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Palm Springs is rich in history and blessed with gorgeous weather, and is a preferred destination of travelers from all over the world. Located at the base of the Mount San Jacinto Mountains, Palm Springs is best known for its crystal blue skies, year-round sunshine, stunning landscape, palm tree lined streets and beautiful starry nights.
There is entertainment for all ages; Palm Springs offers a vast array of indoor and outdoor activities. Soar to the top of Mount San Jacinto on the world famous Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, shop the many mid-century boutiques and art galleries located uptown and downtown, hike scenic trails in the majestic mountains, tour celebrity and mid-century modern homes, attend theatre performances, stroll through art and cultural museums, or simply relax by the sparkling pool. There is so much to do.
You can choose from over 130 hotels and resorts that are available; including mid-century marvels, modest bungalows, historic bed and breakfasts, private villas and condos and luxury resorts. Palm Springs is also home to fine dining, quaint cafes, and family restaurants with a variety of cuisine's and price ranges.
History According to anthropologists, Native Americans have lived beside the sparkling waters of Palm Springs' tree-lined canyons and around its bubbling hot springs for over a thousand years. They survived by using a multitude of desert plants for food, clothing, and medicine. With bows and arrows and sticks, the Indians hunted deer, bighorn sheep, rabbits, and other small animals. Recent discoveries indicate that their irrigation ditches may date back to pre-Columbian time.
After the arrival of the Spaniards, the Indians grew corn, squash, beans, and melons. They later cultivated orchards and began raising cattle and horses.
The Agua Caliente Indians of Palm Springs are one of ten or more independent clans of the Cahuilla tribe from the Shoshonean division (Takic) of the Uto-Aztecan language family. Their traditional communities were located in the Palm, Andreas, Murray, Tahquitz, and Chino canyons.
By the turn of the century, Agua Caliente (as Palm Springs was called in the 1800s) became a focus of Cahuilla activity. Because of their close association with white people, many Indians fell victim to the great small pox epidemic of 1862. By 1884, around 70 Indians were living in the Palm Springs area; in 1925, only 50 remained. Today the tribe numbers 240 members.
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