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Fun Facts About Palm Springs
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Palm Springs Facts:
El Mirador Hotel was on the site of the current Desert Regional Hospital. The tower you see today is actually a replica of the original. The original burned in 1989 and was rebuilt in 1991. During World War II the hotel was actual bought buy the army and turned into a military hospital.
Celebrity Sightings:
Barry Manilow, Suzanne Sommers and Sonny Bono all live or lived in the Mesa neighborhood just south of downtown Palm Springs. The neighborhoods behind and just south of the hospital are called the Movie Colony and Ruth Hardy Park - dozens of stars of yesterday called this area home at one time. From Bob Hope, Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis and Al Jolson, Barbara Hutton the Hollywood elite of the day populate this desert paradise.
Golf:
More than 120 Golf Courses populate the desert. The First one was the O’Donnell Golf Course right in downtown Palm Springs.
Yes, Sonny Bono really was a mayor of Palm Springs in 1988-1992.
First woman pilot to break the sound barrier was Zaddie Bunker who was a Palm Springs resident. Amazingly she did it at the age of 73.
The Racquet Club of Palm Springs was founded By Charlie Farrell and Ralph Bellamy. Hollywood stars who created this icon of Palm Springs retreats. The original Bamboo room is still there today. Currently the remains of the club are undergoing renovations to be a condominium community.
The Plaza Theatre in downtown once hosted syndicated radio shows by the likes of Jack Benny and Bing Crosby.
 Photo by Paul Roberts
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