News and Events

Special Exhibit Then and Now

Architect E. Stewart Willams

At the close of his life, Modernist Architect E. Stewart Williams contributed reference photographs for five commercial blocks in downtown Palm Springs. These photos were taken at the launching of his career in 1946.

Then and Now is an exhibit in print and DVD of photographs at twenty-one locations from 500 North Palm Canyon Drive to 200 South Palm Canyon Drive. Williams DVD display runs continuously on the large HD monitor during open hours at the McCallum Adobe.

Seen here is a picture of 282-290 North Palm Canyon Drive in 1946 and 2009. In 1946 Pueblo styling of the Desert Camera building and its upper deck are gone, replaced by an unembellished facade. The liveliness of the scene in front of the Malt Shop and the informality of the bicyclist are not in evidence in 2009.

Annual Members Only Dinner Remembers Palm Springs' Past

Historic Smoke Tree Ranch

The historic Smoke Tree Ranch once again became the backdrop for members of the Palm Springs Historical Society to gather and indulge in great food and cocktails amidst the beauty of old Palm Springs. Cocktails and appetizers were served in the Club Room, where the pleasant melody of piano music and the soft glow of a warm dancing fireplace provided ambiance.

Chef Tony Marks and his staff provided a dining experience of the highest quality. The evening's program included an uproarious live auction and a walk down memory lane. Three members of our board of directors; Jane Lykken Hoff, John Sanborn, and Greg Hough, shared stories of growing up in Palm Springs. Their stories, spanning three different periods of time in our history, had the audience laughing and reminiscing about days gone by in Palm Springs.

Digitizing Photograph Collection

History at your fingertips

During her years as PSHS Director, Sally McManus identified catalog data for 10,733 photographs, and volunteer Dorothy Nelson keyed that data into 51 Apple computer files. With that huge head start, it took only from November 2008 and all through the summer of 2009 to move all of the data. The society has chosen PastPerfect, software approved by the American Association of State and Local History for museums and historical societies, as its collections management platform.

Oral History Project

Voices from Our Past

The oral history project created by board member, Cydronia Valdez, completed audiovisual interviews with Jane Hoff, Moya Henderson and Letha Cote this summer. Voices from Our Past highlights the memories of members of our board, members of the historical society and our volunteers. Soon we will move further into the community. We are excited about continuing the collection of memories from many different aspects of life in Palm Springs.

New Book is Here!

Images of America: Palm Springs by Moya Henderson

This summer it was our privilege and honor to work with Moya Henderson on her pictorial history book of Palm Springs entitled Images of America - Palm Springs. She selected many pictures of Palm Springs and told the ultimate story of how the city began, how it grew and some of the people and activities it attracted.

In February Moya will be participating in a whirlwind of book signing engagements, and she graciously has donated any profits from the sale of the book to benefit the Historical Society. We will have copies of her new book to sell at the McCallum Adobe after its release date, February 9, 2009. First book signing will be at The McCallum Adobe Saturday, Feb 28 at 1:00pm.

Copies may be reserved by:
calling 760.323.8297
email admin@pshistoricalsociety.org

“Our Mission is to record, preserve and display historical artifacts of the Palm Springs area.” Palm Springs Historical Society

Historical Society Goes Modern

Palm Springs Modernism Week 2010

45 days celebrating midcentury modernism

Each year our collaboration with the Palm Springs Modernism Week celebration grows. Modernism Week has become one of the desert's fastest growing annual events. It promotes awareness of the desert's midcentury modern design and architecture, and this year lasted ten days and had forty-five events.

Architecture and Design Council - Palm Springs Art Museum - KCET TV

Along with many other organizations like the Architecture and Design Council of the Palm Springs Art Museum and KCET TV, we participated in three of the events. The McCallum Adobe and the Village Green were chosen as the location for the reception that followed the dedication of the star on Palm Canyon Drive to architect Albert Frey on Friday, February 12.

Director Jeri Vogelsang, Associate Curator Nicolette Wenzell, and volunteer Helen Mawby at the Spa Hotel for the Historical Society Modernism Week presentation.

The Society was also the recipient of a very generous donation of $1500 from the Palm Springs Modernism Committee that was awarded during our second Modernism Week event on Monday, February 15. The Chi Chi and Beyond lecture and photographic excursion through the history of the nightclub and entertainment industry located in Palm Springs during the 1950s and 1960s was given by our own member and volunteer, Helen Mawby. The Spa Hotel donated the Cahuilla Room for the event and it was filled to capacity.

Lastly, we participated in the vintage fashion show at Hotel Zoso that featured styles from the 1940s through 1970s. Organized by Barbara Marshall, The Secret Back Room provided vintage clothing and Intelligent Hair provided retro hairstyles including French twists and flips. It was a fun night as our director Jeri Vogelsang got the models on the runway at the precise right moment and Historical Society Associate Curator Renee Brown made sure they were able to change outfits before their next run. Nicolette Wenzell, our other Associate Curator, made her way out onto the runway as a model.

Reception for Star Dedication Albert Frey

The attendance at the McCallum Adobe and the Cornelia White House during the ten days of Palm Springs Modernism Week broke all of our previous records for attendance.

Palm Springs High School interns join us

The Palm Springs Historical Society wishes to welcome Heather Racine, Eliana Acosta, and Betsy Lopez, our new business interns from Palm Springs High School. We are excited about becoming educational partners with our local high school and being able to share our passion for the history of Palm Springs with these high school students.

Scholarship Winners

Two students have received $1000 scholarships from the historical society to begin their college educations. Claudia Pena, Desert Hot Springs High School graduate, was awarded our history scholarship and Iesha Armstrong, Palm Springs High School grad, was our culinary/hospitality recipient. We thank Melba Berry Bennett's children, Deedee Busch and Peter Bennett fro funding the scholarships each year.