Egleston Memorial Drive and Egelston Drive, both in Oro Valley, are named in honor of landowners who helped preserve some of Tucson's most scenic land.
Charles Egleston was born in 1895 in Westfield, Mass., and his wife, Anna (Kehr) Egleston, was born three years later in 1898 in New York City. The two arrived in Tucson in the 1920s with their two children - three others later would be born in Tucson. Before moving to Arizona, Charles had served in the U.S. Navy.
When they first moved to Tucson, the Eglestons lived near East Glenn Street and North First Avenue, and Charles worked as a self-employed electrician. In the 1930s, they purchased large tracts of land around Tucson, including 65 acres near Pusch Ridge, which was their largest holding. It was bounded by Oracle Road on the west, Linda Vista Boulevard on the north, and Calle Concordia on the south and also included two parcels totaling 30 acres on the west side of Oracle Road north of Calle Concordia.
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Part of that land is now the James Kriegh Park, which sits next to Egleston Drive. On one of these two parcels they built the family home, which was finished in 1951 and still exists today at 9465 N. Oracle Road.
Outside of work, the Eglestons volunteered with the Beacon Group, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and providing opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities. Charles died in 1965, but Anna lived until her 99th birthday. Throughout her life she was dedicated to her Christian faith, including her mission work on the Indian reservations throughout Arizona.
Perhaps the couple's greatest legacy was preserving the land on North Oracle where Pusch Ridge Christian Academy and Canyon del Oro Baptist Church are now located. They gave the land to the Palo Verde Baptist Church in 1958, with the stipulation that it be used "for religious and educational purposes only."
The road in the Pusch Ridge property is named Egleston Memorial Drive, in honor of Charles and Anna.
Editor's note
Each week the Star tells the stories behind Tucson street names. If you have streets to suggest or stories to share, contact writer David Leighton at streetsmarts@azstarnet.com
Sources: Special thanks to Michael Lopez of Pima Community College and Dan Huff. Canyon del Oro Baptist Church website: www.cdobaptist.org/history Pusch Ridge Christian Academy website: www.cfcsmain.com/about-us Interview with Dan Huff, descendant of Charles and Anna Egleston.
