Palm Springs, California

Palm Springs is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States. It is located in the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers about 94 square miles (240 km²), making it the largest city in Riverside County by land area. Part of the city is on the land of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, and Palm Springs is the administrative center of the most populated reservation in California.

As of the 2020 census, Palm Springs had a population of 44,575. However, the city's population grows much larger during the winter months because many people, especially Canadians, come to stay warm. These visitors are known as snowbirds.

Palm Springs is famous for its mid-century modern buildings, arts, culture, and fun activities for visitors to enjoy.

History

Founding

Pre-colonial history

The first people to live in the area were the Cahuilla people, who arrived 2,000 years ago. They lived here for hundreds of years before Europeans came. They spoke a language called Ivilyuat.

The Cahuilla had many leaders from this area. They lived in Palm Canyon in the winter and moved to Chino Canyon in the summer. They had permanent homes in the canyons because there was plenty of water and shade. They used hot springs in the winter. The Cahuilla hunted animals like rabbits and fish, and women collected berries and seeds. They made food from mesquite seeds.

You can still see old drawings called petroglyphs and pictographs made by the Cahuilla in places like Tahquitz and Andreas Canyon.

The Agua Caliente Reservation was created in 1876 and covers 31,128 acres. Part of it is next to downtown Palm Springs. The Cahuilla people are the largest landowners in the city.

Mexican explorers

In 1823, Mexican diarist José María Estudillo and Brevet Captain José Romero recorded the existence of "Agua Caliente" at Palm Springs. After the Mexican-American War, the area became part of the United States in 1848.

Later 19th century

Early names and European settlers

The name "Palm Springs" may come from early Spanish explorers who called the area "La Palma de la Mano de Dios" or "The Palm of God's hand." The first use of the name "Palm Springs" was in 1853 by United States Topographical Engineers. The first European resident was Jack Summers, who ran a stagecoach station in 1862.

In 1880, local Indian Pedro Chino sold land near the springs to William Van Slyke and Mathew Bryne. They brought in W. R. Porter to help market the property. By 1885, John Guthrie McCallum began buying property in Palm Springs.

Land development and drought

McCallum brought in experts to help build a canal from the Whitewater River for irrigation. They also built a hotel. However, flooding in 1893 and a long drought from 1894 to 1905 caused damage.

20th century

Resort development

In the 1900s, Palm Springs became a popular place for people to visit because of the dry heat. Famous visitors included John Muir and U.S. Vice President Charles Fairbanks.

Hotels like The Desert Inn and the Oasis Hotel were built. Movie stars were attracted to the sunny weather and built homes in neighborhoods like Warm Sands and The Mesa.

Shopping district

Palm Springs had Southern California's first self-contained shopping center, La Plaza, in 1936. Department stores like Bullock's and J. W. Robinson's opened stores in Palm Springs.

World War II

During World War II, Palm Springs was important for the war effort. An airfield was built, and the El Mirador Hotel was used as a hospital. General Patton's Desert Training Center had its headquarters nearby.

Post-World War II

After the war, modern architects designed unique houses for the stars. Palm Springs became a model for suburban housing.

Section 14 evictions

In the 1960s, residents of Section 14, mostly Black and Latino people, were evicted to make way for redevelopment. The city and the tribe worked together to clear the land. The city later apologized for this action and made a settlement with the former residents.

Year-round living

Palm Springs evolved from a summer resort to a year-round community. More retirees moved to the area, and businesses stayed open year-round.

Spring break

Since the 1950s, Palm Springs has been a popular spring break destination. In the 1980s and 1990s, large crowds caused problems, and the city had to close some areas to control the crowds.

Today

Tourism is important to Palm Springs' economy. The city has many hotels, restaurants, and events like the Coachella Festival.

Palm Springs has a strong movement to preserve its mid-century modern architecture. The city holds a Modernism Week celebration every February.

Canadians own many second homes in the valley and spend a lot of money there, helping the local economy.

Geography

Palm Springs is found in the Colorado Desert. The city covers about 95 square miles, with a tiny bit of that being water. It is surrounded by mountains on all sides, sitting in a desert valley.

Palm Springs has very hot, dry weather most of the year, with sunny days and little rain. Winters are mild and summers can get extremely hot. The area is home to many desert plants and animals, including special trees like the California Fan Palm. You can also find many kinds of birds and small desert creatures living around.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

According to the 2020 census, Palm Springs had a population of 44,575 people. The average number of people living in each area was 471.5 per square mile (182.0/km²). The median age was 57.9 years; about 9.7% of the residents were under age 18, and around 34.1% were 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 154.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 160.2 males age 18 and over.

Most people lived in homes (97.9%), while a small number lived in group homes (0.8%) or special care homes (1.3%). The city was mostly built-up (98.9%) with a small rural part (1.1%).

There were 24,180 homes in total. About 10.7% of these homes had children under 18 living in them. Many homes were led by a single person (46.7%), and many of these single-person homes had someone 65 or older living alone (22.9%). The average number of people per home was 1.81. There were 10,184 families, which made up 42.1% of all homes.

There were 35,184 places to live at an average of 372.1 per square mile (143.7 units/km²). About 68.7% of these places were used. Of these, 60.6% were owned by people living there, and 39.4% were rented. About 31.3% of places to live were empty. The rate for empty owned homes was 2.7%, and the rate for empty rented homes was 12.2%.

The most common family backgrounds reported were:

• Mexican (18.8%)
• English (15.9%)
• German (13.7%)
• Irish (12.4%)
• Italian (6.1%)
• French (3.5%)
• Scottish (3.3%)
• Filipino (3.2%)
• African American (3%)
• Polish (2.2%)

2023 ACS estimates

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that about 17.2% of the people in Palm Springs were born in another country. Of people aged 5 or older, 76.7% spoke only English at home, 16.7% spoke Spanish, 3.2% spoke other Indo-European languages, 2.6% spoke Asian or Pacific Islander languages, and 0.8% spoke other languages. Of people aged 25 or older, 93.1% had finished high school and 45.1% had a bachelor's degree.

The median household income in 2023 was $71,979, and the per capita income was $64,811. About 8.2% of families and 13.7% of all people lived below the poverty line.

2010 census

The 2010 United States census reported that Palm Springs had a population of 44,552 people. The average number of people living in each area was 469.1 per square mile (181.1/km²). The racial makeup was:

• White (75.7%, with 63.6% being Non-Hispanic White)
• African American (4.4%)
• Native American (1.0%)
• Asian (4.4%)
• Pacific Islander (0.2%)
• From other races (11.1%)
• From two or more races (3.1%)

Hispanic or Latino people made up 25.3% of the population.

Most people lived in homes (98.8%), while a small number lived in group homes (0.8%) or special care homes (0.4%).

There were 22,746 homes. About 14.7% of these homes had children under 18 living in them. Many homes were led by one person (44.0%), and many of these single-person homes had someone 65 or older living alone (18.9%). The average number of people per home was 1.93. There were 8,665 families, which made up 38.1% of all homes; the average family size was 2.82.

The ages of the people were spread out, with 13.7% under age 18, 5.8% aged 18 to 24, 19.4% aged 25 to 44, 34.6% aged 45 to 64, and 26.5% aged 65 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 places to live at an average of 366.3 per square mile (141.4/km²). About 58.7% were owned by people living there, and 41.3% were rented. The rate for empty owned homes was 6.7%, and the rate for empty rented homes was 15.5%. About 56.0% of all people lived in owned homes, and 42.8% lived in rented homes.

2009-2013 ACS estimates

From 2009 to 2013, Palm Springs had a median household income of $45,198, with 18.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

LGBTQ community

Palm Springs is known for having many same-sex couples. In 2010, 10.1% (2,307) of the city's homes were same-sex married couples or partnerships, much higher than the national average of 1%. The city has many events and places that welcome LGBT tourists. Every year in November, the city holds a celebration called the Greater Palm Springs Pride Celebration, which includes fun events like a golf classic, concerts, and special performances. The city also had same-sex wedding ceremonies at the famous Forever Marilyn statue before it was moved in 2014. In January 2018, Palm Springs had a city government made entirely of people from the LGBTQ community.

Economy

Palm Springs is a popular place for visitors, with many hotels, restaurants, and attractions. The city’s economy depends mostly on tourism. Local government gets support from taxes related to shopping and hotel stays. Palm Springs holds many festivals, conventions, and international events, such as the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

One of the city’s famous features is the world’s largest rotating aerial tramway. These cable cars climb a steep hill to a station high in the mountains, where you can visit a wilderness area and enjoy a meal with great views. Downtown Palm Springs has historic shopping areas and many shops for visitors to explore.

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.
• Raven Productions – a television production company based in Palm Springs.
  • Earth Trek – a travel and adventure program produced by Raven.

Arts and culture

Annual cultural events

• The Palm Springs International Film Festival and Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films ("ShortFest") are exciting movie events with famous stars, held in January and June.
• Modernism Week in February is an 11-day celebration of mid-century modern architecture with films, lectures, tours, and a special show and sale. A preview event happens in mid-October.
• The Palm Springs Black History Committee holds a parade and town fair every February for Black History Month.
• The Agua Caliente Cultural Museum has an annual Festival of Native Film & Culture in central Palm Springs.
• The Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend, called "The Dinah", is a big event each March for everyone, known as the "Largest Girl Party in the World".
• A special party was held in April, drawing 10,000 visitors, but it was cancelled for 2025 and its future is unknown.
• The Palm Springs Cultural Center hosts many events each year, including a film festival, a classic movie festival, farmers' markets, and more.
• Palm Springs Desert Resorts Restaurant Week happens every June with 10 days of special dining at over 100 restaurants in the Coachella Valley.
• The Caballeros, a gay men's chorus and part of GALA Choruses, has been giving concerts since 1999.

Three parades are held on Palm Canyon Drive, created by former Mayor Will Kleindienst:

• The Palm Springs Annual Homecoming Parade happens on the Wednesday before the Palm Springs High School Homecoming Game.
• The city has a Veterans Day parade, concert, and fireworks since 1996. It is one of 54 US Department of Veterans Affairs sites for the national Veterans Day celebration.
• The Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade has been held on the first Saturday of December since 1992.

Ongoing cultural events

For many years, The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies was a stage show at the historic Plaza Theatre with performers over 55. A short film from 1997 called Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies shows the Follies. The show closed after the 2013–14 season.

Since 2004, the city has worked with downtown businesses to create Palm Springs VillageFest, a weekly street fair on Thursday evenings. People come to Palm Canyon Drive to enjoy food and crafts.

Events about films are organized by the Desert Film Society.

Public art

Main article: List of public art in Palm Springs, California

The city and private people have created public art projects, including Robolights. Many galleries and studios are in the city and area. The California Art Club has a chapter in Palm Springs. The Desert Art Center of Coachella Valley was started in Palm Springs in 1950.

Modern architecture

Main article: Mid-Century modern § Mid-century modern in Palm Springs

Palm Springs is famous for its mid-century modern buildings, and the area has many well-known architects. Other architects include Edward H. Fickett, Haralamb H. Georgescu, Howard Lapham, Karim Rashid.

Preservation

Palm Springs has groups that help protect the city's history, buildings, and culture:

• Historic Site Preservation Board. A city group that decides on important places.
• Palm Springs Historical Society. A nonprofit that runs museums and keeps records of the city's history.
• Palm Springs Modern Committee. A nonprofit focused on modern desert architecture.
• Palm Springs Preservation Foundation. A nonprofit that works to save old buildings and cultural places.

Museums and other points of interest

• Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
  • Agua Caliente Cultural Museum (now downtown at the Village Green)
  • Indian Canyons (Palm Canyon, Andreas Canyon, Murray Canyon)
  • Tahquitz Canyon, a wildlife area and old location for outdoor plays in the 1920s
  • Tahquitz Falls, a 60-foot waterfall featured in the 1937 film, Lost Horizon by Frank Capra.
  • Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage
  • Spa Resort Casino, based on the town's original hot springs
• 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" (built with railroad ties from the old Palmdale Railroad)
  • The McCallum Adobe – the oldest building still standing, built in 1884
  • Ruddy's General Store Museum – a store from the 1930s
• Palm Springs Air Museum – at the Palm Springs International Airport
• Palm Springs Art Museum – started as the Desert Museum
  • Annenberg Theater
• Palm Springs Walk of Stars
• San Jacinto Mountains
  • Cactus to Clouds Trail – from the Art Museum to San Jacinto Peak
  • Mount San Jacinto State Park
  • Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
  • Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument
• Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert – in Rancho Mirage
• Living Desert Zoo and Gardens – in Palm Desert, California
• Joshua Tree National Park
  • Little San Bernardino Mountains

Well-known restaurants include 1501 Uptown Gastropub, Chi Chi, Koffi, Sherman's Deli & Bakery, Tac/Quila, and Townie Bagels.

Sports

Palm Springs is a fun place for sports! It has a summer baseball team called the Palm Springs Power that plays in the California Premier Collegiate League. There is also a special league called the California Winter League that runs in January and February.

The area is great for tennis, with big events like the BNP Paribas Open happening every March. Young players aged 12 to 18 also compete in the Easter Bowl tournament each year.

Coachella Valley, where Palm Springs is located, has more golf courses than anywhere else in California. It’s a popular spot for golf fans, with many courses and big tournaments like the Humana Challenge.

Parks and recreation

Palm Springs has many places to play and relax. Some of the city parks include Baristo Park, DeMuth Park, Desert Healthcare (Wellness) Park, Downtown Park, James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center, a Dog Park behind city hall, Frances Stevens Park, Ruth Hardy Park, Sunrise Park, and Victoria Park.

There are fun spots like Boomers!, a family entertainment center in Cathedral City. The city also has a skatepark inspired by the famous Nude Bowl. In the summer, you can enjoy the Wet'n'Wild Palm Springs water park, run by CNL Financial Group.

The Desert Riders group, started in 1931, helps people enjoy horseback riding and builds trails for riders, hikers, and bikers. They also used to offer special meals and canyon rides for hotel guests as Palm Springs grew as a tourist spot.

Government

Palm Springs was first established as a city in 1938 and adopted a charter in 1994. Today, it uses a council-manager system with a five-person city council that hires a city manager and city attorney. The mayor and council members each serve four-year terms.

The city manages its own police, fire, parks, library, sewer system, airport, and planning services. Palm Springs is part of Riverside County and is represented by local and state government members. It is also the administrative center for the government of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

Education

Palm Springs has schools for children of all ages. The city’s public schools are managed by the Palm Springs Unified School District. The oldest school is Palm Springs High School, which opened in 1938. There are also several elementary schools, such as Cahuilla Elementary School and Cielo Vista Charter School.

Besides public schools, there are private schools too, like Desert Chapel Christian School and Desert Adventist Academy. For students who want to study after high school, there are colleges such as the College of the Desert and Brandman University.

Media

News outlets and magazines

The Desert Sun is the local daily newspaper for Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley area. It is owned by the Gannett Corporation, which also owns USA Today. The Palm Springs Post is a digital news site and daily newsletter just for Palm Springs, run by independent owners. Desert Magazine is a monthly lifestyle magazine sent to 40,000 homes.

The Desert Daily Guide is a weekly magazine. Palm Springs Life is a monthly magazine with special issues on topics like shopping, entertainment, homes, health, culture, arts, golf, weddings, and dining. The Palm Springs Villager was a magazine published in the early 1900s until 1959. The Palm Canyon Times was published from 1993 to 1996. The Desert Post Weekly is from Cathedral City. The Public Record is a weekly business and public affairs paper from Palm Desert.

Radio

Television

Further information: List of television stations in California § LPTV stations

Palm Springs is the 144th largest TV market in the United States. Unlike many cities, Palm Springs did not have its own TV station until October 1968, when KPLM-TV (now KESQ) and KMIR-TV started broadcasting. Before that, people in Palm Springs watched TV stations from Los Angeles through the local cable system, which began in the 1950s.

Television stations for Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley area include:

Infrastructure

Libraries

The library in Palm Springs began in 1924 thanks to Martha Hitchcock. It grew in 1940 using land given by Dr. Welwood Murray and money raised by Thomas O'Donnell. Today, it works as a smaller library, a place for learning about Palm Springs' history, and a tourism office.

Transportation

Palm Springs has many ways to travel. Long ago, people used the Bradshaw Trail, an old road from San Bernardino to La Paz, Arizona. Later, railroads came to the area.

Now, Palm Springs has an airport, bus services, and train stops. The Palm Springs International Airport serves the area. SunLine Transit Agency and Morongo Basin Transit Authority offer bus rides. Amtrak trains stop in Palm Springs three times a week, with bus links to other cities. Greyhound and Flixbus also stop there.

The city is connected by several highways, including I-10, which links to Los Angeles and Arizona, and other roads like SR 62, SR 74, and SR 111.

Cemeteries

The Jane Augustine Patencio Cemetery was created in 1890 by the Agua Caliente Tribe. The Welwood Murray Cemetery began in 1894 when a hotel owner's son passed away. The Palm Springs Cemetery District also cares for the Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, and Forest Lawn Cemetery is also there.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Palm Springs, California

Many people who live in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley have been honored on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. Over 400 residents have received this special recognition.

In popular culture

See also: List of films and TV series set in Palm Springs, California and List of films shot in Palm Springs, California

Palm Springs has been used as a place to film movies, a setting for stories, and a topic in many TV shows and books. For example, a famous old radio show called "Gunsmoke" talked positively about Palm Springs in one of its episodes.