History:
In 1877, the Southern Pacific Railroad completed its line through the desert to the Pacific Ocean. A Congressional policy established that every odd section of land for 10 miles on either side of the track became the property of the railroad a section was defined as one square mile. The even-numbered sections remained the property of the federal government.In 1884, Judge John Guthrie McCallum of San Francisco and his family became the first non-Indians to settle here. McCallum, with the assistance of local Indians, built a 19 mile stone-lined ditch from the Whitewater River into Palm Springs bringing in pure, precious water for irrigation.Throughout the 19th century, various explorers, colonizers, and soldiers came through the desert, but it was not until 1853 that the United States Topographical Engineers mentioned the oasis of palm trees and springs which they called "Palm Springs." The name did not stick at that time, however. After California became a state in 1850, various stage routes crossed the desert, and "Big Bill Bradshaw's" freight line began to stop at what Bradshaw called "Agua Caliente." The place was known by that name or variations of "Palm Valley" until 1890 when Harry McCallum referred in a letter to his post office address in Palm Springs.
Dr. Wellwood Murray, of nearby Banning, opened Palm Springs' first hotel, called the Palm Springs Hotel, which was conveniently located directly across the road from the Indian bathhouse where his guests could take advantage of its warm, curative waters.In 1909, Dr. Harry and Nellie Coffman started their sanitorium, The Desert Inn, which was originally a place for those afflicted with tuberculosis. The Inn later became a world-renowned resort hotel catering to the very wealthy, which included captains of industry and well-known millionaires such as the Vanderbilt and Hearst families.
World War II brought rapid growth to Palm Springs with many new housing developments and businesses. The Desert Museum opened its doors in 1938, a public library was established in 1939 and the Desert Hospital opened in 1951.Dr. & Mrs. Wellwood MurrayIn 1938, Palm Springs opened the first high school in the Palm Springs Union High School District, which, in in 1948, was combined with the Desert School District to form the Palm Springs Unified School District. Prior to this, high school students from the area were bused daily to nearby Banning.
Other famed guests were FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and Mayor Jimmy Walker of New York, along with many other notables and celebrities. Even little Shirley Temple learned to ride her two-wheeler on the grounds of the Desert Inn. Palm Springs was now on its way to becoming a thriving resort.
Palm Springs was incorporated in 1938 with Philip Boyd as the first Mayor. World War II brought rapid growth to Palm Springs with many new housing developments and businesses.
The City of Palm Desert’s former senior development manager for economic development will be the new Chief Economic Development Officer for Palm Springs, City Manager Scott Stiles announced today. Wayne Olson will begin his new position at…
Read More »Palm Springs, CA - Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) and Agua Caliente Casinos are proud to announce a historic first in the airport industry, a naming rights sponsorship agreement re-naming the airport’s RJ concourse to the Agua…
Read More »The City of Palm Springs is pleased to announce a new public arts project dubbed “Pillars of Palm Springs” is set to be unveiled in Spring of 2024 on World Art Day. The creative new project will showcase six art installations on the…
Read More »Iconic Southern California sports broadcaster Fred Roggin named Celebrity Grand Marshal of 31st annual Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade Award-winning Southern California sports broadcaster and Coachella Valley resident Fred Roggin, who…
Read More »31st annual Palm Springs Festival of Lights returns Saturday, Dec. 2; Canine Mayor Buddy Holly to serve as first ever “Canine Grand Marshal” Hannah Wright, Manny the Movie Guy, Fire Chief Paul Alvarado and news reporter Kitty Alvarado…
Read More »The City of Palm Springs will proudly host three days of Veterans Day events beginning Thursday, Nov. 9 – and culminating on Saturday, Nov. 11 with the much loved 26th Annual Palm Springs Veterans Day Parade. The activities start Thursday at…
Read More »City of Palm Springs to host three days of Veterans Day actvities, culminating with 26th annual Veterans Day Parade, Nov. 11 The City of Palm Springs will proudly host three days of Veterans Day events beginning Thursday, Nov. 9 – and…
Read More »It’s parade season in Palm Springs! So mark your calendars for these fun and FREE special events highlighting the City’s high school football team, diverse LGBTQ community, a powerful and poignant tribute to our veterans – and the…
Read More »In an effort to be responsive to the needs of residents and businesses looking to access city services earlier in the morning, next month Palm Springs City Hall and the Office of Special Program Compliance at the City Yard, will unveil new hours of…
Read More »Good Morning Editors, Alaska Airlines has announced new seasonal service to New York JFK from Palm Springs! The seasonal route will begin on December 14, 2023 and operate through April 22, 2024. Alaska’s JFK flights will be offered over…
Read More »City of Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board to present two important awards at 9th Annual Preservation Matters Symposium, April 30 The City of Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board (HSPB) is pleased to announce it will present…
Read More »Palm Springs, Southern California’s most iconic resort destination, is turning 85-years-old – and the entire Coachella Valley is invited to celebrate the City’s legendary past and bright future at a FREE to the community,…
Read More »Palm Springs, California – An expanded and renovated baggage claim will soon be coming to Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) thanks to $5.7 million awarded to the airport from the Bipartisan Inf astructure Law yesterday. Last winter,…
Read More »Black History Parade and Town Fair has been moved to Sunday, Feb. 26 to avoid anticipated rainstorm on Saturday The Palm Springs Black History Committee will not let it rain on their parade! With support from the City of Palm Springs, the 36th…
Read More »PALM SPRINGS, CA (February 21, 2023) – The City of Palm Springs has announced that it will participate in Blue Zones Activate, an initiative focused on helping residents live better and longer. It is working with the Blue Zones team on a…
Read More »February is Black History Month in Palm Springs February is Black History Month in the City of Palm Springs and the entire community is invited to participate in a host of fun and educational events planned by the City’s Black History…
Read More »City Council selects Garden Grove City Manager Scott C. Stiles to serve as next Palm Springs City Manage Jan. 20, 202 Scott C. Stiles, City Manager of Garden Grove, California, has been selected by the City Council to be the next Palm Springs…
Read More »The Coachella Valley community is invited to join the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Day Committee, the City of Indio, and the Palm Springs Black History Committee at their annual MLK Commemoration Day Celebration in remembrance of the…
Read More »We’re gearing up for what will likely be our busiest holiday season on record. Holiday travel next week is expected to bring nearly 15% more passengers to PSP than last year, and we’re planning for more than 35,000 people to depart from…
Read More »– Palm Springs International Airport has announced plans to double the number of restaurants and bring in more local representation with new concessions program set to begin in 2023. Palm Springs Farmer’s Market will be featured as a…
Read More »Palm Springs earns perfect score in Human Rights Campaign's annual Municipal Equality Index The City of Palm Springs is proud to announce it has been awarded a perfect score of 100 points in the 2022 Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal…
Read More »The City of Palm Springs is proud to announce it has been awarded a final score of 100 points in the 2022 Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index Scorecard. The index is a nationwide evaluation of over 350 cities that examines how…
Read More »“The City of Palm Springs is deeply sorry about the action taken toward those affected by the Section 14 displacement in the 1950s and 60s. Over the past two years, the City Council and Staff have set out on a course aimed at making right what…
Read More »The Palm Springs International Film Awards has announced that CATE BLANCHETT is the recipient of the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress, for Tár. The Film Awards will take place in-person on Jan. 5, 2023 at the Palm Springs Convention…
Read More »Palm Springs, California – American Airlines is growing at Palm Springs International Airport with new seasonal service to Austin, Texas today! American’s new seasonal service will operate daily November 17 – 29 and December 15,…
Read More »30th Annual Palm Springs Festival of Lights returns Saturday, Dec. 3 Official City of Palm Springs Holiday Tree Lighting slated for Friday, Dec. 2 Bring the whole family and come celebrate the magic of the holidays in downtown Palm Springs!…
Read More »Palm Springs, CA – The Palm Springs International Film Awards has announced that Colin Farrell is the recipient of the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor for his performance in The Banshees of Inisherin. The Film Awards will take place…
Read More »Palm Springs Airport Celebrates 20 Years of Volunteer Airport Navigator Program Palm Springs International Airport celebrated the 20th Anniversary of its volunteer Airport Navigator Program this week with a luncheon at the Palm Springs…
Read More »It’s parade season in Palm Springs! So mark your calendars for these fun and FREE special events highlighting the City’s diverse LGBTQ community, a powerful and poignant tribute to our veterans – and the ringing in of the holiday…
Read More »It’s Parade Season in Palm Springs! It’s parade season in Palm Springs! So mark your calendars for these fun and FREE special events highlighting the City’s diverse LGBTQ community, a powerful and poignant tribute to our…
Read More »City Council approves $250,000 for Turf Conversion Rebate Program; Residents encouraged to participate In an effort to encourage water conservation during the current statewide drought, the City of Palm Springs will match the Desert Water…
Read More »City of Palm Springs encourages local businesses to apply for new Commercial Security Camera System Pilot Grant Program The City of Palm Springs has established a new Commercial Security Camera System Pilot Grant Program designed to assist…
Read More »City Council approves $250,000 Turf Rebate Program; Residents encouraged to participate In an effort to encourage water conservation during the current statewide drought, the City of Palm Springs will match the Desert Water Agency’s (DWA)…
Read More »David McAbee, the Public Works Services Manager for the City of Chino, has been named the new Director of Public Works for the City of Palm Springs, Interim City Manager Teresa Gallavan announced today. McAbee has been with the City of Chino for…
Read More »David McAbee, the Public Works Services Manager for the City of Chino, has been named the new Director of Public Works for the City of Palm Springs, Interim City Manager Teresa Gallavan announced today. McAbee has been with the City of Chino for…
Read More »The City of Palm Springs is pleased to announce the beautiful new Downtown Park will be honored with the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Award of Excellence next month in San Francisco. The inviting 1.5-acre park, designed by Los…
Read More »Up to 20,000 spectators are expected in downtown on Friday, Nov. 11 for the 25th Annual City of Palm Springs Veterans Day Parade. The parade kicks off at 3:30 p.m. on Palm Canyon Drive at Ramon Road and heads north concluding at Alejo Road.…
Read More »The City of Palm Springs is pleased to announce the beautiful new Downtown Park will be honored with the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Award of Excellence next month in San Francisco. The inviting 1.5-acre park, designed by Los…
Read More »City of Palm Springs News - Palm Springs High Homecoming Parade Set for October 12 in Downtown Go Big Red! It’s game time in Palm Springs! Get ready to cheer on one of the best high school football teams in the Coachella Valley at the…
Read More »Desert Water Agency augmented its grass removal program budget by $2 million so more customers can apply for the incentive and help save water. The DWA Board of Directors unanimously approved the additional funding at its regular meeting Tuesday…
Read More »If you’re looking for something fun to do this fall, come on down to Palm Springs VillageFest! The popular street festival, which runs along Palm Canyon Drive in downtown every Thursday night between Baristo and Amado roads – starts…
Read More »Sacramento — The League of California Cities Board of Directors elected Palm Springs Mayor Lisa Middleton to serve as the organization’s 2022-23 second vice president. Middleton was installed on Sept. 9 as part of the Cal Cities Annual…
Read More »Palm Springs, CA – September 14, 2022– Considered to be the most-heralded Business Expo of the year, the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce is holding the annual extravaganza which is sure to set the standard for the season’s…
Read More »(Palm Springs, CA) – September 15, 2022 - The Palm Springs Public Library Foundation (Foundation) presents Pride on the Page, a two-day book festival on November 4 – 5, 2022 as an official event of Greater Palm Springs Pride. There will…
Read More »Following a rigorous review process, the City of Palm Springs is pleased to announce the Palm Springs Public Library has been awarded a matching $6.5 million “Building Forward Grant” from the California State Library. The award is…
Read More »The City of Palm Springs has established a new Facade Improvement Grant Program designed to assist businesses with creating attractive, inviting storefronts and signage while encouraging improvement and investment in commercial properties within the…
Read More »PALM SPRINGS – Today, the State of California awarded the City of Palm Springs and Riverside County a $19 million allocation from the Homekey Round 2 program to address homelessness and housing. The city and county were co-applicants for the…
Read More »The City of Palm Springs has established a new Facade Improvement Grant Program designed to assist businesses with creating attractive, inviting storefronts and signage while encouraging improvement and investment in commercial properties within the…
Read More »GT Molecular and the City of Palm Springs have expanded their partnership to help track the prevalence of MPX (Monkeypox) in Palm Springs wastewater as a way to help mitigate the threat of the virus. Beginning today, the latest results are located…
Read More »City Of Palm Springs Now Accepting Applications For Event Sponsorship And Grants Funding The City of Palm Springs is pleased to announce its 2022-23 Event Sponsorship and Grants Funding Application is now available online. Funding will be…
Read More »Brenda Pree, the current City Clerk for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania will become the next City Clerk for the City of Palm Springs, City Manager Justin Clifton announced today. Pree has served as Pittsburgh’s City Clerk since 2017. In that role,…
Read More »ONE-PS - The Organized Neighborhoods of Palm Springs, in partnership with the Palm Springs Cultural Center are pleased to announce a series of Candidate Forums to be moderated by Mark Talkington, editor of The Palm Springs Post. The Forums will…
Read More »Click here to Read More Information About Avelo Airlines Announces Service from PSP to Three Cities
Read More »Assistant City Manager Teresa Gallavan will serve as Interim City Manager, taking over for Justin Clifton, who announced his resignation on July 18. Clifton’s last day will be Sept. 16 when Gallavan will take the reigns. Mayor Lisa Middleton…
Read More »In an effort to advance social equity for residents in the northern part of the city, the City of Palm Springs sent a letter today to the attorney for College of the Desert, (COD), proposing to purchase 119.4 acres at the northwest corner of…
Read More »In an effort to advance social equity for residents in the northern part of the city, the City of Palm Springs sent a letter today to the attorney for College of the Desert, (COD), proposing to purchase 119.4 acres at the northwest corner of…
Read More »City requests strategy change in acquisition and distribution of Monkeypox vaccines In an effort to ensure the threat of Monkeypox is mitigated in our communities, the City of Palm Springs is calling on the Center for Disease Control, (CDC), and…
Read More »Palm Springs International Airport continues record setting trends Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) set another passenger record in June, which is now the fourth record this year and the 11th record broken since June 2021. PSP began…
Read More »American Airlines adds holiday seasonal service to Austin, Texas from PSP American Airlines is growing at Palm Springs International Airport with new seasonal service to Austin, Texas. American’s new seasonal service will operate daily…
Read More »Palm Springs City Manager Justin Clifton announced today he will be resigning from the City of Palm Springs. His last day will be Sept. 16. Clifton announced his resignation to Staff this morning. Clifton told City staff in an email this…
Read More »The City of Palm Springs encourages residents to apply to become one of 115 fellows who will serve public agencies, tribes, nonprofits and schools throughout the state as a member of the California Action Corps, a national service program led by…
Read More »Lindsey-Paige (LP) McCloy, Program Director for the Pilots project team at Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), has been named the new Sustainability Director for the City of Palm Springs, City Manager Justin Clifton announced today. She…
Read More »Local nonprofit receives $2.1 million grant to tackle youth violence in northern part of Palm Springs The City of Palm Springs is pleased to announce We Are One United, a local Palm Springs-based nonprofit, recently received a $2.1 million grant…
Read More »Here is a rundown of family-friendly events planned for Fourth of July Weekend in Palm Springs: Saturday, July 2, Drone Show and Concert, featuring “Petty and the Heartbreakers” in the Downtown Park, Museum Way at Belardo Road,…
Read More »Here is a rundown of family-friendly events planned for Fourth of July Weekend in Palm Springs: Monday, July 4, Family-Friendly Pool Party at the Palm Springs Swim Center, 405 S. Pavilion Way, featuring water games, inflatable slide, music, and…
Read More »Southwest Announces Nonstop Flights from PSP to San Jose Palm Springs, California – Southwest Airlines continues to grow at Palm Springs International Airport and has announced yet another nonstop route, adding daily year-round service to…
Read More »Christopher Hadwin, the Director of Planning for the New York City Department of City Planning’s Staten Island borough has been named the new Director of Planning for the City of Palm Springs, City Manager Justin Clifton announced today.…
Read More »The City of Palm Springs invites the entire Coachella Valley to experience the magnificent new Downtown Park this summer and join us for a FREE new outdoor pop-up movie series, featuring the films of iconic Hollywood actress Marilyn Monroe,…
Read More »Good Morning Editors, Today, Southwest Airlines announced their intent to expand service at Palm Springs International Airport with new nonstop service to San Jose, CA! More details are in the attached press release. Photos and b-roll for use…
Read More »Click Here To View The City of Palm Springs News - June 14, 2022
Read More »PSP Begins Search for New Shops & Restaurants; Local businesses encouraged to apply Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) this week looking for a fresh take on their shops and restaurants. The airport…
Read More »The City of Palm Springs is pleased to announce that Mayor Lisa Middleton has accepted an invitation from President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to attend the annual Pride Month Celebration at the White House on Wednesday, June 15, which…
Read More »Click here to View the Information About City of Palm Springs - JOJDHUC Summer Camp
Read More »The City of Palm Springs will celebrate the Juneteenth holiday one day early with a special family-friendly celebration on Saturday, June 18. The event, featuring free camel rides, food and music, will be held from noon to 6 p.m. at the James O.…
Read More »The City of Palm Springs Parks and Recreation Department is pleased to announce a series of FREE, fun and patriotic festivities over Fourth of July weekend that will celebrate Independence Day at city parks and at the Palm Springs Swim Center,…
Read More »If you're looking for something fun to do this summer, come on down to Palm Springs VillageFest, the Coachella Valley's most popular weekly street fair which runs every Thursday night along Palm Canyon Drive between Baristo and Amado Roads. …
Read More »In observance of Memorial Day, the Palm Springs Swim Center will be open for HOLIDAY hours, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, May 30. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, May 31. Effective Saturday, May 28, the Swim Center will have changes for…
Read More »POWER Seek 600th Organizational Victory Early This Season The Palm Springs POWER enters the 2022 season with 594 franchise victories and will aim to eclipse 600 wins during the season’s second week. The POWER went 17-3 in 2021, 39-2 in 2019,…
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