Palm Springs HISTORY

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,...
Desert Dreamers 7: The Architects
This edition of Desert Dreamers focuses on the Palm Springs architects whose works continue to awe...
On Our Radar: February 2018
On Our Radar makes note of important dates, anniversaries, and factoids about the Greater Palm Springs...
Explore Palm Springs: TKO on Boxing
In January 1964, Palm Springs city council members were surprised to discover a legal notice had...
Desert Dreamers 6
Because Hollywood stars were obliged by contract to be within driving distance in the event of...
A Legend in Front of the Camera and Behind the Wheel
James Dean raced in Palm Springs, Bakersfield, and Santa Barbara from March through May 1955, until...
Explore Palm Springs: More Daylight Savings Time
In December 1945, the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce proposed a daylight savings time plan to...
Explore Palm Springs: Cathedral City Curbs
Cathedral City held a "Fiesta" in December 1950 to raise the extra money needed to construct...
Desert Dreamers 5: The Eccentric Visionaries
In Desert Dreamers 5, There is no doubt that the limitless possibilities offered by the desert...
Explore Palm Springs: Equestrian Field Club
There were nine stables in Palm Springs in the 1930s. Many of these stables were located...
Explore Palm Springs: Bavarian Beer Festival
The Bavarian Beer Festival at El Mirador Hotel began in 1952 when the hotel reopened under...
Explore Palm Springs: Palm Springs Desert Museum
The Palm Springs Desert Museum dedicated its brand new, modern, 10,000 square foot facility designed by...
Explore Palm Springs: College of the Desert
On Oct. 28, 1958, The Desert Sun, in conjunction with the Coachella Valley Junior College District,...
Explore Palm Springs: Welcome New Fire Truck
Rated as one of the finest small town fire departments in the west, the Palm Springs...
Explore Palm Springs: Selling A View
In September of 1936, John Robertson, a capitalist from Pueblo, Colorado and Beverly Hills, California, purchased...
Los Angeles is ‘One for the Books’
During the first decade of the 20th century, the skyline of Los Angeles resembled something more...
Explore Palm Springs: War of Wages
Today we hear cries of “fake news,” but historically in Palm Springs there was also a...
Explore Palm Springs: Airport Takes Flight
On August 1, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Palm Springs Airport Bill allotting money...