Palm Springs California History & Facts

Palm Springs is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately 94 square miles (240 km2), making it the largest city in Riverside County by land area. With multiple plots in checkerboard pattern, more than 10% of the city is part of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians reservation land and is the administrative capital of the 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.

The first humans to settle in the area were the Cahuilla people, who arrived 2,000 years ago. Cahuilla Indians lived here in isolation from other cultures for hundreds of years prior to European contact. They spoke Ivilyuat, which is a Uto-Aztecan language. 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 springs 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 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 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 31,128 acres (12,597 ha). Six thousand seven hundred acres (2,700 ha) 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). When the Agua Caliente Reservation was established by the United States government in 1876, the reservation land was composed of alternating sections (640 acres or 260 ha) of land laid out across the desert in a checkerboard pattern. The alternating non-reservation sections were granted to the Southern Pacific Railroad as an incentive to bring rail lines through the Sonoran Desert.

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.

Famous Peoples From Palm Springs California

Keith Coogan

Keith Coogan (born January 13, 1970) is an American actor. He is the grandson of actor Jackie Coogan.

Keith Eric Mitchell was born on January 13, 1970 in Palm Springs, California, the son of Leslie Diane Coogan Mitchell, a realtor. He changed his name to "Keith Coogan" in 1986, two years after the death of his grandfather, Jackie Coogan. He married Kristen "Pinky" Shean on October 26, 2013, which would have been his grandfather's 99th birthday.

Coogan began acting in commercials at the age of five but appeared on TV as early as two years old. As a child, he appeared on episodes of Little House on the Prairie, The Waltons, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy, Eight Is Enough, Knight Rider, Growing Pains, Silver Spoons, Fame, and CHiPs.

In 1982, Coogan also appeared as 'William' in the adaptation of Ray Bradbury's All Summer in a Day that aired on the PBS series WonderWorks.

He has also starred in films including Adventures in Babysitting, Cousins, Hiding Out, Cheetah, Toy Soldiers, Book of Love, and Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, and straight-to-video releases such as Python, Soulkeeper, and Downhill Willie. He guest-starred on Joan of Arcadia and Married to the Kellys.

We also serve Palm Desert city.

More Info.

PD&G Wallcover Inc.

Call Us: 949-487-9261
Email: deb@pdgwallcover.com