Gilbert Elementary School, the third elementary school in Gilbert, was built in 1913 on land donated by Everett Wilbur, who later became Gilbert’s first mayor in 1920. The first two schools had been part of the Mesa School District. The original east wing, built in 1913, contained four classrooms, two offices, a central assembly room, and a large entryway. The building had no inside plumbing, with two outside toilets, a well south of the building for fresh water, and a basement furnace for winter heat. About 85 pupils attended during this period. In 1916 a north wing was added with two basement rooms and two classrooms just above ground level, and a water fountain was installed for teachers and students. In 1925 the south wing added two more classrooms. By 1931 enrollment had risen to 281 students. The school closed in 1977. In 1982 the Gilbert Historical Society began leasing the building and opened it as a museum in May of that year. In 1985 the society purchased the building from the school district for $255,000 through a donation by Otto and Edna Neely. It is the only building in Gilbert on the National Register of Historic Places.