Palm Springs has for many years now been known as the winter resort of choice for Californians and people from all over the globe. The ideal weather, the many forms of recreation, golf especially, and the numerous classy health spas make Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and La Quinta a real oasis in the southern California desert.
Palm Springs lies on the western edge of the Coachella Valley in central Riverside County approximately 107 miles east of Los Angeles. It is within the ecological area known as the Colorado Desert and is 487 feet above sea level. Rising behind the downtown is the impressive Mt. San Jacinto, elevation 10,831 feet. Palm Springs covers a geographical area of 96 square miles with well-established neighborhoods. Recently there has been a fascination with mid-century modern architecture - something Palm Springs is proud to have as part of its mix of eclectic design styles. The population of Palm Springs is about 43,000 people and during the “season” it increases quite a bit.
Being only a two hour drive from Los Angeles, San Diego, and Orange counties, many people from those regions make their second homes in the Palm Springs area.
There is the Palm Springs International Airport that brings tourists from all over the world.
There is so much to do and see in the area that it is almost impossible to see it all in one trip.
Sun Bus Transit Agency has routes all through Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and La Quinta, making sightseeing, shopping and dining all that more easy.
The restaurants and art galleries are top of the line, and there is always some type of theater performance happening. Living in or just visiting the Palm Springs area is almost like being in the old west, but with every amenity available in a metropolitan area.
BRIEF HISTORY
For thousands of years, the Coachella Valley was home to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. In the winter months they established their village around the natural hot springs. But as it got hotter they moved up to the higher elevations of the canyons where it was much cooler.
In 1877, the Southern Pacific Railroad completed its line through the desert to the Pacific Ocean.
The first white man to settle in the Palm Springs area in 1884 was Judge John Guthrie McCallum of San Francisco and his family 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.
In 1909 a hospital was established for the cure of Tuberculosis which later became The Desert Inn and hosted world famous guests such as the Vanderbilt’s and Hearst’s.
After World War Two the population of Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and La Quinta started to grow rapidly.
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 Desert Museum opened its doors in 1938, a public library was established in 1939 and the Desert Hospital opened in 1951. In the 1950s, about 3,000 sections of land were transferred to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. This created a checkerboard pattern of growth, still evident in the area today. The Agua Caliente also hold title to the fan palm oases of Palm, Murray and Andreas Canyons.
Hollywood discovered Palm Springs in the 1920’s and found it a great location to film some of the early silent movies. The stars began to buy homes and it is a common site to see movie stars shopping or dining in the area.
EDUCATION
In 1938, Palm Springs opened the first high school in the Palm Springs Union High School District, which, 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. The Mission statement of the Palm Springs Unified School District is: The highly trained and effective staff of Palm Springs Unified School District, in partnership with our students, their families, and the community, will provide each student with the most appropriate educational opportunities in a safe, secure environment, so that all students can achieve their full potential as contributing members of the community.
This district includes Palm Springs and Palm Desert.
The Desert Sands Unified School District includes the town of La Quinta, and parts of Palm Springs. The mission statement of the Desert Sands School District is:
… to ensure that all students acquire the skills and knowledge to succeed as independent thinkers, lifelong learners, and productive, responsible global citizens by assuring equal access to innovative, student-centered learning environments through caring, committed, qualified staff, working in partnership with families and our diverse community.
The basis for a good quality of life for all residents is the excellence of education in their children’s lives.
The City of La Quinta is a community about 30 minutes from Palm Springs located at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains. Noted for its small town feeling of community, it is a peaceful and relaxing town, but there is plenty to do as far as recreation and golf and tennis in particular go. There are many golf courses and resorts that are some of the best in the world. Known as the "Gem of the Desert," La Quinta enjoys low humidity combined with an abundance of sunshine year-round. This makes it the almost perfect environment for any outdoor activity.
Incorporated in 1982, La Quinta had a population of just over 5,200. Today, the population has grown to approximately 30,450 and La Quinta is listed as one of California's fastest growing cities. The vast majority of its open area is attractive for development with the opportunity for planned growth.
Almost the same can be said for all three of these towns, that they all have a special emphasis that sets them apart. One of the most interesting things about Palm Desert is the formal public art displays. From the civic center to El Paseo, to the Fred Waring Tour and then a complete city tour makes the city like one big art gallery.
There are also three other public use airports in the Palm Springs area:
BERMUDA DUNES (about 5 miles; PALM SPRINGS, CA; ID: UDD)
DESERT RESORTS REGIONAL (about 11 miles; PALM SPRINGS, CA; ID: TRM)
BORREGO VALLEY (about 30 miles; BORREGO SPRINGS, CA; ID: L08)
It was the healing powers of the natural springs that first attracted visitors to the Coachella Valley. The area's reputation as a sanctuary to relax and renew continues through its numerous full-service spas which offer a vast menu of therapeutic treatments and wellness rituals. This is also one of the main attractions of the Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and La Quinta area of Southern California: the healing waters of the hot springs that actually occur all over California have been made into some of the finest luxurious spas and resorts in all the world.
- NUMBER1EXPERT™ 
