Gilbert Vintage Travel Poster | from $40 |
| Gilbert Varsity Crewneck | from $57 |
| Gilbert Est. Tee | from $33 |
| Gilbert Town Line Mug | from $26 |
| Gilbert Market Tote | $37 |
Ceramic keepsake, gold ribbon, in 4 styles
Its landmark photo in a classic travel-poster layout
A local landmark photo as a gallery print
Map of local landmarks, washable fabric
Heavy-blend fleece, street map printed on the back
Red heavy-blend crewneck, knit-stitch town print
Soft Bella+Canvas jersey
Kids' Bella+Canvas jersey, youth sizes
Bella+Canvas toddler jersey
Bella+Canvas baby bodysuit
Glossy ceramic, dishwasher safe
Weatherproof, for the front walk
24″×16″, printed coir-look fibers, rubber back
12″×12″ printed wood, ready to hang
Soft-touch, zip cover
A local landmark photo with the town name, 18″×18″
Sturdy all-over-print tote
Glossy top, cork back
Soft fleece, 50″×60″
20 oz, double-wall stainless
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
Population 2010: 28 → 2020: 26
From Wikidata (CC0).
The Gilbert community was founded in 1902 when a railroad construction camp for the Missouri and North Arkansas (M&NA) Railroad was built and named in honor of Charles W. Gilbert, secretary-treasurer of Allegheny Supply Company, which was building the railroad. The M&NA began at Seligman, Missouri and rambled for 303 tortuous miles to Helena, Arkansas on the Mississippi River. In 1906, William Mays moved his store and post office to Gilbert. The Gilbert General Store, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places under the name Mays Store.
During the early 1920s, Reverend John Battenfield and his followers migrated into Gilbert and aspired to create a self-sufficient community to survive the return of the Messiah. They built a church and erected a sturdy building of smooth brown stones that was the print shop for their weekly newspaper, the Kingdom Harbinger. Gilbert Cemetery, for those who didn't make it for the anticipated Rapture, was founded in 1920 at the top of the hill on Frost Street. Gilbert School District Eighty-eight was formed in 1921. Eli Jordan donated the land for a school, the residents donated money for lumber and materials, anyone with a team and wagon hauled in the lumber, and the men of Gilbert built the school. As the town grew, it boasted four stores, two hotels, an Eagle Pencil Company mill, several sawmills and three doctors. 1923 passed without the appearance of the Messiah, and in 1925 Reverend Battenfield and his family left Gilbert to look for another location.
Gilbert remained a hub for commerce for several years. Cotton, logs, ore and grain came by rail. By the 1940s, unsustainable logging practices led to a decline in logging activity. The railroad suffered. The railroad tracks were soon removed and sold as scrap. Concrete pylons stand as evidence of the railroad.
In 2022 the community phased out its use of traditional street lights for light-emitting diode (LED) lights using high-pressure sodium. This is an anti-light pollution measure.
Adapted (trimmed) from the Wikipedia article Gilbert, Arkansas, revision 1379118067 by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
We share a part of every Gilbert sale with local partners, and we'd love to print from your collection. Old photographs, maps and postcards make the best keepsakes.
Partner with usA favorite landmark, your street, a school or team, an anniversary gift, a different product. Tell us and we'll get back to you by email.
1 free coloring page of Gilbert, each traced from a photo of a local landmark. Print them at home, at school or for story hour.
Gilbert's population was 26 in the 2020 U.S. Census, down from 28 in 2010.
Mays General Store