Palm Springs is a famed Riverside County, California, desert resort city, approximately 110 miles east of Los Angeles. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 42,807. Palm Springs possesses some of the most famous golf courses in the country. Swimming, tennis, horseback riding and hiking in the beautiful nearby desert and mountain areas are other major forms of recreation in Palm Springs.

From the 1930s to the 1970s, Palm Springs was home to many of Hollywood's most glamorous stars. Major stars and celebrities such as Al Jolson, Greta Garbo, Cary Grant, Steve McQueen, Liberace, Howard Hughes, Bob Hope, Elvis Presley, Debbie Reynolds, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Sonny Bono, Cher, Kirk Douglas, Jack Benny, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin owned houses in Palm Springs during this period, giving the town world-wide fame as the "Playground of the Stars".

In addition to these film and stage personalities, the Palm Springs area has been visited and settled by United States Presidents Dwight David Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford. The famed Betty Ford Center is in the area, as is Eisenhower Medical Center. Publisher Walter Annenberg settled in nearby Rancho Mirage. Celebrities still retreat to Palm Springs, but today the city's economy centers on tourism, hospitality, conventions, real estate, health care, shopping, and gambling.

The newest residents of Palm Springs, who tend to be younger nowadays, have acquired an appreciation for mid-century modern architecture which is part of the sophistication and historic significance of Palm Springs. This tradition of architecture grew out of the aesthetics of the world-renowned German Bauhaus and is reflected in the work of Albert Frey (who designed the Palm Springs city hall, tram station and airport), Donald Wexler, Richard Neutra, and other world-famous architects. A home developer, Alexander Homes, popularized this post-and-beam architectural style in the Coachella Valley. Alexander houses and similar homes are much sought after and feature low pitched roofs, wide eaves, open-beamed ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows to create an indoor/outdoor ambiance most suitable for private, pool-side living in a desert climate. One exponent of today's revival of the mid-century style and associated styles in furniture and textiles is Christopher "Red" Ercoli, whose own postmodern architectural style has become a staple in many downtown buildings. Restoration projects are now being undertaken all over the city to return these homes and businesses to their original condition. Students of mid-century architecture and design come to the city to study its heritage in this unusual style of the decorative arts.

Celebrities still retreat to Palm Springs, but today the city's economy centers on tourism, real estate, health care, shopping and gambling. It is a city of numerous festivals, conventions and international events.

 

Information courtesy of wikipedia.org