The Palm Springs Historical Society offers historical tours focusing on Palm Springs’ historic neighborhoods, distinguished by a combination of the celebrities and local pioneers who called them home and the architects and builders who shaped their development. They offer walking tours and biking tours.
The Society, as part of its mission to preserve and share Palm Springs’ rich history, also operates two museums and a Research Library. These institutions are a testament to our commitment to keeping the past alive for future generations.
The McCallum Adobe is the town’s oldest building, built in 1884 for the first permanent white settler, John Guthrie McCallum. John was the first to bring water to the desert by constructing a stone-lined ditch that brought water from Tahquitz Canyon to his ranch. In the late 1890s, he formed the Palm Valley Land and Water Company. Come in and delve into the storied past of Palm Springs. Rotating and permanent exhibitions are on display. Please take a look at the gift shop and bookstore.
Cornelia White House was built in 1893 and is made entirely of “recycled” railroad ties from the Palmdale Railroad. Come in and walk through the home staged from the 1900s—experience early desert living. Cornelia Butler White was an important Palm Springs pioneer. She founded the Desert Museum and donated the land for this Palm Springs treasure.
The Welwood Murray Memorial Library, built in 1940, is an archives and research library for the Historical Society. It also serves as a library and visitor center.
All proceeds from our historical tours benefit the Palm Springs Historical Society, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that has existed since 1955.
Please check hours as they do close for the summer.
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Palm Springs Historical Society - Visit Palm Springs
