After a fire struck downtown Tulare on September 12, 1936, destroying Al Tuggle's furniture store, W. A. "Al" and Enid Tuggle rebuilt in an open field south of Tulare, exactly 4 miles south of Bardsley Road on K Street, old Highway 99. They later added other buildings around the store, including their home on what became known as Tuggle Street. Al Tuggle said Percy Whiteside, editor of the Advance Register, created the name Tuggleville, and Al promoted the area with the slogan "watch Tuggleville grow" before placing a Tuggleville sign in front of his store. Tuggleville's heyday lasted from 1937 to 1951, and many well-known individuals, families, and businesses became part of its history. Pharmacist Elliott H. "Pop" Moffett became the first official resident, and Al Tuggle said Pop Moffett was really the mayor while he was only the dog catcher. Tuggleville ended not because of economic decline or business abandonment, but because of the need for public utility and police and fire services; after the county board of supervisors initially turned down the citizens' request for a utility district, they petitioned the city of Tulare for annexation, and Tuggleville became part of Tulare on October 4, 1951.