Oro: Spanish for “gold,” like the desert bloom that inspired the OVHS logo!
Learn how Oro Valley got its name, the battle to incorporate it into a town, and the story behind the OVHS logo.
The Oro Valley History section of this website includes a dropdown menu that lets you explore even more: the histories of the George Pusch and Jack Procter families, Steam Pump Ranch, explore the Heritage Garden with its walk-in Hohokam pit house replica, petroglyphs and meteorites in the museum, research support, local legends, and videos featuring longtime residents.
The Town of Oro Valley was officially incorporated in 1974, starting with a modest population of approximately 1,200 residents. Interestingly, the town was nearly named Palo Verde, inspired by the native tree known for its striking golden blossoms. However, concerns about potential confusion with the Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant near Phoenix led town leaders to reconsider.
Ultimately, the name Oro Valley was chosen—and it turned out to be a perfect fit.
Why “Oro Valley”?
Palo Verde Blooms
• The word Oro means “gold” in Spanish, a nod to the golden hues of the Palo Verde blossoms that dot the Sonoran landscape.
• Town founders believed the name would resonate well with residents and especially appeal to the influential community surrounding the Oro Valley Country Club.
• The name evokes a sense of beauty, prosperity, and regional identity—capturing the essence of this vibrant desert community nestled between mountain ranges.
Oro Valley lives up to its golden name with scenic views, a strong community, and a high quality of life. Learn more at the Town of Oro Valley’s website.
Read more about how the Oro Valley Historical Society: Who we are, a description of the Pusch House Museum, and how the dream to preserve Oro Valley history began with three people, Jim Kriegh, Dick Eggerding, and Pat Spoerl.
Photo credit: Palo Verdes Dotting the Mountainside – Photo by Sherri Graves Photography
The Oro Valley Historical Society logo draws inspiration from the rich symbolism associated with gold, reflecting the meaning of “Oro” in Spanish.
Since the Arizona Historical Society features the symbol for copper in its logo, it felt fitting for our logo to embrace gold as its central theme.
Alchemical Symbols for Gold:
Gold holds a special place in the history of alchemy, the precursor to modern chemistry, with several unique symbols representing it.
These designs offered an intriguing visual and philosophical foundation.
Modern Chemistry Representation:
The atomic model of gold, representing its scientific identity, adds a contemporary layer to the logo’s inspiration.
Design Collaboration Credit:
In 2006, Joyce Rychener and her graphic designer sister, Judith James, collaborated to create our original logo. Subsequent iterations were contributed by Warren Lazar.
The following article is from the Oro Valley Historical Heritage Guide, April 2009 – by Marjorie Kriegh, wife of Jim Kriegh and first Town Historian for the Town of Oro Valley.
It is fact that the Town of Oro Valley has been happily incorporated since April 1974. But, perhaps, you have wondered how and why the Town of Oro Valley came to be.
Our story began long ago, way back in 1968. Tucson Mayor “Gentleman” Jim Corbett made a statement, which, to some area residents could be likened to the “shot heard round the world”. Well, ‘round Tucson, anyway. Mayor Corbett said that they (the areas around Tucson) will be taken in (to Tucson’s city limits) “kicking, stamping and screaming, if necessary”. The City of Tucson’s political climate, as it was at that time, was not to many people’s likings and many, many people living outside Tucson’s corporate limits wished to remain so. Some concerned citizens began to look at the feasibility of forming their own town in order to avoid being “absorbed” by the City of Tucson.
The State of Arizona, however, had done its part to discourage incorporation of areas on the “outskirts” of larger municipalities. A ruling came down from the legislature which stipulated that an area proposed for incorporation must have at least 500 inhabitants who all had to exhibit common goals and objectives. Additionally, to protect the larger cities, an area proposed for incorporation had to be farther than six miles from another incorporated city’s boundaries. If the proposed boundaries were not six miles apart, then permission by the incorporated city must be given. Larger cities and towns lobbied long and hard for these incorporation rulings because they did not wish to be hemmed in by a proliferation of “bedroom communities”; to avoid competition.
Some residents northwest of Tucson were undaunted by these rulings. With the competent legal advice of Mr. Ellsworth Triplett, for whom I served as legal secretary at the time, interested people began to organize. These people came from, not only the area later to become known as Oro Valley, but also, from the Catalina Foothills area.
There were obstacles to overcome. The “six-mile” rule made incorporation of the Catalina Foothills area impossible, but, as Mr. Triplett advised, the outlying area which included the Oro Valley Country Club Estates and the Highlands Mobile Home Park, could conceivably be incorporated since the area was six miles distant from the City of Tucson limits. (Later, the Highlands Mobile Home Park was dropped from the incorporation effort because less than 50% of the people favored the incorporation.) At this time, the proposed Town was to be named, The Town of Palo Verde.”
Because the Oro Valley Country Club Estates, under the direction of Mr. Robert Daly, President of the Homeowner’s Association, was undertaking street improvement, interest in the incorporation effort waned for a time, but was renewed when Mr. E. S. (Steve) Engle, the new Oro Valley Homeowner’s President became interested. Together with my husband, Jim Kriegh, they gathered citizen support from all areas proposed for incorporation, including Shadow Mountain Estates East and West, Campo Bello Estates, Linda Vista Citrus Tracts, and Oro Valley Country Club Estates.
Citizens from all these areas worked long and hard for many years, the culmination of their efforts being the filing of a petition for the incorporation of the Town of Oro Valley with the Pima County Board of Supervisors. As may have been suspected this petition was promptly rejected by the Board, leading to a four-year court battle which ended in the Arizona Supreme Court. The decision handed down by the Supreme Court directed the Pima County Board of Supervisors to incorporate our tiny 2.5 square mile Town of Oro Valley.
This decision signified the birth of the Town of Oro Valley on April 15, 1974, and the beginning of a Town which, it is hoped, all citizens may be proud of today*
*The resolution to incorporate Oro Valley was adopted by the Pima County Board of Supervisors on April 15, 1974. The first Mayor and Council were appointed on April 17, 1974, so April 17th is the official Town birth date.
OV Fought to Become, Then to Stay, a Town, by Dave Perry (featuring an interview with Twink Monrad)
Twink Monrad, 2024
Also by Dave Perry: The Story of How the Loop Came to Be. Thank you, Dave, for all of your contributions to Oro Valley!
Dave Perry
