In 1961, the Society took responsibility for two of Palm Springs’ oldest surviving buildings, the Cornelia White House[8] and the McCallum Adobe,[9] which were restored and converted into public museums.
PSHS has oversight for a wide range of artifacts and maintains an extensive photographic archive.[10] In 2015, its collections were transferred to a climate-controlled facility in the Welwood Murray Memorial Library, which was renovated to house the Society's Research Center.[11][12]
The Palm Springs Historical Society manages several historic sites and cultural institutions in downtown Palm Springs:
McCallum Adobe (1884) – The oldest surviving building in Palm Springs, built by settler John G. McCallum, now a museum interpreting early desert life.[14][15]
Cornelia White House (1893) – A pioneer-era wooden house constructed from railroad ties, located next to the McCallum Adobe at the Village Green.[8][16]
Cornelia White HouseRuddy’s General Store Museum – A Depression-era general store recreation with more than 6,000 original unused products and fixtures collected by James Ruddy.[17]
The Oasis (Trini Lopez Exhibit) – An exhibit launched in 2025 highlighting the life and career of musician Trini Lopez.[18]
Welwood Murray Memorial Library (Archives) – Home to PSHS' Research Center, it contains photographs, maps, oral histories, and documents available to researchers.[11]
Since 2019, the Society partnered with The Desert Sun to publish the weekly history column “Intriguing Stories,” written by local historians including Society president Tracy Conrad.[22]
Funding and support
In 2024, the Inland Empire Community Foundation announced a $4.5 million endowment gift from the estate of philanthropist Jane Lykken Hoff to support several local nonprofits, including PSHS.[23][24] The endowment was established to provide ongoing funding for the benefactors in perpetuity.[23]
Relationship to other local preservation organizations
Palm Springs has several other organizations involved in the city's preservation efforts. The city’s Historic Site Preservation Board was created in 1981 to review and recommend sites and districts for Class 1 and Class 2 historic designations.[25] The Palm Springs Modern Committee was founded in 1999 as a nonprofit focused on mid-century modern architecture.[26] The Palm Springs Preservation Foundation was established in 1997, focused on the preservation of the region’s historic architecture and cultural resources.[27] The Palm Springs Architectural Alliance, created in 2018, focuses on the preservation of the region's architectural heritage.[28]Modernism Week is an independent nonprofit festival devoted to mid-century design and architecture.[29]
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