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Allen Park’s “Hobbitville” lore reflects idiosyncratic community history and surviving park features
Summary
Folklorist Dr. Lynn McNeal described Allen Park in Salt Lake City as the center of local stories about “Hobbitville,” tracing the site’s origins to Dr. George Allen in the early 1930s and noting surviving features such as peacocks and small rustic houses.
Dr. Lynn McNeal, a professor of folklore at Utah State University, said Allen Park in Salt Lake City has a long, unusual history that fed local rumors and the nickname "Hobbitville." McNeal traced the park’s roots to Dr. George Allen, a local physician who developed the site in the early 1930s and kept animals there for public enjoyment.
"This park was originally started by Dr. George Allen in the…
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