History of Palm Springs, California in Timeline

Palm Springs is a desert resort city located in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. Spanning approximately 94 square miles, it holds the distinction of being the largest city in Riverside County by land area. A significant portion, over 10%, of the city's land is part of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians reservation, making it the administrative capital of California's most populated reservation.

1905: Drought Damage

In 1905, the 11-year drought (1894–1905) caused further damage to the crops and irrigation systems in Palm Springs that had already suffered flooding in 1893.

1906: Wonders of the Colorado Desert

In 1906, George Wharton James's book, "The Wonders of the Colorado Desert", described Palm Springs as having "great charms and attractiveness" and included an account of his stay at Murray's hotel.

1909: Murray's Hotel Closed

In 1909, Murray's hotel in Palm Springs was closed.

1909: The Desert Inn Established

In 1909, Nellie N. Coffman and her husband Harry established The Desert Inn as a hotel and sanitarium in Palm Springs.

October 5, 1917: Record October Temperature Reached

On October 5, 1917, Mecca, near Palm Springs, reached 117 °F (47.2 °C), which was the record for the highest temperature in the United States in October.

1918: Palm Springs Board of Trade Established

In 1918, business owners in the village established a Palm Springs Board of Trade.

1920: Our Araby: Palm Springs and the Garden of the Sun

In 1920, J. Smeaton Chase's book "Our Araby: Palm Springs and the Garden of the Sun" promoted the Palm Springs area.

Our Araby: Palm Springs and the the Garden of the Sun

Check it on Amazon

1922: Visitors to Palm Springs

Around 20,000 visitors came to Palm Springs in 1922.

1924: Oasis Hotel Built

In 1924, Pearl McCallum and her husband built the Oasis Hotel in Palm Springs, a Modern/Art Deco resort designed by Lloyd Wright.

1924: Gordon Coutts Builds Dar Marrac Estate

In 1924, artist Gordon Coutts built his Moroccan-style "Dar Marrac" estate in Palm Springs.

1924: City Library Started

In 1924, the city library was started and financed by Martha Hitchcock.

July 1926: Wettest Rain Year Begins

In July 1926, the wettest "rain year" on record began in Palm Springs.

1926: O'Donnell 9 hole Golf Course

In 1926, golfing became available at the O'Donnell 9 hole course in Palm Springs.

June 1927: Wettest Rain Year Ends

June 1927 marked the end of the wettest "rain year" on record for Palm Springs.

1927: The Desert Inn Expanded

In 1927, The Desert Inn in Palm Springs was expanded as a modern hotel.

1927: El Mirador Resort Opened

In 1927, the El Mirador, a large and luxurious resort opened in Palm Springs. The resort attracted the biggest movie stars.

1929: Hotel del Tahquitz Built

In 1929, Silent film star Fritzi Ridgeway's 100-room Hotel del Tahquitz was built in Palm Springs.

1929: El Mirador Golf Course

In 1929, golfing became available at the El Mirador course in Palm Springs.

1930: Bullock's Opens Resort Store

In 1930, Bullock's, a large upscale department store on Broadway in Los Angeles, opened a Spanish Colonial-style "resort store" within the Desert Inn complex in Palm Springs.

1931: Desert Riders Established

In 1931, the Desert Riders was established as a social organization for Palm Springs society.

1934: Racquet Club Opened

In 1934, actors Charles Farrell and Ralph Bellamy opened the Racquet Club in Palm Springs. Al Wertheimer opened The Dunes outside of Palm Springs.

1936: La Plaza Shopping Center

In 1936, Southern California's first self-contained shopping center, La Plaza, opened in Palm Springs.

1936: Chi Chi Nightclub Opened

In 1936, the Chi Chi nightclub opened in Palm Springs.

1936: La Plaza Built

In 1936, the historic La Plaza was built in downtown Palm Springs.

January 22, 1937: Record Low Temperature

On January 22, 1937, Palm Springs recorded its lowest temperature ever at 19 °F or -7.2 °C.

1937: Tennis Club Opened

In 1937, Pearl McCallum opened the Tennis Club in Palm Springs.

1937: Carl Eytel Establishes Cabin

In 1937, impoverished artist Carl Eytel established his cabin on what would later become the Tennis Club in Palm Springs.

1938: Palm Springs High School Built

In 1938, Palm Springs High School, the oldest school in the district, was built.

1938: City Established by Election

In 1938, Palm Springs was established as a city by election.

1940: Library Expanded

In 1940, the library expanded on land donated by Dr. Welwood Murray and was financed by Thomas O'Donnell.

November 1941: Air Corps Ferrying Command Staging Area

In November 1941, the original airfield near Palm Springs became a staging area for the Air Corps Ferrying Command's 21st Ferrying Group.

1942: Palm Springs Army Airfield Completed

In early 1942, the Palm Springs Army Airfield was completed.

1944: Italian POWs at Torney General Hospital

In 1944, Italian prisoners of war served as kitchen help and orderlies at the Torney General Hospital in Palm Springs.

1945: Italian POWs at Torney General Hospital

In 1945, Italian prisoners of war served as kitchen help and orderlies at the Torney General Hospital in Palm Springs.

1946: Kaufmann Desert House Designed

In 1946, Richard Neutra designed the Kaufmann Desert House, a modernist classic, in Palm Springs.

1947: Alexander Construction Company

Between 1947 and 1965, the Alexander Construction Company built some 2,200 houses in Palm Springs effectively doubling its housing capacity.

1947: Bullock's Opens Full Department Store

In 1947, Bullock's opened a full department store at 151 Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs. J. W. Robinson's took the former Bullock's location and opened its own resort store there.

1950: Nellie N. Coffman Death

In 1950, Nellie N. Coffman, a driving force in Palm Springs' tourism industry, died.

1950: Desert Art Center Established

In 1950, the Desert Art Center of Coachella Valley was established in Palm Springs.

1951: Thunderbird Country Club Established

In 1951, the first 18-hole golf course in the area, the Thunderbird Country Club, was established in Rancho Mirage.

1954: Murray's Hotel Torn Down

In 1954, Murray's Hotel, which had closed in 1909, was torn down.

1955: Ryder Cup Championship Hosted

In 1955, Thunderbird Country Club hosted the 11th Ryder Cup championship.

April 20, 1958: Gunsmoke Radio Episode Features Palm Springs

On April 20, 1958, the "Gunsmoke" radio episode "The Partners" featured a commercial lauding Palm Springs.

1958: College of the Desert campus

From 1958, Palm Springs High School had the College of the Desert campus.

1958: Frank Bogert First Term as Mayor

In 1958, Frank Bogert began his first term as mayor of Palm Springs.

1958: J. W. Robinson's Opens

In 1958, J. W. Robinson's opened a department store at No. 333 Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs.

October 16, 1959: Saks Fifth Avenue Opens

On October 16, 1959, Saks Fifth Avenue opened at No. 490 Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs.

1959: Changes in Indian Leasing Act

After changes in the Indian Leasing Act in 1959, long term leases were permitted in Palm Springs.

November 1960: Robert Doisneau Photographs Palm Springs

In November 1960, French photographer Robert Doisneau photographed Palm Springs for Fortune magazine, capturing the lifestyle of wealthy retirees and Hollywood stars. Doisneau submitted around 300 slides.

1961: California Angels Spring Training Site

From 1961, the Palm Springs stadium was the spring training site of the Major League Baseball California Angels (now the Los Angeles Angels) of the American League.

1963: Palm Springs Weekend Movie

Palm Springs was glamorized as a spring break destination in the 1963 movie Palm Springs Weekend.

1964: College of the Desert campus

Until 1964, Palm Springs High School had the College of the Desert campus.

1965: Alexander Construction Company

Between 1947 and 1965, the Alexander Construction Company built some 2,200 houses in Palm Springs effectively doubling its housing capacity.

1967: The Desert Inn Closed

In 1967, The Desert Inn in Palm Springs closed.

1967: Desert Fashion Plaza Mall Built

In 1967, the Desert Fashion Plaza mall was built in Palm Springs.

October 1968: Local TV Stations Debut

In October 1968, stations KPLM-TV (now KESQ) and KMIR-TV debuted in Palm Springs.

1968: Displacement of Section 14 Residents

In 1968, Loren Miller, Jr. described the displacement of Section 14 residents as a "city-engineered holocaust."

1969: Joseph Magnin Co. Opens

In 1969, Joseph Magnin Co. opened a department store in the Desert Fashion Plaza mall, Palm Springs.

1969: Spring Break Concert Arrests

In 1969, an estimated 15,000 people gathered for a concert at the Palm Springs Angel Stadium, and 300 were arrested for drunkenness or disturbing the peace during spring break.

1973: Recession Affects Palm Springs

The recession of 1973–1975 affected Palm Springs as many of the wealthy residents had to cut back on their spending.

1975: Recession Affects Palm Springs

The recession of 1973–1975 affected Palm Springs as many of the wealthy residents had to cut back on their spending.

1982: Frank Bogert Second Term as Mayor

In 1982, Frank Bogert began his second term as mayor of Palm Springs.

1986: Spring Break Rampage

In 1986, Palm Springs Police in riot gear had to put down a rowdy crowd during spring break.

1987: J. W. Robinson's Closes

In 1987, J. W. Robinson's closed the department store at No. 333 Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs.

1988: Sonny Bono Serves as Mayor

In 1988, Sonny Bono began serving as mayor of Palm Springs.

1990: Bullock's Closes

In 1990, Bullock's/Bullocks Wilshire closed the department store at No. 151 Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs.

1990: Palm Canyon Drive Closed to Spring Breakers

In 1990, Palm Springs mayor Sonny Bono and the city council closed the city's Palm Canyon Drive to spring breakers due to complaints by residents.

1990: Bogert Statue Placed

In 1990, a statue of Frank Bogert on horseback was placed in front of the Palm Springs City Hall.

1992: I. Magnin Closed

In 1992, I. Magnin closed in the Desert Fashion Plaza mall, Palm Springs.

1992: Sonny Bono Serves as Mayor

In 1992, Sonny Bono stopped serving as mayor of Palm Springs and was eventually elected to the U.S. Congress.

1993: California Angels Spring Training Site

Until 1993, the Palm Springs stadium was the spring training site of the Major League Baseball California Angels (now the Los Angeles Angels) of the American League.

1994: Charter Adopted

In 1994, Palm Springs converted to a charter city, with a charter adopted by the voters.

1997: Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies Documentary

In 1997, Mel Damski released "Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies," a short documentary film about the Follies.

2000: Census Data

In 2000, the census reported that there were 42,807 people, 20,516 households, and 9,457 families residing in the city.

July 2001: Driest Rain Year Begins

In July 2001, the driest "rain year" on record began in Palm Springs.

2001: 100th Golf Course Opened

In 2001, the 100th golf course was opened in the Palm Springs area.

June 2002: Driest Rain Year Ends

June 2002 marked the end of the driest "rain year" on record for Palm Springs.

2004: Palm Springs VillageFest Developed

Starting in 2004, the city worked with downtown businesses to develop the weekly Palm Springs VillageFest.

2005: Palm Springs Mall Closed

In 2005, the Palm Springs Mall closed.

2006: Xavier College Preparatory High School Built

In 2006, the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Bernardino built the Xavier College Preparatory High School in Palm Desert.

2009: Median Household Income Statistics

Starting in 2009, Palm Springs started collecting median household income statistics.

2010: Hollywood Values Permeated Palm Springs

As of 2010, Palm Springs combined celebrity, health, new wealth, and sex. The city government systematically removed and excluded poor people and Native Americans.

2010: Agua Caliente Band Enrollment

As of 2010, the tribal enrollment for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians was 410 people. The Agua Caliente Reservation occupies significant land within the city limits, making them the city's largest landowners.

2010: Palm Springs Golf Courses

By 2010, Palm Springs had grown to 125 golf courses.

2010: Same-Sex Couple Statistics

In 2010, 10.1% of Palm Springs' households belonged to same-sex married couples or partnerships, compared to the national average of 1%.

2010: Desert Modern Architecture

In 2010, it was argued that Palm Springs architecture became the model for mass-produced suburban housing, especially in the Southwest. This "Desert Modern" style featured open-design plans, wall-to-wall carpeting, air-conditioning, swimming pools, and very large windows.

2010: United States Census

In 2010, the United States Census reported that Palm Springs had a population of 44,552.

2010: California Winter League Begins

Since 2010, the Palm Springs Power operate the California Winter League, a professional baseball showcase league.

2011: Tourism Statistics

In 2011, Palm Springs saw 1.6 million visitors, highlighting tourism's significant role in the city's economy.

January 2012: Downtown Revitalization Begins

In January 2012, Palm Springs began revitalizing its Downtown area, known as "the Village", starting with the demolition of the Bank of America building.

2013: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies Closed

After the 2013 season, The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies closed for good after the 2013–14 season.

2013: Desert Fashion Plaza Scheduled for Demolition

In 2013, the Desert Fashion Plaza in Palm Springs was scheduled for demolition as part of the downtown revitalization efforts.

2013: Median Household Income Statistics

Until 2013, Palm Springs collected median household income statistics, revealing a median household income of $45,198 and 18.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2014: Same-Sex Wedding Ceremonies Relocated

In 2014, same-sex wedding ceremonies were relocated from the Forever Marilyn statue located downtown in Palm Springs.

January 2018: First LGBTQ Comprised City Government

In January 2018, Palm Springs ushered in America's first fully LGBTQ comprised city government.

2019: AHL Expansion Team Approved

In 2019, Palm Springs was approved to become the home to an American Hockey League (AHL) expansion team.

December 2020: Christy Holstege Takes Office

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

2020: Christy Holstege Becomes Mayor

In 2020, Christy Holstege became the mayor of Palm Springs, making her the first openly bisexual mayor in the United States, as well as the first female mayor of Palm Springs.

2020: Inflation Adjusted El Mirador Sale

In 2020, the $750,000 paid by the U.S. government to Warren Phinney for the El Mirador Hotel (later Torney General Hospital) would be just over $13,000,000 including inflation.

2020: Palm Springs Population

In 2020, the census recorded the population of Palm Springs as 44,575. However, the city's population triples between November and March due to retirees and winter snowbirds.

2021: Lisa Middleton Takes Office

In 2021, Lisa Middleton took office as mayor, becoming the first transgender mayor in California history.

2021: Palm Springs Apologized for Section 14 eviction

In 2021, the City Council of Palm Springs ordered the removal of a statue of Frank Bogert and formally apologized for the eviction of the Section 14 residents.

2021: Delay in AHL Team Launch

In 2021, the launch of the AHL expansion team was delayed by one year to the 2022–23 season.

July 13, 2022: Bogert Statue Relocated

On July 13, 2022, the Frank Bogert statue was relocated after legal objections to its removal were rejected by the courts.

2022: Annual Financial Report

In 2022, the City's Annual Comprehensive Financial Report was created.

2022: AHL Team Begins Building Arena

In 2022, the Coachella Valley Firebirds began building Coachella Valley Arena in nearby Thousand Palms, California.

July 5, 2024: Record High Temperature

On July 5, 2024, Palm Springs recorded its highest temperature ever at 124 °F or 51.1 °C.

October 1, 2024: Record October Temperature Tied

On October 1, 2024, Palm Springs tied the record for the highest temperature in the United States in October, reaching 117 °F (47.2 °C).

Mentioned in this timeline

Bank of America is a multinational investment bank and financial...

The United States of America located in North America and...

California is the most populous US state located on the...

The Chi is an American drama television series created by...

Los Angeles L A is California's most populous city and...

Inflation in economics signifies a rise in the average price...