Learn How Palm Springs Became a Vacation Paradise
Posted by: Kevin Blessing / Category: GamblingPalm Springs has a rich, diverse and fascinating history. It began 10,000 years ago in the Stone Age, when the area was inhabited by an ancient tribe using bows and arrows and weaving baskets. The area began to flourish when the first American explorers made their way to the Coachella Valley in 1853. The area went from one watering hole to an international vacation paradise!
This mineral spring, nestled within two bunches of palm trees, was discovered in 1853 by William Blake, an exploring geologist. Excited to find water, he and his team established the first wagon trail which made way for the Bradshaw Stage Coach line which brought more visitors to the Coachella valley. As more visitors came to the valley, the construction of a railroad line by the Southern Pacific Railroad Company gave way for construction of a true settlement.
As people heard about the area, the first hotel in 1886 was built. The Palm Springs Hotel (aptly named) held a measly 26 guests, but it began the trend that Palm Springs has developed into a multi-billion dollar industry. In the early 1900′s, the town grew to support the construction of the town’s first post office, school and a larger hotel, the El Mirador that held a whopping 300 guests! In 1936, the town had grown enough to initiate the formation of a committee to incorporate into a city. A city was born with the help of its first mayor, Philip Boyd, a capable businessman and committee member who helped the city get on its financial feet. The city continued to grow, flourishing as a vacation spot until World War II. During the war, the El Mirador Hotel was turned into a hospital for the military and an airport was built to accommodate the planes of injured soldiers arriving and returning to service.
In the early forties, the area incorporated into a city and elected its first local government, making it official. The desert rest stop had become a city full of promise. During World War II, the U.S. government asked for the city to do its part. General George Patton brought troops into the area, taking over the El Mirador hotel and turning it into an army hospital. This influx of troops coming in and out of Palm Springs brought the construction of the Palm Springs Airport to accommodate the takeoff and landing of a vital military force. The airport still stands today and has grown into taking on international flights from around the world, bringing even more vacationers from all across the globe. As the war ended, the sixties and seventies brought the best of Hollywood’s stars, who turned the town into their vacation playground. The eighties showed a huge influx of retirees who found the warm dry climate appealing.
In the last few decades, Palm Springs has become known across the globe as a world class vacation destination. Today it is a growing Mecca for residents and vacationers alike. Palm Springs has become a popular vacation destination hot spot for Hollywood’s elite as well as everyday, hardworking families. The town features hundreds of hotels, motels, resorts, spas and vacation homes, offering lodging for the regular folks and the rich and famous. The addition of a number of Indian Casinos from the local tribes have made it a gambler’s paradise. The town has become a favorite among golfers, ofering over 300 world-class courses in the Coachella Valley. The town’s dining and entertainment have become well known world-wide, accommodating many thousands of visitors every year. Its amazing to think that this international vacation destination all began with the discovery of a mineral spring among a few palm trees!
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