Palm Springs (

Cahuilla The Cahuilla , also known as ʔívil̃uqaletem or Ivilyuqaletem, are a Native American people of the various tribes of the Cahuilla Nation, living in the inland areas of southern California.resort city in

Riverside County, California Riverside County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most populous county in California and the 10th-most populous in the Uni ...

, United States, within the

Colorado Desert California's Colorado Desert is a part of the larger Sonoran Desert. It encompasses approximately , including the heavily irrigated Coachella and Imperial valleys. It is home to many unique flora and fauna. Geography and geology The Colorado D ...

Coachella Valley , map_image = Wpdms shdrlfi020l coachella valley.jpg , map_caption = Coachella Valley , location = California, United States , coordinates = , width = , boundaries = Salton Sea (southeast), Santa Rosa Mountains (southwest), San Jacin ...

. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Riverside County by land area. With multiple plots in

checkerboard A checkerboard (American English) or chequerboard (British English; see spelling differences) is a board of checkered pattern on which checkers (also known as English draughts) is played. Most commonly, it consists of 64 squares (8×8) of altern ...

pattern, more than 10% of the city is part of the

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation is a federally recognized tribe of the Cahuilla, located in Riverside County, California, United States.most populated reservation in California. The population of Palm Springs was 44,575 as of the 2020 census, but because Palm Springs is a retirement location and a winter snowbird destination, the city's population triples between November and March. The city is noted for its mid-century modern architecture, design elements, arts and cultural scene, and recreational activities.

History

Founding

Pre-colonial history

The first humans to settle in the area were the Cahuilla people, who arrived 2,000 years ago.Baker, Christopher P. (2008). ''Explorer's Guide Palm Springs & Desert Resorts: A Great Destination''. The Countryman Press. p. 30. .Vechten, Ken Van (2010). ''Insider's Guide to Palm Springs''. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 17; Cahuilla Indians lived here in isolation from other cultures for hundreds of years prior to European contact. They spoke

Ivilyuat Cahuilla , or Ivilyuat (''ʔívil̃uʔat'' or ''Ivil̃uɂat'' ), is an endangered Uto-Aztecan language, spoken by the various tribes of the Cahuilla Nation, living in the Coachella Valley, San Gorgonio Pass and San Jacinto Mountains region of s ...

, which is a

Uto-Aztecan language Uto-Aztecan, Uto-Aztekan or (rarely in English) Uto-Nahuatl is a family of indigenous languages of the Americas, consisting of over thirty languages. Uto-Aztecan languages are found almost entirely in the Western United States and Mexico. Th ...

. Numerous prominent and powerful Cahuilla leaders were from the area, including Cahuilla Lion ( Chief Juan Antonio). While Palm Canyon was occupied during the winter months, they often moved to cooler Chino Canyon during the summer months. The Cahuilla Indians had several permanent settlements in the canyons of Palm Springs due to the abundance of water and shade. Various

hot spring A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by circ ...

s were used during wintertime. The Cahuilla hunted rabbit, mountain goat, and quail while trapping fish in nearby lakes and rivers. While men were responsible for hunting, women were responsible for collecting berries, acorns, and seeds. They also made tortillas from mesquite seeds. While the Cahuillas often spent the summers in Indian Canyons, the current site of Spa Resort Casino in downtown was often used during winter due to its natural hot springs. Native American

petroglyphs A petroglyph is an image created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions ...

can be seen in Tahquitz, Chino, and Indian Canyons. The Cahuilla's irrigation ditches, dams, and house pits can also be seen here. Ancient petroglyphs,

pictographs A pictogram, also called a pictogramme, pictograph, or simply picto, and in computer usage an icon, is a graphic symbol that conveys its meaning through its pictorial resemblance to a physical object. Pictographs are often used in writing and g ...

and mortar holes can be seen in Andreas Canyon. The mortar holes were used to grind acorns into meal. The Agua Caliente ("Hot Water") Reservation was established in 1876 and consists of . are located by Downtown Palm Springs. The Native American land is on long lease land and next to one of California's high-end communities, making the tribe one of the wealthiest in California. The first name for Palm Springs was given by the native Cahuilla: "Se-Khi" (boiling water).Wilkerson, Lyn (2009). ''Slow Travels – California''. Lulu Press, Inc. p. 96. Wares, Donna (2008). ''Great Escapes: Southern California''. The Countryman Press. p. 99. When the Agua Caliente Reservation was established by the United States government in 1876, the reservation land was composed of alternating

sections Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea * Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents ** Section sig ...

() of land laid out across the desert in a

checkerboard pattern Check (also checker, Brit: chequer) is a pattern of modified stripes consisting of crossed horizontal and vertical lines which form squares. The pattern typically contains two colours where a single checker (that is a single square within the chec ...

. The alternating non-reservation sections were granted to the

Southern Pacific Railroad The Southern Pacific (or Espee from the railroad initials- SP) was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the ...

as an incentive to bring rail lines through the

Sonoran Desert The Sonoran Desert ( es, Desierto de Sonora) is a desert in North America and ecoregion that covers the northwestern Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur, as well as part of the southwestern United States (in Ariz ...

. A number of streets and areas in Palm Springs are named for Native-American notables, including Andreas, Arenas, Amado, Belardo, Lugo, Patencio, Saturnino, and Chino. All of these are common Cahuilla surnames. Presently the

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation is a federally recognized tribe of the Cahuilla, located in Riverside County, California, United States.San Gorgonio Pass The San Gorgonio Pass, or Banning Pass, is a elevation gap on the rim of the Great Basin between the San Bernardino Mountains to the north and the San Jacinto Mountains to the south. The pass was formed by the San Andreas Fault, a major tran ...

. The Agua Caliente Reservation occupies , of which lie within the city limits, making the Agua Caliente natives the city's largest landowners. (Tribal enrollment as of 2010 was 410 people.)

Mexican explorers

As of 1821

Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...

was independent of Spain, and in March 1823, the Mexican Monarchy ended. That same year (in December) Mexican diarist José María Estudillo and Brevet Captain José Romero were sent to find a route from

Sonora Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sonora), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is divided into 72 municipalities; the ...

Alta California Alta California ('Upper California'), also known as ('New California') among other names, was a province of New Spain, formally established in 1804. Along with the Baja California peninsula, it had previously comprised the province of , but ...

; on their expedition they first recorded the existence of "Agua Caliente" at Palm Springs, California.
here for Table of Contents
With the

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ( es, Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo), officially the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits, and Settlement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States, is the peace treaty that was signed on 2 ...

after the

Mexican-American war Mexican Americans ( es, mexicano-estadounidenses, , or ) are Americans of full or partial Mexican heritage. In 2019, Mexican Americans comprised 11.3% of the US population and 61.5% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% of Mexica ...

, the region became part of the United States in 1848.

Later 19th century

= Early names and European settlers

= One possible origin of ''palm'' in the place name comes from early Spanish explorers who referred to the area as ''La Palma de la Mano de Dios'' or "The Palm of God's hand". The earliest use of the name "Palm Springs" is from United States Topographical Engineers who used the term in 1853 maps. According to

William Bright William O. Bright (August 13, 1928 – October 15, 2006) was an American linguist and toponymist who specialized in Native American and South Asian languages and descriptive linguistics. Biography Bright earned a bachelor's degree in lingui ...

, when the word "palm" appears in Californian place names, it usually refers to the native California fan palm, '' Washingtonia filifera'', which is abundant in the Palm Springs area. Other early names were "Palmetto Spring" and "Big Palm Springs". The first European resident in Palm Springs itself was Jack Summers, who ran the

stagecoach A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by four horses although some versions are dra ...

station on the Bradshaw Trail in 1862. Fourteen years later (1876), the

Southern Pacific railroad The Southern Pacific (or Espee from the railroad initials- SP) was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the ...

was laid to the north, isolating the station. In 1880, local Indian Pedro Chino was selling parcels near the springs to William Van Slyke and Mathew Bryne in a series of questionable transactions; they in turn brought in W. R. Porter to help market their property through the "Palm City Land and Water Company". By 1885, when San Francisco attorney (later known as "Judge") John Guthrie McCallum began buying property in Palm Springs, the name was already in wide acceptance. The area was named "Palm Valley" when McCallum incorporated the "Palm Valley Land and Water Company" with partners O.C. Miller, H.C. Campbell, and James Adams, M.D.

= Land development and drought

= McCallum, who had brought his ill son to the dry climate for health, brought in irrigation advocate Dr. Oliver Wozencroft and engineer J. P. Lippincott to help construct a canal from the Whitewater River to fruit orchards on his property. He also asked Dr. Welwood Murray to establish a hotel across the street from his residence. Murray did so in 1886 (he later became a famous horticulturalist). The crops and irrigation systems suffered flooding in 1893 from record rainfall, and then an 11-year drought (1894–1905) caused further damage.

20th century

Resort development

Hotel La Fonda, Palm Springs, California postcard (1950s)

The city became a fashionable resort in the 1900s when health tourists arrived with conditions that required dry heat. Because of the heat, however, the population dropped markedly in the summer months. In 1906 naturalist and travel writer George Wharton James's two volume ''The Wonders of the

'' described Palm Springs as having "great charms and attractiveness" (Available as
pdf file
through the

HathiTrust HathiTrust Digital Library is a large-scale collaborative repository of digital content from research libraries including content digitized via Google Books and the Internet Archive digitization initiatives, as well as content digitized locall ...

Digital Library.) * ''Wonders'' is illustrated with over 300 drawings by desert artist Carl Eytel. Many of those drawings, including the Title Page figure, are used throughout Steve Lech's extensive history of early Riverside County. See: ''Along the Old Roads'' (cited above). and included an account of his stay at Murray's hotel. As James also described, Palm Springs was more comfortable in its

microclimate A microclimate (or micro-climate) is a local set of atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas, often with a slight difference but sometimes with a substantial one. The term may refer to areas as small as a few squ ...

because the area was covered in the shadow of Mount San Jacinto to the west and in the winter the mountains block cold winds from the San Gorgonio pass. Early illustrious visitors included

John Muir John Muir ( ; April 21, 1838December 24, 1914), also known as "John of the Mountains" and "Father of the National Parks", was an influential Scottish-American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, botanist, zoologist, glaciologis ...

and his daughters, U.S. Vice President Charles Fairbanks, and

Fanny Stevenson Frances "Fanny" Matilda Van de Grift Osbourne Stevenson (10 March 1840 – 18 February 1914) was an American magazine writer. She became a supporter and later the wife of Robert Louis Stevenson, and the mother of Isobel Osbourne, Samuel Lloyd ...

, widow of

Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as '' Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll ...

; still, Murray's hotel was closed in 1909 and torn down in 1954. Nellie N. Coffman and her physician husband Harry established The Desert Inn as a hotel and sanitarium in 1909. It was expanded as a modern hotel in 1927 and continued on until 1967. Coffman herself was a "driving force" in the city's tourism industry until her death in 1950. James's ''Wonders of the Colorado Desert'' (above) was followed in 1920 by

J. Smeaton Chase Joseph Smeaton Chase (8 April 1864 – 29 March 1923) was an English-born American author, traveler, and photographer. He has become an integral part of California literature: revered for his poignant descriptions of California landscapes. An Eng ...

's ''Our Araby: Palm Springs and the Garden of the Sun'', which also promoted the area. In 1924 Pearl McCallum (daughter of Judge McCallum) returned to Palm Springs and built the Oasis Hotel with her husband Austin G. McManus; the Modern/Art Deco resort was designed by Lloyd Wright and featured a tower.; and, Palm Springs pool 2015

The next major hotel was the El Mirador, a large and luxurious resort that attracted the biggest movie stars; opening in 1927, its prominent feature was a Renaissance style tower. Silent film star

Fritzi Ridgeway Fredericka Berneice "Fritzi" Ridgeway (April 8, 1898 – March 29, 1961) was an American silent film actress, vaudeville performer, and hotelier. Though she starred in numerous films, she is perhaps best known for her work in silent Western film ...

's 100-room Hotel del Tahquitz was built in 1929, next to the "Fool's Folly" mansion built by Chicago heiress Lois Kellogg. Golfing was available at the O'Donnell 9 hole course (1926) and the El Mirador (1929) course (see Golf below). Hollywood movie stars were attracted by the hot dry, sunny weather and seclusion—they built homes and estates in the Warm Sands, The Mesa, and Historic Tennis Club neighborhoods (see Neighborhoods below). About 20,000 visitors came to the area in 1922. Palm Springs became popular with movie stars in the 1930s and estate building expanded into the Movie Colony neighborhoods, Tahquitz River Estates, and Las Palmas neighborhoods. Actors

Charles Farrell Charles David Farrell (August 9, 1900 – May 6, 1990) was an American film actor of the 1920s silent era and into the 1930s, and later a television actor. Farrell is probably best recalled for his onscreen romances with actress Janet Gaynor ...

and Ralph Bellamy opened the Racquet Club in 1934 and Pearl McCallum opened the Tennis Club in 1937. Nightclubs were set up as well, with Al Wertheimer opening The Dunes outside of Palm Springs in 1934 and the Chi Chi nightclub opening in 1936. Besides the gambling available at the Dunes Club, other casinos included The 139 Club and The Cove Club outside of the city.

Table of resorts

Shopping district

Bullock's Bullock's was a chain of full-line department stores from 1907 through 1995, headquartered in Los Angeles, growing to operate across California, Arizona and Nevada. Bullock's also operated as many as seven more upscale Bullocks Wilshire special ...

, a large upscale department store on Broadway in Los Angeles, opened a Spanish Colonial-style "resort store" within the Desert Inn complex in 1930. When Bullock's opened a full department store at 151 Palm Canyon Drive in 1947,

J. W. Robinson's J. W. Robinson Co., ''Robinson's'', was a chain of department stores operating in the Southern California and Arizona area, previously with headquarters in Los Angeles, California. History Joseph Winchester Robinson was a merchant from Waltham, ...

, another large L.A. store, took the former Bullock's location and opened its own resort store there. Southern California's first self-contained shopping center was in Palm Springs, La Plaza (originally Palm Springs Plaza), and on-street, open air center anchored by a small

Desmond's department store ''Desmond's'' is a British television situation comedy broadcast by Channel 4 from 1989 to 1994. Conceived and co-written by Trix Worrell, and produced by Charlie Hanson and Humphrey Barclay, ''Desmond's'' stars Norman Beaton as barber Desmond ...

, in 1936. The three-level parking garage for 141 cars was an innovation and the largest in Riverside County at that time. In the mid-twentieth century across the street on Palm Canyon Drive were department stores like

Bullocks Wilshire Bullocks Wilshire, located at 3050 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, is a Art Deco building. The building opened in September 1929 as a luxury department store for owner John G. Bullock (owner of the more mainstream Bullock's in D ...

( 151, 1947–1990),

(No. 333, 1958–1987), and

Saks Fifth Avenue Saks Fifth Avenue (originally Saks & Company; colloquially Saks) is an American luxury department store chain headquartered in New York City and founded by Andrew Saks. The original store opened in the F Street shopping district of Washingt ...

(opened October 16, 1959, at No. 490), forming a large shopping district. In 1967 the

Desert Fashion Plaza Desert Fashion Plaza, formerly known as Desert Inn Fashion Plaza, was an enclosed shopping mall located in Palm Springs, California. The mall was originally developed by Home Savings and Loan Association, which sold the shopping center to Dese ...

mall was built,

I. Magnin I. Magnin & Company was a San Francisco, California-based high fashion and specialty goods luxury department store. Over the course of its existence, it expanded across the West into Southern California and the adjoining states of Arizona, Oregon ...

opened there (closed 1992) and Saks closed its previous location and moved into a new larger store in the mall. Joseph Magnin Co. opened a department store in the mall in 1969, meaning that together with a

Sears Sears, Roebuck and Co. ( ), commonly known as Sears, is an American chain of department stores founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosenwald, with what began a ...

at 611 Palm Canyon Dr., for two decades, downtown boasted seven department stores, plus the

Palm Springs Mall Palm Springs Mall, formerly known as Palm Springs Shopping Center and Palm Springs Shopping Center Mall, was an enclosed shopping mall in Palm Springs, California. Originally constructed as an open air shopping center, the center would expand a ...

to the east operating from 1959 to 2005.

World War II

When the United States entered

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley were important in the war effort. The original airfield near Palm Springs became a staging area for the Air Corps Ferrying Command's 21st Ferrying Group in November 1941 and a new airfield was built from the old site. The new airfield, designated Palm Springs Army Airfield, was completed in early 1942. Personnel from the Air Transport Command 560th Army Air Forces Base Unit stayed at the La Paz Guest Ranch and training was conducted at the airfield by the 72nd and 73rd Ferrying Squadrons. Later training was provided by the

IV Fighter Command The IV Fighter Command is a disbanded United States Air Force unit. It was activated under Fourth Air Force at March Field, California in June 1941, when it replaced a provisional organization. It was responsible for training fighter units and ...

459th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron. Eight months before Pearl Harbor Day, the El Mirador Hotel was fully booked and adding new facilities. After the war started, the U.S. government bought the hotel from owner Warren Phinney for $750,000, just over $13,000,000 if including inflation in 2020, and converted it into the

Torney General Hospital Torney General Hospital was a US Army Hospital in Palm Springs, California, in Riverside County used during World War II. Parts of Torney General Hospital are now the Desert Regional Medical Center. In November 1945 Torney General Hospital was ...

, with Italian prisoners of war serving as kitchen help and orderlies in 1944 and 1945. Through the war it was staffed with 1,500 personnel and treated some 19,000 patients. General Patton's Desert Training Center encompassed the entire region, with its headquarters in Camp Young at the Chiriaco Summit and an equipment depot maintained by the 66th Ordnance in present-day Palm Desert.

Post-World War II

Architectural modernists flourished with commissions from the stars, using the city to explore architectural innovations, new artistic venues, and an exotic back-to-the-land experiences. Inventive architects designed unique vacation houses, such as steel houses with prefabricated panels and folding roofs, a glass-and-steel house in a boulder-strewn landscape, and a carousel house that turned to avoid the sun's glare.Wills, Eric (May/June 2008). "Palm Springs Eternal", ''Preservation'', Vol. 60, Issue 3, pp. 38–45 In 1946,

Richard Neutra Richard Joseph Neutra ( ; April 8, 1892 – April 16, 1970) was an Austrian-American architect. Living and building for the majority of his career in Southern California, he came to be considered a prominent and important modernist architect. H ...

designed the

Kaufmann Desert House The Kaufmann Desert House, or simply the Kaufmann House, is a house in Palm Springs, California, that was designed by architect Richard Neutra in 1946. It was commissioned by Edgar J. Kaufmann, Sr., a businessman who also commissioned Fallingwat ...

. A modernist classic, this mostly glass residence incorporated the latest technological advances in building materials, using natural lighting and floating planes and flowing space for proportion and detail. In recent years an energetic preservation program has protected and enhanced many classic buildings. Culver (2010) argues that Palm Springs architecture became the model for mass-produced suburban housing, especially in the Southwest. This "Desert Modern" style was a high-end architectural style featuring open-design plans, wall-to-wall carpeting, air-conditioning, swimming pools, and very large windows. As Culver concludes, "While environmentalists might condemn desert modern, the masses would not. Here, it seemed, were houses that fully merged inside and outside, providing spaces for that essential component of Californian—and indeed middle-class American—life: leisure. While not everyone could have a Neutra masterpiece, many families could adopt aspects of Palm Springs modern." Hollywood values permeated the resort as it combined celebrity, health, new wealth, and sex. As Culver (2010) explains: "The bohemian sexual and marital mores already apparent in Hollywood intersected with the resort atmosphere of Palm Springs, and this new, more open sexuality would gradually appear elsewhere in national tourist culture." During this period, the city government, stimulated by real estate developers systematically removed and excluded poor people and Indians. Palm Springs was pictured by the French photographer Robert Doisneau in November 1960 as part of an assignment for ''Fortune'' on the construction of golf courses in this particularly dry and hot area of the Colorado desert. Doisneau submitted around 300 slides following his ten-day stay depicting the lifestyle of wealthy retirees and

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

stars in the 1960s. At the time, Palm Springs counted just 19 courses, which had grown to 125 by 2010.

Section 14 eviction

Section 14 is a square mile of land owned by the Agua Caliente Band within close walking distance of downtown. Residents in this area, mostly blacks and other people of color, lived in land leased in short terms by individual Indians. Commercial development did not occur due to the 10 year limit on leases. After changes in the Indian Leasing Act in 1959, long term leases were permitted. Mayor

Frank Bogert Frank Mitchell Bogert (January 1, 1910 – March 22, 2009) was an American actor, professional rodeo announcer, author, and politician best known as the longtime mayor of Palm Springs, California. Born in Mesa, Colorado to Henry Kneeland Boge ...

and other city officials advocated to the conservators that managed the tribe's leases to end the short term leases and enter into long term leases to largely white property owners for redevelopment. City funds were used to clear the land for redevelopment, including burning "shacks and makeshift homes...rented for $20 to $40 a month." The California attorney general's office later called the displacement a "city-engineered holocaust", depriving dozens of blacks and Latinos of generational wealth. After existing non-Indian residents were evicted, the tribe built the Spa Hotel and Casino downtown and the city built the Palm Springs Convention Center, and the tribe leased land for developers to build hotels and condos. The Palm Springs Human Relations Commission cited this history, as well as a conflict of interest while Bogert acted as conservator for tribal land which was being demolished by the city, and racist comments regarding the "poor Blacks" who lived in Section 14, as justification for removing a statue of Bogert on horseback placed in 1990 in front of the Palm Springs City Hall. The City Council of Palm Springs ordered its removal in 2021 and formally apologized for the eviction of the Section 14 residents. After legal objections to its removal from Bogert's supporters and family members were rejected by the courts, the statue was relocated on July 13, 2022. Section 14 residents are still seeking financial reparations for the mass eviction.

Year-round living

Similar to the pre-war era, Palm Springs remained popular with the rich and famous of Hollywood, as well as retirees and Canadian tourists. Between 1947 and 1965, the

Alexander Construction Company Alexander Construction Company was a Palm Springs, California, residential development company that built over 2,200 houses in the Coachella Valley of Riverside County, California, between 1955 and 1965.here for Table of Contents The construction ...

built some 2,200 houses in Palm Springs effectively doubling its housing capacity. As the 1970s drew to a close, increasing numbers of retirees moved to the Coachella Valley. As a result, Palm Springs began to evolve from a virtual ghost town in the summer to a year-round community. Businesses and hotels that used to close for the months of July and August instead remained open all summer. As commerce grew, so too did the number of families with children. The recession of 1973–1975 affected Palm Springs as many of the wealthy residents had to cut back on their spending. Later in the 1970s numerous Chicago mobsters invested $50 million in the Palm Springs area, buying houses, land, and businesses. While Palm Springs faced competition from the desert cities to the east in the later 1980s, it has continued to prosper into the 21st century. Palm Springs (as well as surrounding areas) became a desired destination as the

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...

pandemic began; the city saw an increase of residents from larger cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle, with new residents seeking less dense areas from which to work remotely.

= Spring break

= Since the early 1950s the city had been a popular spring break resort. Glamorized as a destination in the 1963 movie ''

Palm Springs Weekend ''Palm Springs Weekend'' is a 1963 Warner Bros. bedroom comedy film directed by Norman Taurog. It has elements of the beach party genre ( AIP's '' Beach Party'' became a smash hit in July, while Warner Bros. was still putting this film together ...

'', the number of visitors grew and at times the gatherings had problems. In 1969 an estimated 15,000 people had gathered for a concert at the Palm Springs Angel Stadium and 300 were arrested for drunkenness or disturbing the peace. In the 1980s, 10,000 or more college students would visit the city and form crowds and parties—and another rampage occurred in 1986 when Palm Springs Police in riot gear had to put down the rowdy crowd. In 1990, due to complaints by residents, mayor

Sonny Bono Salvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono (; February 16, 1935 – January 5, 1998) was an American singer, actor, and politician who came to fame in partnership with his second wife Cher as the popular singing duo Sonny & Cher. A member of the Republica ...

and the city council closed the city's Palm Canyon Drive to spring breakers and the downtown businesses, normally filled with tourists, lost money.

Today

Tourism is a major factor in the city's economy with 1.6 million visitors in 2011. The city has over 130 hotels and resorts, numerous

bed and breakfast Bed and breakfast (typically shortened to B&B or BnB) is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast. Bed and breakfasts are often private family homes and typically have between four and eleven rooms, wit ...

s, and over 100 restaurants and dining spots. Events such as the Coachella and Stagecoach Festivals in nearby

Indio Indio may refer to: Places * Indio, Bovey Tracey, an historic estate in Devon, England * Indio, California, a city in Riverside County, California, United States People with the name * Indio (musician), Canadian musician Gordon Peterson * Índi ...

attract younger people, making greater Palm Springs a more attractive area to retire. Following the 2008 recession, Palm Springs revitalized its Downtown, "the Village". Rebuilding started with the demolition of the Bank of America building in January 2012, with the

scheduled for demolition in 2013. In 2020, Christy Holstege became the mayor of Palm Springs, which made her the first openly bisexual mayor in the United States, as well as the first female mayor of Palm Springs.🖉 The following year,

Lisa Middleton Lisa Middleton (born 1952) is an American politician, a member of the Palm Springs city council and the Former is Mayor of Palm Springs. She was first elected to the City Council in 2017 and is the first transgender person to be elected in Califo ...

became mayor, making her the first transgender mayor in California history. The movement behind mid-century modern architecture (1950s/60s era) in Palm Springs is backed by architecture enthusiasts, designers, and local historians to preserve many of Palm Springs' buildings and homes of famous celebrities, businessmen, and politicians. Stores sell furniture and gifts that feature a mid-century modern theme. The city holds a

Modernism Week Modernism Week is a 501(c)(3) organization which provides public education programming fostering knowledge and appreciation of modern architecture, the mid-century modern architecture and design movement, the Palm Springs School of Architecture, ...

celebration every February, along with several related smaller events during the year.

Geography

Palm Springs is located in the

. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (1%) is water. Located in the Coachella Valley desert region, Palm Springs is sheltered by the

San Bernardino Mountains The San Bernardino Mountains are a high and rugged mountain range in Southern California in the United States. Situated north and northeast of San Bernardino and spanning two California counties, the range tops out at at San Gorgonio Mountain ...

to the north, the Santa Rosa Mountains to the south, by the San Jacinto Mountains to the west and by the Little San Bernardino Mountains to the east.

Climate

Palm Springs has a hot desert climate, with over 300 days of sunshine and of precipitation annually. The winter months are warm, with a majority of days reaching and in January and February days often see temperatures of and on occasion reach over , while, on average, there are 17 nights annually dipping to or below ; freezing temperatures occur in less than half of years. The lowest temperature recorded is , on January 22, 1937. Summers are extremely hot, with daytime temperatures consistently surpassing while overnight temperatures often remain above . The mean annual temperature is . There are on average 180 days with a high reaching , and can be seen on 116 days. The highest temperature on record in Palm Springs is , most recently achieved on June 17, 2021. The climate year-round is suitable for many palm trees in this area of California due to the number of sunny days annually, the average high temperatures, and daily low temperatures.

Ecology

The locale features a variety of native Low Desert flora and fauna. A notable tree occurring in the wild and under cultivation is the California Fan Palm, '' Washingtonia filifera''.

Wildlife

The fauna of Palm Springs is mostly species adapted to desert, temperature extremes and to lack of moisture. It is located within the

Nearctic The Nearctic realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting the Earth's land surface. The Nearctic realm covers most of North America, including Greenland, Central Florida, and the highlands of Mexico. The parts of North America ...

faunistic realm in a region containing an assemblage of species similar to Northern Africa. Native fauna includes

pronghorns The pronghorn (, ) (''Antilocapra americana'') is a species of artiodactyl (even-toed, hoofed) mammal indigenous to interior western and central North America. Though not an antelope, it is known colloquially in North America as the American ante ...

desert bighorn sheep The desert bighorn sheep (''Ovis canadensis nelsoni'') is a subspecies of bighorn sheep (''Ovis canadensis'') that is native to the deserts of the United States' intermountain west and southwestern regions, as well as northwestern Mexico. The ...

desert tortoise The desert tortoise (''Gopherus agassizii''), is a species of tortoise in the Family (biology), family Testudinidae. The species is native to the Mojave Desert, Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexic ...

, kit fox, desert iguanas, horned lizards, chuckwalla,

bobcat The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United States to Oaxaca in Mexico. It is listed as Least Concern on the ...

s, mountain lions and Gila monsters. Other animals include ground squirrels,

rock squirrel The rock squirrel (''Otospermophilus variegatus'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae and is native to Mexico and the Southwestern United States, including southern Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas, and the panha ...

s, porcupines, skunks, cactus mice,

kangaroo rat Kangaroo rats, small mostly nocturnal rodents of genus ''Dipodomys'', are native to arid areas of western North America. The common name derives from their bipedal form. They hop in a manner similar to the much larger kangaroo, but developed ...

s, pocket gophers and raccoons. Desert birds here include the iconic roadrunner, which can run at speeds exceeding . Other avifauna includes the ladder-backed woodpecker, flycatchers, elf owls, great horned owls, sparrow hawks and a variety of raptors. The

has more species of

rattlesnakes Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes that form the genera '' Crotalus'' and '' Sistrurus'' of the subfamily Crotalinae (the pit vipers). All rattlesnakes are vipers. Rattlesnakes are predators that live in a wide array of habitats, hunting small an ...

(11) than anywhere else in the world. The most common species is the extremely venomous Mojave green, which is considered the world's most dangerous rattlesnake. The largest rattle snake species here is the western diamondback rattlesnake, while other species include the black-tailed rattlesnake, tiger rattler and sidewinder rattler. Palm Springs is home to

tarantulas Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae. , 1,040 species have been identified, with 156 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Theraphosidae, although ...

and various

scorpion Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always en ...

species, including the vinegaroon. Although black bears are not common in the

, bears have been observed in Palm Springs and other parts of California. Today,

jaguars The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the th ...

roam the northern Mexican dry-lands; however, they were previously common throughout the

. The last documented jaguar sighting in Palm Springs, was in 1860.

Neighborhoods

The City of Palm Springs has developed a program to identify distinctive neighborhoods in the community. Of the 45 neighborhoods, 7 have historical and cultural significance.

Movie Colony neighborhoods

The Movie Colony is just east of Palm Canyon Drive. The Movie Colony East neighborhood extends further east from the Ruth Hardy Park. These areas started growing in the 1930s as Hollywood movie stars built their smaller getaways from their Los Angeles area estates.

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with ...

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...

, Estée Lauder,

Carmen Miranda Carmen Miranda, (; born Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha, 9 February 1909 – 5 August 1955) was a Portuguese-born Brazilian samba singer, dancer, Broadway actress and film star who was active from the late 1920s onwards. Nicknamed "The Br ...

and

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

built homes in these neighborhoods.

El Rancho Vista Estates

In the 1960s, Robert Fey built 70 homes designed by Donald Wexler and Ric Harrison in the El Rancho Vista Estates. Noted residents included Jack LaLanne and comic Andy Dick.

Warm Sands

Historic homes in the Warm Sands area date from the 1920s and many were built from adobe. It also includes small resorts and the Ramon Mobile Home Park. Noted residents have included screenwriter Walter Koch, artist Paul A. Grimm, activist

Cleve Jones Cleve Jones (born October 11, 1954) is an American AIDS and LGBT rights activist. He conceived the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, which has become, at 54 tons, the world's largest piece of community folk art as of 2020. In 1983, at the onset ...

and actor Wesley Eure.

The Mesa

The Mesa started off as a gated community developed in the 1920s near the Indian Canyons. Noted residents have included King Gillette, Zane Grey, Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Suzanne Somers, Herman Wouk, Henry Fernandez, Barry Manilow and Trina Turk. Distinctive homes include Donald Wexler's "butterfly houses" and the "Streamline Moderne Ship of the Desert".

Tahquitz River Estates

Palm Springs - Tahquitz Canyon Way - USA - Agosto 2011

Some of the homes in this neighborhood date from the 1930s. The area was owned by Pearl McCallum McManus and she started building homes in the neighborhood after World War II ended. Dr. William Scholl (Dr. Scholl's foot products) owned a estate here. Today the neighborhood is the largest neighborhood organization with 600 homes and businesses within its boundaries.

Sunmor Estates

During World War II, the original Sunmor Estates area was the western portion the Palm Springs Army Airfield. Homes here were developed by Robert Higgins and the Alexander Construction Company. Actor and former mayor Frank Bogert bought his home for $16,000 and lived there for more than 50 years.

Historic Tennis Club

Impoverished artist Carl Eytel first set up his cabin on what would become the Tennis Club in 1937. Another artist in the neighborhood, who built his Moroccan-style "Dar Marrac" estate in 1924, was Gordon Coutts. Other estates include

Samuel Untermyer Samuel J. Untermyer (March 6, 1858 – March 16, 1940) was a prominent American lawyer and civic leader. He is also remembered for bequeathing his Yonkers, New York estate, now known as Untermyer Park, to the people of New York State. Life Sam ...

's Mediterranean style villa (now the Willows Historic Palm Springs Inn), the Casa Cody Inn, built by Harriet and Harold William Cody (cousin of

Buffalo Bill Cody William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846January 10, 1917), known as "Buffalo Bill", was an American soldier, bison hunter, and showman. He was born in Le Claire, Iowa Territory (now the U.S. state of Iowa), but he lived for several years in ...

) and the Ingleside Inn, built in the 1920s by the Humphrey Birge family. The neighborhood now has about 400 homes, condos, apartments, inns and restaurants.

Las Palmas neighborhoods

To the west of Palm Canyon Drive are the Vista Las Palmas, Old Las Palmas, and Little Tuscany neighborhoods. These areas also feature distinctive homes, celebrity estates, and Albert Frey's private residential complex Villa Hermosa.

Racquet Club Estates

Historic Racquet Club Estates, located north of Vista Chino, is home to over five hundred mid-century modern homes from the Alexander Construction Company. "Meiselman" homes, and the famed Donald Wexler steel homes (having Class One historic designation) are also prominent in the area. Racquet Club Estates was Palm Springs' first middle income neighborhood and became popular with Hollywood's elite in the 1950s and 60's.

Deepwell Estates

Deepwell Estates, the eastern portion of the square mile () defined by South/East Palm Canyon, Mesquite, and Sunrise, contains around 370 homes, including notable homes architecturally and of celebrity figures. Among the celebrities who lived in the neighborhood are Jerry Lewis, Loretta Young, Liberace, and William Holden.

Demographics

2010

The

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...

reported that Palm Springs had a population of 44,552. The population density was . The racial makeup of Palm Springs was 33,720 (75.7%)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

(63.6% Non-Hispanic White), 1,982 (4.4%)

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 467 (1.0%) Native American, 1,971 (4.4%) Asian, 71 (0.2%)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 4,949 (11.1%) from other races, and 1,392 (3.1%) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 11,286 persons (25.3%). The Census reported that 44,013 people (98.8% of the population) lived in households, 343 (0.8%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 196 (0.4%) were institutionalized. There were 22,746 households, out of which 3,337 (14.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 5,812 (25.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,985 (8.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 868 (3.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,031 (4.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 2,307 (10.1%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 10,006 households (44.0%) were made up of individuals, and 4,295 (18.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.93. There were 8,665 families (38.1% of all households); the average family size was 2.82. The population was spread out, with 6,125 people (13.7%) under the age of 18, 2,572 people (5.8%) aged 18 to 24, 8,625 people (19.4%) aged 25 to 44, 15,419 people (34.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 11,811 people (26.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 129.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 133.8 males. There were 34,794 housing units at an average density of , of which 13,349 (58.7%) were owner-occupied, and 9,397 (41.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 6.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 15.5%. 24,948 people (56.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 19,065 people (42.8%) lived in rental housing units. During 20092013, Palm Springs had a median household income of $45,198, with 18.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 42,807 people, 20,516 households, and 9,457 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 30,823 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 78.3%

, 3.9%

, 0.9% Native American, 3.8% Asian, 0.1%

, 9.8% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 23.7% of the population. There were 20,516 out of which 16.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.0% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 53.9% were non-families. 41.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.1 and the average family size was 2.9. In the city, the population was spread out, with 17.0% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 26.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.4 males. The

median income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways o ...

for a household in the city was $35,973 and the median income for a family was $45,318. Males had a median income of $33,999 versus $27,461 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,957. About 11.2% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.2% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

Gay community

Palm Springs has one of the highest concentrations of same-sex couples of any community in the United States. In 2010, 10.1% (2,307) of the city's households belong to same-sex married couples or partnerships, compared to the national average of 1%. Palm Springs has the fifth-highest percentage of same-sex households in the nation. (data summarized a
Urban Institute Factsheet
Former mayor

Ron Oden Ron Oden (born March 21, 1950) is an American politician. In November 2003, he was elected the first gay African-American mayor of Palm Springs, California, after serving eight years on the city council. He became the first Black openly gay ...

estimated that about a third of Palm Springs is gay. Over various times, the city has catered to LGBT tourists with an increasing number of events such as the annual Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend, as well as hosting various clothing-optional resorts and events. Palm Springs is host to the Greater Palm Springs Pride Celebration. This celebration, held every year in November, includes events such as the Palm Springs Pride Golf Classic, the Stonewall Equality Concert, and a Broadway in Drag Pageant. The city also held same-sex wedding ceremonies at the iconic '' Forever Marilyn'' statue located downtown, before its relocation in 2014. In January 2018, Palm Springs ushered in America's first all-LGBTQ city government.

Economy

Though celebrities still retreat to Palm Springs, many today establish residences in other areas of the

. The city's economy now relies on tourism, and local government is largely supported by related retail

sales tax A sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sales of certain goods and services. Usually laws allow the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. When a tax on goods or services is paid to a gove ...

es and the TOT ( transient occupancy tax). It is a city of numerous festivals, conventions, and international events including the Palm Springs International Film Festival. The world's largest rotating aerial tramcars (cable cars) can be found at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. These cars, built by Von Roll Tramways, ascend from Chino Canyon up a steep incline to the station at . The San Jacinto Wilderness is accessible from the top of the

tram A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport ...

and there is a restaurant with notable views. The Palm Springs Convention Center underwent a multimillion-dollar expansion and renovation under Mayor Will Kleindienst. The City Council Sub-Committee of Mayor Kleindienst and City Council Member Chris Mills selected Fentress Bradburn Architects from

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

, Colorado for the redesign. Numerous hotels, restaurants and attractions cater to tourists, while shoppers can find a variety of high-end boutiques in downtown and uptown Palm Springs. The city is home to 20 clothing-optional resorts including many catering to gay men. Downtown Palm Springs shopping is anchored by historic

La Plaza La Plaza is one of thirteen Parish (administrative division), parishes (administrative divisions) in Teverga, a Municipalities of Spain, municipality within the province and autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Asturias, in no ...

, built in 1936.

Notable businesses

* Ace Hotel & Swim Club – a renovated mid-20th century motel. * Bird Medical Technologies * Colony Palms Hotel – opened in 1936 as The Colonial House by Las Vegas casino owner Al Wertheimer. * KGAY,

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term ...

-themed radio station. * KQPS,

-themed radio station. * Raven Productions – a television production company based in Palm Springs. ** '' Earth Trek'' – a travel and adventure program produced by Raven.

Arts and culture

El Mirador Hotel Tower Replica (cropped)

Annual cultural events

* The Palm Springs International Film Festival and

Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films The Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films (a.k.a. Palm Springs International ShortFest) held annually in Palm Springs, California is the largest film festival for short films in the United States.Modernism Week Modernism Week is a 501(c)(3) organization which provides public education programming fostering knowledge and appreciation of modern architecture, the mid-century modern architecture and design movement, the Palm Springs School of Architecture, ...

, in February, is an 11-day event featuring mid-century modern architecture through films, lectures, tours and its Modernism Show & Sale. A four-day Modernism Week Preview is held in mid-October. The Palm Springs Black History Committee celebrates

Black History Month Black History Month is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. It has received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada, and more recently ...

with a parade and town fair every February. *

Agua Caliente Cultural Museum The Agua Caliente Cultural Museum is a culture and history museum located in Palm Springs, California, United States, focusing on the Cahuilla people of the Coachella Valley. History The museum was established in 1991. Exhibits Collections A ...

presents its annual Festival of Native Film & Culture at the Camelot Theaters in central Palm Springs. Village Fest-3

* The Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend, known as "The Dinah", is a

event billed as the "Largest Girl Party in the World" held each March. * A circuit

White Party A circuit party is a large dance event. It extends through the night and into the following day, almost always with a number of affiliated events in the days leading up to and following the main event. Proto-circuit parties in the late 1970s, t ...

is held in April, attracting 10,000 visitors. * The Palm Springs Cultural Center hosts a number of annual events, including Cinema Diverse: The Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival, The Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival, the Certified Farmers' Markets and more. * Palm Springs Desert Resorts Restaurant Week is held every June, featuring 10 days of dining at over 100 restaurants in the Coachella Valley. * The Caballeros, a gay men's chorus and member of

GALA Choruses The Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses ("GALA Choruses") is an international association of LGBT choruses founded in 1982. In its inaugural performance 14 choruses performed together in September 1982 in San Francisco as part of the first Gay ...

, has presented concerts since 1999. The following three parades, held on Palm Canyon Drive, were created by former Mayor Will Kleindienst: * Palm Springs Annual Homecoming Parade is held on the Wednesday prior to the Friday night

Palm Springs High School Palm Springs High School is a public high school for grades 9 through 12 located in Palm Springs, California as part of the Palm Springs Unified School District. It was built in 1938 in an effort led by city pioneer Nellie Coffman. Athletics Pal ...

Homecoming Game. * The city sponsors a

Veterans Day Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces (who were discharged under conditions other than d ...

parade, concert and fireworks display since 1996. It is one of 54

US Department of Veterans Affairs The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing life-long healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers and ...

designated Regional Sites for the national observance of Veterans Day. * Since 1992 the Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade is held on the first Saturday of December.

Ongoing cultural events

For many years,

The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies ''The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies'' was a Ziegfeld Follies style dance and musical review show that played at the historic Plaza Theatre in Palm Springs, California, United States, seasonally from November to mid-May. The Follies was founded i ...

was a stage-show at the historic Plaza Theatre featuring performers over the age of 55. '' Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies'' is a 1997

Mel Damski Melvin Damski (born July 21, 1946 in New York, New York) is an American director and producer of film and television. Life and career Mel Damski (born in New York, New York) is an American film director and film producer. Damski has Northern Eu ...

short documentary film about the Follies. The Palm Springs Follies closed for good after the 2013–14 season. Starting in 2004, the city worked with downtown businesses to develop the weekly Palm Springs VillageFest. The downtown street fair has been a regular Thursday evening event, drawing tourists and locals alike to Palm Canyon Drive to stroll amid the food and craft vendors. Events related to films and film-craft are sponsored by the Desert Film Society.

Public art

The city and various individuals have sponsored different public art projects in the city. Numerous galleries and studios are located in the city and region. The

California Art Club The California Art Club (CAC) is one of the oldest and most active arts organizations in California. Founded in December 1909, it celebrated its centennial in 2009 and into the spring of 2010. The California Art Club originally evolved out of The ...

has a chapter in Palm Springs. The Desert Art Center of Coachella Valley was established in Palm Springs in 1950.

Museums and other points of interest

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation is a federally recognized tribe of the Cahuilla, located in Riverside County, California, United States.Agua Caliente Cultural Museum The Agua Caliente Cultural Museum is a culture and history museum located in Palm Springs, California, United States, focusing on the Cahuilla people of the Coachella Valley. History The museum was established in 1991. Exhibits Collections A ...

(presently located downtown at the Village Green) ** Indian Canyons (Palm Canyon, Andreas Canyon, Murray Canyon) **

Tahquitz Canyon Tahquitz Canyon (, sometimes ) is located in Palm Springs, California on a section of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation. The canyon descends from the Riverside County San Jacinto Mountains. It was continually inhabited for at least 5,000 year ...

, wildlife area and one-time staging place for the outdoor "Desert Plays" in the 1920s **

Tahquitz Falls Tahquitz Falls is a waterfall on Tahquitz Creek in the west skirt of the city Palm Springs, in the U.S. state of California. The waterfall is located in lower Tahquitz Canyon, a short distance upstream from the visitor center. The name of the can ...

, waterfall used as a scene in Frank Capra's 1937 film, ''Lost Horizon''. ** Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage ** Spa Resort Casino, which is based on the original hot springs of the town * '' Forever Marilyn'' sculpture by Seward Johnson in downtown Palm Springs * Moorten Botanical Garden and Cactarium * Palm Springs Historical Society Museums (and Village Green) ** Miss Cornelia White's "Little House" (

railroad ties A railroad tie, crosstie (American English), railway tie (Canadian English) or railway sleeper (Australian English, Australian and British English) is a rectangular support for the Track (rail transport), rails in railroad tracks. Generally la ...

from the defunct

Palmdale Railroad The Palmdale Railroad was a horse-drawn railroad which existed only briefly in present-day Palm Springs, California, built in 1888. Originally proposed by a Professor Wheaton, a Boston native who relocated to the desert due to asthma, the railro ...

were used to build the house) ** The McCallum Adobe – the oldest remaining building, built in 1884 ** Ruddy's General Store Museum – a 1930s general store *

Palm Springs Air Museum The Palm Springs Air Museum (PSAM), is a non-profit educational institution in Palm Springs, Riverside County, California. The Museum's mission is to exhibit, educate and eternalize the role of the World War II combat aircraft and the role the pi ...

– located at the Palm Springs International Airport *

Palm Springs Art Museum The Palm Springs Art Museum (formerly the Palm Springs Desert Museum) was founded in 1938, and is a regional art, natural science and performing arts institution for Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley, in Riverside County, California, United St ...

– originally developed as the Desert Museum ** Annenberg Theater *

Palm Springs Walk of Stars The Palm Springs Walk of Stars is a walk of fame in downtown Palm Springs, California, where "Golden Palm Stars", honoring various people who have lived in the greater Palm Springs area, are embedded in the sidewalk pavement. The walk includes po ...

* San Jacinto Mountains ** Cactus to Clouds Trail – leads from the Art Museum to San Jacinto Peak **

Mount San Jacinto State Park Mount San Jacinto State Park is in the San Jacinto Mountains, of the Peninsular Ranges system, in Riverside County, California, United States. A majority of the park is within the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. The par ...

** Palm Springs Aerial Tramway **

Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument is a National Monument in southern California. It includes portions of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto mountain ranges, the northernmost ones of the Peninsular Ranges system. The national ...

* Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert – in

Rancho Mirage Rancho Mirage is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 17,218 at the 2010 census, up from 13,249 at the 2000 census, but the seasonal (part-time) population can exceed 20,000. Incorporated in 1973 and locate ...

Living Desert Zoo and Gardens The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, formerly the Living Desert Museum, is a non-profit zoo and desert botanical garden located in Palm Desert, Riverside County, California, United States. The Living Desert is home to over 500 animals representing ...

– in

Palm Desert, California Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, approximately east of Palm Springs, northeast of San Diego and east of Los Angeles. The population was 48,445 at the 2010 census. The city has bee ...

Joshua Tree National Park Joshua Tree National Park is an American national park in southeastern California, east of San Bernardino and Los Angeles and north of Palm Springs. It is named after the Joshua trees (''Yucca brevifolia'') native to the Mojave Desert. Origin ...

** Little San Bernardino Mountains

Sports

Baseball

Palm Springs is home to the

Palm Springs POWER Palm most commonly refers to: * Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand * Palm plants, of family Arecaceae **List of Arecaceae genera * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music * Palm ( ...

, a semi-pro collegiate league baseball team composed of college all-stars of the

Southern California Collegiate Baseball Association The Southern California Collegiate Baseball League is a collegiate summer baseball league, formerly the SCCBA (Association). Founded in 2007, the SCCBL is a member of the National Baseball Congress. The SCCBL League Champion represents the league ...

. It has a winter league baseball team, the POWER winter team and

Palm Springs Chill The Palm Springs Chill are an independent baseball team based in Palm Springs, California. They are co-owned by the Palm Springs Power and play their home games at Palm Springs Stadium. Andrew Starke is the team president and Darrell Evans is ...

of the

California Winter League (2010) The California Winter League is an instructional showcase league for free agent baseball players who are looking to earn a professional contract before spring training begins. The league was created by Andrew Starke in 2010, and takes place in ...

consists of 12 other teams as of 2016. The League plays its games in

Palm Springs Stadium Palm Springs Stadium is a stadium in Palm Springs, California. It is primarily used for baseball. It used to be named Angels Stadium and was the home field of the Palm Springs Suns of the Western Baseball League in 1995 and 1996. Palm Springs S ...

and also on the baseball field in nearby

. Both sites feature 6 teams of the Palm Springs Collegiate League in the summer. The Palm Springs stadium was once the spring training site of the

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

California Angels (now the

Los Angeles Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...

) of the

American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...

from 1961 to 1993. The stadium also hosted spring training of the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...

in the late 1940s–1950s, the

Oakland A's The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...

in the 1970s, and the 1950s minor league

Seattle Rainiers The Seattle Rainiers, originally named the Seattle Indians and also known as the Seattle Angels, were a Minor League Baseball team in Seattle, Washington, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 to 1906 and 1919 to 1968. They were initi ...

of the

Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...

also trained there.

Hockey

In 2019, Palm Springs was approved to become the home to an

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...

(AHL) expansion team to begin play for the 2021–22 season and serve as the development affiliate of the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

's 2021 expansion team, the

Seattle Kraken The Seattle Kraken are a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle. The Kraken compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and began play during the league's 2021–22 season. ...

. However, the original project to build an arena in Palm Springs fell through, leading to the team's launch to be delayed by one year to the 2022–23 season. The team, later named as the

Coachella Valley Firebirds The Coachella Valley Firebirds are a professional ice hockey expansion team based in Thousand Palms, California, that began play in the 2022–23 American Hockey League (AHL) season. The team is an owned-and-operated affiliate of the Seattle Kra ...

, then began building

Coachella Valley Arena Acrisure Arena is a multi-purpose 10,000-seat indoor arena in the unincorporated community of Thousand Palms in Riverside County, California's, Coachella Valley Palm Springs Area. The arena broke ground on June 2, 2021, on of land near the ...

in nearby

Tennis

The Palm Springs area features numerous major sports events, including the annual BNP Paribas Open in March, voted by professional players over several years in the early 21st century as the premier mandatory Tournament of the Year. The Easter Bowl, sponsored by the

United States Tennis Association The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is the national governing body for tennis in the United States. A not-for-profit organization with more than 700,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds to promote and develop the growth of tennis, ...

is a

showcase Showcase or vitrine may refer to: *Cabinet (furniture) *Display case Music * ''Showcase'' (Bill Anderson album), 1964 * ''Showcase'' (Patsy Cline album), 1961 * ''Showcase'' (Buddy Holly album), 1964 * ''Showcase'' (Philly Joe Jones album), 1959 ...

tournament for junior tennis players (girls and boys aged 12 to 18 years) held annually in March among several tennis centers of the Palm Springs area.

Golf

With more golf courses than any other region in California, Coachella Valley is the most popular golf vacation destination in California. Early golf courses in Palm Springs were the O'Donnell Golf Club (built by oil magnate Thomas A. O'Donnell) and the El Mirador Hotel course, both of which opened in the 1920s. After the Cochran-Odlum (Indio) and Shadow Mountain

pitch and putt Pitch and putt is an amateur sport very similar to, and derived from, golf, where the hole length is typically up to and just 2–3 clubs are typically used. The game was organised and developed in Ireland during the early 20th century, befo ...

courses were built after World II, the first 18-hole golf course in the area was the Thunderbird Country Club, established 1951 in Rancho Mirage. Thunderbird was designed by golf course architects Lawrence Hughes and Johnny Dawson and in 1955 it hosted the 11th Ryder Cup championship. In the 1970s the area had over 40 courses and in 2001 the 100th course was opened. The area is also home to the

PGA Tour The PGA Tour (stylized in all capital letters as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also ...

Humana Challenge The Desert Classic (currently known as The American Express for sponsorship reasons; previously known as the CareerBuilder Challenge, Palm Springs Golf Classic, the Bob Hope Desert Classic, the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, and the Humana Challen ...

in partnership with the Clinton Foundation (formerly the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic), the LPGA's

ANA Inspiration The Chevron Championship is a professional women's golf tournament. An event on the LPGA Tour, it is one of the tour's five major championships, and has traditionally been the first of the season since its elevation to major status in 1983. Fou ...

and the

Canadian Tour PGA Tour Canada, commonly referred to as the Canadian Tour, is a men's professional golf tour headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. The United States based PGA Tour took over operation of the tour on November 1, 2012, at which time it was renamed PG ...

's Desert Dunes Classic.

Soccer

The Palm Springs AYSO Region 80 plays in Section 1H of the

American Youth Soccer Organization The American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) is one of the two main national organizations in youth soccer in the United States for children aged 4 through 19. AYSO was established as a non-profit soccer organization in Torrance (a suburb of ...

Parks and recreation

City parks

Recreation

* The Palm Springs Desert Ice Palace ice skating rink opened in nearby Cathedral City in October 2011. *

Boomers! Boomers! Parks is a chain of family entertainment centers which feature indoor activities such as carousels, kiddie swings, restaurants, and video game arcades, and outdoor activities such as miniature golf, kiddie rides, bumper boats, batting ...

is a

family entertainment center A family entertainment center, often abbreviated FEC in the entertainment industry also known as an indoor amusement park, family amusement center, family fun center, or simply fun center, is a small amusement park marketed towards families with s ...

in Cathedral City. * A city

skatepark A skatepark, or skate park, is a purpose-built recreational environment made for skateboarding, BMX, scootering, wheelchairs, and aggressive inline skating. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, handrails, funboxes, vert ramps, stairse ...

was designed after the noted

Nude Bowl The Nude Bowl was a popular skateboarding locale from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. The name comes from the fact that the site was once a naturist resort named "Desert Gardens Ranch." It is outside Desert Hot Springs, California and consists ...

. *

CNL Financial Group CNL Financial Group (CNL), formerly Commercial Net Lease, is an Orlando, Florida based private investment management and commercial real estate company. It was started in 1973 by James Seneff. The company has been a major player in efforts to rede ...

operates the

Wet'n'Wild Palm Springs Wet'n'Wild Palm Springs is a defunct water park located in Palm Springs, California. The park operated under Cedar Fair's ownership as Knott's Soak City until 2013 when CNL Lifestyle Properties acquired it. The park plans to reopen in 2022 aft ...

water park in the summer. (Formerly operated as

Knott's Soak City Knott's Soak City is a seasonal water park owned and operated by Cedar Fair located in Buena Park, California. The Knott's Soak City name was previously used for two other water parks in Southern California, since sold to SeaWorld Parks & Entert ...

Cedar Fair Entertainment Company Cedar Fair, L.P., formally Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, is a publicly traded master limited partnership headquartered at its Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. The company owns and operates eleven amusement parks, nine include ...

.) In 1931 the Desert Riders was established. Starting off as a social organization for the cream of Palm Springs society, the group sponsors horseback riding and trail building for equestrians, hikers, and bicyclists. The Desert Riders were also significant in providing combination

chuckwagon A chuckwagon is a type of field kitchen covered wagon historically used for the storage and transportation of food and cooking equipment on the prairies of the United States and Canada. Such wagons formed part of a wagon train of settlers or fed ...

meals and rides through nearby canyons to hotel guests as Palm Springs developed its tourist industry.

Government

City

Business owners in the village first established a Palm Springs Board of Trade in 1918, followed by a chamber of commerce; the city itself was established by election in 1938 and converted to a

charter city In the United States, a charter city is a city in which the governing system is defined by the city's own charter document rather than solely by general law. In states where city charters are allowed by law, a city can adopt or modify its orga ...

, with a charter adopted by the voters in 1994. Presently the city has a council-manager type government, with a five-person city council that hires a

city manager A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a "Mayor–council government" council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief execu ...

and

city attorney A city attorney is a position in city and municipal government in the United States. The city attorney is the attorney representing the municipality. Unlike a district attorney or public defender, who usually handles criminal cases, a city att ...

. The mayor is directly elected and serves a four-year term. The other four council members also serve four-year terms, with staggered elections. The city is considered a full-service city, in that it staffs and manages its own

police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...

and fire departments including parks and recreation programs, public library, sewer system and wastewater treatment plant, international airport, and planning and building services. The city government is a member of the

Southern California Association of Governments The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) of six of the ten counties in Southern California, serving Imperial County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bern ...

. Christy Holstege, who took office as mayor in December 2020. was the first female and the first openly bisexual mayor in the city's history, and the first openly bisexual mayor in American history.

, the first transgender mayor in California history, took office in 2021. Palm Springs' longest-tenured mayor was

(1958–66 and 1982–88). He was credited with leading the city as it evolved from a small resort town into a larger community. Bogert's actions as mayor have proved controversial in recent years, as allegations that Bogert removed hundreds of citizens of color from a city neighborhood led to the removal of a statue on city property that honored him. Former entertainer

had the most recognizable name; Bono served from 1988 to 1992 and was eventually elected to the U.S. Congress.

County

Palm Springs is in Supervisorial District 4 of Riverside County represented by

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

V. Manuel Perez

State

In the

California State Legislature The California State Legislature is a bicameral state legislature consisting of a lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members; and an upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members. Both houses of the Legisla ...

, Palm Springs is in , and in .

Federal

In the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

, Palm Springs is in .

Tribal Council

Palm Springs is the seat of government and the administrative capital for the tribal council of the

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation is a federally recognized tribe of the Cahuilla, located in Riverside County, California, United States.Palm Springs Unified School District The Palm Springs Unified School District, or PSUSD, is one of three public education governing bodies in the Coachella Valley desert region of Southern California. PSUSD governs the western half of the valley; the Coachella Valley Unified Schoo ...

, an independent district with five board members. The

is the oldest school in the district, built in 1938. Originally it was a K–12 school in the 1920s and had the

College of the Desert College of the Desert (COD) is a public community college in Palm Desert, California. COD enrolls about 12,500 students, of which around one third attend college full-time. It serves the Coachella Valley of Riverside County. The college is fede ...

campus from 1958 to 1964. And Raymond Cree Middle School in its current site since the mid-1960s. Elementary schools in Palm Springs include: * Cahuilla Elementary School * Cielo Vista Charter School (received a

U.S. Department of Education The United States Department of Education is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. It began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was split into the Department ...

National Blue Ribbon The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...

award in 2011, and

National National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

Gold Ribbon Award in 2016) * Katherine Finchy Elementary School (received a

award in 2011, and

Gold Ribbon Award in 2016) * Vista del Monte Elementary School

Alternative education Alternative education encompasses many pedagogical approaches differing from mainstream pedagogy. Such alternative learning environments may be found within state, charter, and independent schools as well as home-based learning environments. ...

is provided by the Ramon Alternative Center.

Private schools

Private schools in Palm Springs and nearby communities include Desert Chapel Christian School ( K-12), Desert Adventist Academy (K–8), Sacred Heart School (PS-8), St. Theresa (PreK–8), King's School – formerly known as Palm Valley School (K–8), Desert Christian (K–12), Marywood-Palm Valley School, and The academy. In 2006 the

Roman Catholic Diocese of San Bernardino The Diocese of San Bernardino ( la, Dioecesis Sancti Bernardi, es, Diócesis de San Bernardino) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese in Southern California. Erected by Pope Paul VI on July 14, 1978, and its jurisdiction extends ...

built the Xavier College Preparatory High School in Palm Desert.

Post-secondary education

The Desert Community College District, headquartered with its main campus,

, is located in Palm Desert.

California State University, San Bernardino California State University, San Bernardino (Cal State San Bernardino or CSUSB) is a public research university in San Bernardino, California. Founded in 1965, it is one of the 23 general campuses of the California State University system. The m ...

and

University of California, Riverside The University of California, Riverside (UCR or UC Riverside) is a public land-grant research university in Riverside, California. It is one of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The main campus sits on in a suburban distr ...

used to have satellite campuses available within the College of the Desert campus, but now have their own buildings in Palm Desert. Private post-secondary education institutions include Brandman University (branch in Palm Desert), California Desert Trial Academy College of Law (in Indio),

Kaplan College Brightwood College, formerly Kaplan College, was a system of for-profit colleges in the United States, owned and operated by Education Corporation of America. Main qualifications offered included health, business, criminal justice, information ...

(Palm Springs),

University of Phoenix University of Phoenix (UoPX) is a private for-profit university headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Founded in 1976, the university confers certificates and degrees at the certificate, associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree level ...

(Palm Desert), Mayfield College (Cathedral City), and California Nurses Educational Institute (Palm Springs).

Council on Occupational Education The Council on Occupational Education (COE) is a national accrediting agency of higher education institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. COE was created in 1971 as part of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The ...

br>Accredited Membership

Media

Radio and television

Palm Springs is the 144th largest TV market as defined by

AC Nielsen The Nielsen Corporation, self-referentially known as The Nielsen Company, and formerly known as ACNielsen or AC Nielsen, is a global marketing research firm, with worldwide headquarters in New York City, United States. Regional headquarters for ...

. The Palm Springs DMA is unique among TV markets as it is entirely located within only a small portion of Riverside County. Also, while many cities launched local television stations during the 1950s, Palm Springs did not have a local TV station until October 1968, when stations KPLM-TV (now KESQ) and KMIR-TV debuted. Prior to that time, Palm Springs was served by TV stations from the Los Angeles market, which were carried on the local cable system that began operations in the 1950s and which predated the emergence of local broadcast stations by more than a decade. TV stations serving the Palm Springs and Coachella Valley area include: *

KDFX-CD KDFX-CD (channel 33) is a low-powered, Class A television station licensed to both Indio and Palm Springs, California, United States, serving as the Fox affiliate for the Coachella Valley. It is owned by the News-Press & Gazette Company alo ...

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

Channel 33 (Channel 11 on cable) *

KESQ-TV KESQ-TV (channel 42) is a television station licensed to Palm Springs, California, United States, serving as the ABC affiliate for the Coachella Valley. It is owned by the News-Press & Gazette Company (NPG) alongside five low-power stations: C ...

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

, Channel 42 (Channel 3 on cable) * KMIR-TV

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

, Channel 36 (Channel 6 on cable) *

KPSP-CD KPSP-CD (channel 38) is a low-power, Class A television station licensed to Cathedral City, California, United States, serving the Coachella Valley as an affiliate of CBS. It is owned by the News-Press & Gazette Company alongside Palm Sprin ...

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

, Channel 38 (Channel 2 on cable)

The CW ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...

MyNetworkTV MyNetworkTV (unofficially abbreviated MyTV, MyNet, MNT or MNTV, and sometimes referred to as My Network) is an American commercial broadcast television syndication service and former television network owned by Fox Corporation, operated by its ...

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...

, and other networks are covered by low power TV stations in the market. Additionally, Palm Springs and the surrounding area are served by AM and FM radio stations including the following:

News outlets and magazines

* ''

The Desert Sun ''The Desert Sun'' is a local daily newspaper serving Palm Springs and the surrounding Coachella Valley in Southern California. History ''The Desert Sun'' is owned by Gannett publications since 1988 and acquired the Indio ''Daily News'' in 1 ...

'' is the local daily newspaper serving Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley region. It is owned by the Gannett Corporation, parent company of USA Today. * ''The Palm Springs Post'' is a digital-only news site and daily newsletter serving only Palm Springs. It is independently owned and operated. * ''

Desert Magazine ''Desert Magazine'' was a monthly regional publication based in the Colorado Desert published between 1937 and 1985. A print version bearing the same name has been revived in the Coachella Valley town of Palm Desert near Palm Springs, California ...

'' is a monthly lifestyle magazine delivered to 40,000 homes. * The ''

Desert Star Weekly The ''Desert Star Weekly'' (formerly the ''Desert Valley Star'') is a community newspaper covering local news, government, arts and entertainment in the Palm Springs area of California. The business is located and published in Desert Hot Springs, ...

'' (formerly the ''Desert Valley Star'') is published in

Desert Hot Springs, California Desert Hot Springs is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The city is located within the Coachella Valley geographic region. The population was 25,938 at the 2010 census, up from 16,582 at the 2000 census. The city has exp ...

. * The ''Desert Daily Guide'' is a weekly

periodical. * ''Palm Springs Life'' is a monthly magazine; it also has publications on El Paseo Drive shopping in Palm Desert, desert area entertainment, homes, health, culture and arts, golf, plus annual issues on weddings and dining out. * The ''Palm Springs Villager'' was published in the early 20th century until 1959. * The ''Palm Canyon Times'' was published from 1993 to 1996. * The ''Desert Post Weekly'' – Cathedral City. * ''The Public Record'' – Palm Desert, is a business and public affairs weekly.

Infrastructure

Libraries

The city's library was started in 1924 and financed by Martha Hitchcock. It expanded in 1940 on land donated to the newly incorporated city by Dr. Welwood Murray and was financed through the efforts of Thomas O'Donnell. The present site now operates as a branch library, research library for the Palm Springs Historical Society, and tourism office for the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism.

Transportation

One of the first transportation routes for Palm Springs was on the Bradshaw Trail, an historic overland stage coach route from

San Bernardino San Bernardino (; Spanish for "Saint Bernardino") is a city and county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the city had a population of 222,101 in the 2020 cen ...

La Paz, Arizona La Paz ( Yavapai: Wi:hela) was a short-lived early gold mining town along on the western border of current-day La Paz County, Arizona. The town grew quickly after gold was discovered nearby in 1862. ''La Paz'', Spanish for ''peace'', was chosen as ...

. The Bradshaw Trail operated from 1862 to 1877. In the 1870s the

expanded its lines into the Coachella Valley. Modern transportation services include: *

Palm Springs International Airport Palm Springs International Airport , formerly Palm Springs Municipal Airport, is an airport two miles (3 km) east of downtown Palm Springs, California, United States. The airport covers and has two runways. The facility operates year-roun ...

serves Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. ** Historical note: during World War II it was operated as the Palm Springs Army Airfield. * SunLine Transit Agency provides bus service in the Coachella Valley. *

Morongo Basin Transit Authority Basin Transit, formally Morongo Basin Transit Authority (MBTA) is the transit agency that serves the Morongo Basin in San Bernardino County, California. It is a joint powers authority between Yucca Valley, Twentynine Palms, and San Bernardino ...

provides bus service to and from

Morongo Basin The Morongo Basin is an endorheic basin and valley region located in eastern San Bernardino County, in Southern California. The Morongo basin is part of the Inland Empire region, and is considered to be the easternmost portion of the Greater Los ...

communities. *

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

's '' Sunset Limited'' and ''

Texas Eagle The ''Texas Eagle'' is a daily passenger train route operated by Amtrak between Chicago and San Antonio in the central and western United States. Prior to 1988, the train was known as the ''Eagle''. Trains #21 (southbound) and 22 (northbound) ...

'' form a single train which stops thrice weekly at the Palm Springs Amtrak station. ** Amtrak's

Thruway Motorcoach Amtrak Thruway is a system of through-ticketed transportation services to connect passengers with areas not served by Amtrak trains. In most cases these are dedicated motorcoach routes, but can also be non-dedicated intercity bus services, tran ...

connects Palm Springs to Bakersfield, Claremont, Indio, La Crescenta, Ontario, Pasadena, Riverside and San Bernardino. Curbside Thruway bus stops are located in Downtown Palm Springs and at the airport. ** Historical note: the

''Argonaut'' served Palm Springs from 1926 to 1961; and its ''

Imperial Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imperial, Nebraska * Imperial, Pennsylvania * Imperial, Texa ...

'' served the city from 1931 to 1967. *

Greyhound Bus Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. (commonly known as simply Greyhound) operates the largest intercity bus service in North America, including Greyhound Mexico. It also operates charter bus services, Amtrak Thruway services, commuter bus services, and pa ...

has a stop (no ticketing) at the Palm Springs Amtrak station. * Flixbus provides service between Palm Springs and several destinations in Southern California and Arizona. Highways include: : – California State Route 111, which intersects the city. : –

Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...

generally runs north of the city. : – The Pines to Palms Scenic Byway (California State Route 74) runs from the coast, over the San Jacinto Mountains to nearby Palm Desert. : –

California State Route 62 State Route 62 (SR 62) is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that cuts across the Little San Bernardino Mountains in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. It runs from Interstate 10 near White Water to the Arizona state line, passin ...

Blue Star Memorial Highway Blue Star Memorial Highways are highways in the United States that are marked to pay tribute to the U.S. armed forces. The National Council of State Garden Clubs, now known as National Garden Clubs, Inc., started the program in 1945 after World W ...

) intersects I-10 northwest of the city and runs north to San Bernardino County and the Colorado River.

Cemeteries

In 1890, the Jane Augustine Patencio Cemetery was established on Tahquitz Way with the burial of Jane Augustine Patencio. It is maintained by the Agua Caliente Tribe. The

Welwood Murray Cemetery Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Riversi ...

was started by hotel operator Welwood Murray in 1894 when his son died.''Palm Springs Life'', "Palm Spring Historical Sites – Building and Land Markers"
accessed October 10, 2011 It is maintained by the Palm Springs Cemetery District, which also maintains the

Desert Memorial Park Desert Memorial Park is a cemetery in Cathedral City, California, United States, near Palm Springs. Opening in 1956 and receiving its first interment in 1957,The Palm Springs Cemetery District itself was covers 504 square miles, including Palm Spr ...

in Cathedral City. Also in Cathedral City is the Forest Lawn Cemetery, maintained by

Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries is an American corporation that owns and operates a chain of cemeteries and mortuaries in Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside counties in Southern California. History The company was founded by a group o ...

Notable people

Over 400 Palm Springs and Coachella Valley residents have been recognized on the

Modern architecture

Mid-century modern house in Palm Springs

Besides its tradition of mid-century modern architecture, Palm Springs and the region features numerous noted architects. Other (non-Mid-Century Modern) include

Edward H. Fickett Edward Hale Fickett, FAIA, (May 19, 1916 – May 21, 1999 in Los Angeles) was an American architect who was a consultant to federal and local governments in the United States and to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. __TOC__ Biography A fourth gene ...

, Haralamb H. Georgescu, Howard Lapham, and

Karim Rashid Karim Rashid (born 1960) is an Egyptian-born and Canadian raised industrial designer. His designs include luxury goods, furniture, lighting, surface design, brand identity and packaging. ''Time'' magazine has described him as the "most famous ind ...

In popular culture

The Palm Springs area has been a filming location, topical setting, and storyline subject for many films, television shows, and works of literature. The April 20, 1958 "Gunsmoke" radio episode "The Partners" features a prominent commercial lauding Palm Springs.

References

External links

*
Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism page

* *
Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau
!--
Palm Springs Historical Society page
NOTE: does not link to the actual www.pshistoricalsociety.com page. Preserved with editor's comment for future reference--> {{Authority control 1938 establishments in California Cities in Riverside County, California Coachella Valley Gay villages in California Incorporated cities and towns in California Populated places established in 1896 Populated places established in 1938 Populated places in the Colorado Desert Sandboarding locations Spa towns in California Bradshaw Trail