A Tucson Day Trip that helps you escape to fantasy - Tucson's Valley of the Moon

June 20, 8:43 PMTucson Getaways ExaminerNancy Dickinson

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Photo credit: midwinter @ flickr.com

“I think we dream so we don't have to be apart so long. If we're in each other's dreams, we can be together all the time.”

Calvin & Hobbes quote

The Valley of the Moon is the creation of George Phar Legler in the 1920's.  Leglar was a man who believed, passionately, that his mission was to stimulate and appeal to the imagination of children while offering adult visitors the gift of a relaxing, meditative atomosphere.  Through the clever use of mineralized rock cliffs, garden miniatures, pools and caves, Mr. Leglar created what he called the "fantasy touch of three", referring to the works of Lewis Carroll, Edgar Allen Poe and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Located at 2544 E Allen Rd in Tucson, the Valley of the Moon has been delighting visitors, both the young and the young at heart.  Leglar, early in his life, made a pact with himself to spread happiness where ever he went and the central theme in all his artistic endeavors was " Kindness to All is the Golden Key to Happiness".

Leglar's religion was spirtualism and "Valley of the Moon" reflects his beliefs in ghosts, spirits and fairies.  He was also a member of the Fairy Investigation Society, whose motto was, "We welcome all who have the Fairy Faith" (the link for this is a Wikipedia entry, which I am ordinarily loathe to use but I couldn't find another good link anywhere on the Internet that explained what this group did).  Though the organization was small, a mere 127 members in 1957, Leglar shared his membership with the likes of Walt Disney.  It was Leglar's belief in all things magical that led to his creation of Valley of the Moon.

His primary inspiration for Valley of the Moon was intertwined with the illness, and subsequent death, of the daughter of a clergyman Leglar had befriended.  Dying of consumption (later to be known as tuberculosis), he decided the little girl needed something to spark her imagination.  Outside her bedroom window, Leglar built a miniature world for her to admire.  The best description given of this garden is taken from the site for Valley of the Moon and it is:

miniature cement mountain scene, complete with a lake made from a washtub and a waterfall. The "lake" held fish, and water plants, and there was a little path leading to a ladder up the side of the "mountain." The waterfall was made by filling a reservoir at the top of the mountain, which would run back down into the lake. George was very proud of his early Fairy Land, and used to say that whenever she wanted she could climb that ladder "in her imagination."

Photo credit: Valley of the Moon photo gallery  the view from
George's window in the "Cave Room".

Two years later, when the little girl died, her mother was overcome at the loss of her daughter.  Leglar, at the request of the clergyman, came to the mother and helped her understand, through the window of his spiritualist beliefs, that her daughter was not gone, simply in a better place.  Seeing how much he had helped her, it was then decided to create on over two acres of land, a place "everyone could express their imagination, and heal the mind and spirit" and such was the beginning of Valley of the Moon.

A truly unique and peaceful location, Valley of the Moon has inside its boundaries hobbit's huts, small waterfalls, streams and ponds filled with sparkling fish and water lillies.  Leglar particularly enjoyed building water in the desert, where none had stood before.  Equally enchanting to visitors are the caves and buildings all created to entice imagination, Leglar gave tours throughout the decades he walked this plane, never charging admission but accepting donations.  From time to time, he would refruse to accept reservations from boys between the ages of 12 and 21, stating they, "...had no imagination" but generally, all were welcome to share the experience of walking amongst the fairies, gnomes and magic that was the essence of Valley of the Moon.  Leglar personally gave these tours since it opened in 1935 until a stomach illness, acquired from an auto accident prior to his moving to Arizona, forced him to cease giving tours.  For a time, Valley of the Moon was falling into disrepair mostly due to vandals, and Leglar deeded the land to the Valley of the Moon Restoration Association (VOMRA, who later changed their name to the "George Phar Leglar Society") in 1973.  Since its creation, Valley of the Moon has been attracting visitors from several countries and it's received awards from several regional and national magazines as well as local recognition.

George Phar Leglar passed away at the age of 97 on February 22, 1982 and a memorial service for him was held on March 2, 1982 on the grounds of Valley of the Moon.  Leglar died with the firm belief that sparking the imagination of a child was the key to helping them become a happy adult.  In the creation of Valley of the Moon, Leglar seems to have contributed to the lives of children around the world in a profound way.

The Moon Has Special Hours Open To The Public. More Information Coming Soon. For additional information, please contact The Valley Of The Moon via email or call * 520-323-1331 * 

Come with me
And you'll be
In a world of
Pure imagination
Take a look
And you'll see
Into your imagination

* lyrics from "Pure Imagination" - Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory