If you grew up in the Salt Lake Valley, you might be familiar with the urban legend of "Hobbitville." It was supposedly a terrifying neighborhood of small houses that were inhabited by gnomes, evil creatures, and magical hobbits that would chase you down to kill and eat you if you dared to trespass through their yards.

Of course, the legend was perpetuated by high school kids all over the valley, and even kids in other counties would drive up to Salt Lake City to see if they could find the dangerous hobbit dwellings. The mystical evil of Hobbitville was nothing more than a scary urban legend, but every urban legend does start with a kernel of truth, and there is an actual neighborhood of tiny houses in Sugarhouse.

Allen Park is a fascinating place with a pretty cool history. In 1931, Dr. Gregory Allen, a physician and exotic bird enthusiast, purchased this eight-acre of property with his wife.

Dr. Allen loved all creatures, and he was involved in the founding of both Hogle Zoo and Tracy Aviary.

For many years, animals of all kinds wandered the grounds, including an elephant, reindeer, peacocks, and even a chimpanzee.

The doctor also cared deeply about his patients and the residents of Salt Lake City. He provided medical services for patients who couldn't pay, and later built several duplexes and rental homes on his property.

Over the years, the dwellings were home to all kinds of people, from local professors to artists.

Mosaics with charming sayings were created and placed all over the little neighborhood...

...and many of them feature the birds that Dr. Allen loved so much.

The property finally fell into disrepair, and its buildings became overgrown with weeds. Rather than tear everything down, Salt Lake City purchased the property in early 2020, with plans to turn it into a public space.

Allen Park opened to the public in October, 2020. Today, visitors can stroll around the grounds, enjoying the shady trees and artwork. Though the buildings are not accessible right now, you'll find signs throughout the park that tell you about the its history and art.

While work is still in progress, it's already a fascinating place to visit!

Take a look at this video posted on YouTube by Salt Lake City Television to see more of Allen Park!

Check out the Salt Lake City Public Lands Division's website to learn more and see a video about the park.

Have you visited this place, either when it was "Hobbitville," or now that it's a public park? Tell us about your visit in the comments!

If you're interested in more of Utah's urban legends, check out this grave in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, and read about this ghost who wanders the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake.