Palm Springs HISTORY
Explore Palm Springs: Plaza Theatre
Adoring fans lined Palm Canyon Drive in 1936 waiting for the stars to arrive for the...
From the Sky
The Desert Air Hotel in Rancho Mirage was the brainchild of prominent Los Angeles architect Hank...
The Original Sand Lot
The Redwood Pioneers moved from Rohnert Park in the mid-1980s to where Gene Autry’s major league...
Explore Palm Springs: Women’s Suffrage
In the village of Palm Springs, the women's suffrage amendment took root as Desert Inn owner...
Catcher Interference
Moe Berg wore a mask as a major league catcher, a perfect cover for his role...
Explore Palm Springs: World War II Hospital
Soldiers injured in the Pacific Theater could recover in the warm, sunny and dry climate of...
Explore Palm Springs: Dune Buggies
From the 1960s to '70s, Palm Springs was busy indulging in a new outdoor recreational vehicle:...
Explore Palm Springs: Dinah Shore Builds in the Desert
Dinah Shore and George Montgomery built their first desert home in 1952 located in the old...
Maintaining the Thread
Once central to the Agua Caliente way of life, basket weaving is being revived among a...
Explore Palm Springs: Mary Carlin, “the Maverick”
Mary Carlin pulled an upset to win a city council seat in 1958, and joins a...
Explore Palm Springs: Susan Marx
Susan Marx, wife of comedian Harpo Marx, began her political and activist career in Palm Springs...
The Death of Spring Break
Palm Springs was once the spring break destination until 1986 when the city put and end...
Pieces of the Past
The story behind the Indian Canyons gas station is shrouded in mystery. Some say it begins,...
History Comes Alive
Palm Springs Unified School District has partnered with the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to...
A Spring Awakening
Pulsating along the periphery of its new forthcoming cultural center, the Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring...
Snow Day in Palm Springs!
Palm Springs has seen snow a few times over the decades, but never more than it...
Explore Palm Springs: Party Sinatra Style
The Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra, brought his entourage to Palm Springs for a little...
Explore Palm Springs: Colonial House
The Colony Palms Hotel in Palm Springs hides an infamous underground playground when booze and gambling...
“I Obey the Laws of Nature”
He wasn’t sick, but laborer-turned-hermit William Pester found many reasons to seek a cure in the...
Explore Palm Springs: Historic Site Preservation Board
In January 1978, the groundwork was laid to create the Historic Site Preservation Board to protect...
Call of the Wild
Armed with a camera and a .38 revolver, Susie Keef Smith and her cousin, Lula Mae...
Artistry of a Gourd Rattle
Gourd rattles are the most common and have been an inherent part of Agua Caliente culture...
From Here to Eternity
Walter and Leonore Annenberg appear to have delighted in bringing their circle of friends together at...
A Towering Presence
Take away your midcentury modernism and you’d be hard-pressed to find a more iconic structure in...
Treasured Gifts to the Annenbergs
Walter and Leonore Annenberg’s legendary hospitality inspired countless gifts, most of which they displayed at Sunnylands...
Explore Palm Springs: Town & Country Café
On Nov. 7, 1948 the brand-new Town & Country Café opened its doors in downtown Palm...
The Secret Palm Springs Car Museum
The car scene here differs from most in that the Coachella Valley has a high concentration...
Desert Dreamers 8: The Crooners
We celebrate some of the legendary singers who put down roots and gave Palm Springs its...
Explore Palm Springs: Cornelia White House
Originally constructed in 1893 from railroad ties, the Cornelia White House continues to be living part...
Explore Palm Springs: Trailer Parks
Over 30 trailer parks were located throughout Greater Palm Springs during the height of trailer park...
Wash On By
Cruise along Highway 111 in Rancho Mirage, and you’ll spot the pink elephant sign for Rancho...
Explore Palm Springs: Celebrate the Cactus
The original summer survivor in the desert is the cactus. Chester “Cactus Slim” and Patricia Moorten...
Brokeback Fountain
The Rainmaker Fountain was born out of a 1988 decree from then-mayor Sonny Bono for public...
Explore Palm Springs: First Trip on the Tram
The first inaugural trip of the Palm Springs Tram was made on Sept. 12, 1963 after...
Explore Palm Springs: Alexander Construction Company
In the summer of 1959, the Alexander Construction Company brought its successful formula for building residential...
The Wild West That Never Was
The Western mythos of Palm Springs was an invention. Those who created and perpetrated this fantasy...
History in the Making
Millie Browne and her dogged determination helped bring the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians its...
Explore Palm Springs: 1940 City Council Election
To be eligible to vote in the Palm Springs 1940 election, a voter had to be...
Palm Springs Life at 60
Palm Springs Life's 60th anniversary is celebrated with a look back at that first year in...
The First Coachella
What can I say about the first Coachella Valley Music Festival? The vibe was mellow, friendly,...
