On this edition of Our Desert Past with Steve Sumrall, I’ll be looking at the history of Palm Springs iconic Plaza Theater, as well as the people who made it happen!
In 1938, Philip L. Boyd was appointed the mayor of the newly incorporated city of Palm Springs. Hear his story (much of which is in his own words, thanks to a 1986 interview conducted by the Palm Springs Public Library) in this edition of Our Desert Past with Steve Sumrall!
Long before our valley experienced legalized gambling, a visitor from Michigan opened some underground casinos near Palm Springs, despite opposition from city leaders. His name was Al Wertheimer, and he was a part of Our Desert Past!
NBC Palm Springs Steve Sumrall has uncovered some footage of a major celebrity event at Palm Springs historic El Mirador Resort back in 1936. So, what happened there, and how does it relate to a couple of famed MGM musicals? Find out in this edition of Our Desert Past!
Much thanks to desertedfilm.org, the site which houses the short film which is profiled here.
Cabot’s Pueblo Museum not only educates visitors about Desert Hot Springs historic past, it also serves as a tribute to the man who brought the city it’s most valuable resource.
Steve Sumrall explain in this edition of Our Desert Past.
The Cornelia White house is a small residence made out of old railroad ties which happens to be the oldest surviving residential structure in Palm Springs. In 2020, the Palm Springs Historical Society, with the cooperation of the city of Palm Springs, produced a documentary feature entitled “The Restoration and Stabilization of the Cornelia White Residence. We are presenting a segment of that feature, courtesy of the Palm Springs Historical Society, as an important part of Our Desert Past.
To see this feature in its entirety, it can be found here: https://youtu.be/83ejOhE-TSo
