The Cochella Valley was once home to two large Native American Tribes, both part of the Shoshone Nation. Of course as usual white settlers moved into the territory pushing the Natives off their lands. But the Tribes appealed to the Government which agreed to give them back half of the valley. But rather than splitting it equally east west or north south, the government created a grid of 1 square mile areas and numbered them. The Native Americans received all the even numbered squares while the govenrment retained all the odd numbered squares. That is in part why this valley looks the way it does. Some of the Indian lands have been left natural, undeveloped. Most of the development is on the government lands, a lot of which built up initially thru homesteading. However some of the Native American Properties are the most developed and richest lands in the area such as downtown Palm Springs proper which is essentially leased from the Tribe helping to make them some of the weathiest Native American population.
Today we headed to the north west corner of the Valley. We actually drove across the San Andreas fault to the town of Desert Hot Springs which is the only town in the valley to sit on the North American tectonic plate. All the other towns sit on the pacific plate.
We were going to visit Cabot's Pueblo Museum. Cabot Yexera was the original recycler and had a very colorful history dating back to the days of the Nome Alaska Gold Rush era. His family had established their wealth in Minneapolis with several trading posts and other retail endeavors. The family and Cabot himself made and lost their fortunes several times over. First by investing in land off of Cuba after the Spanish American War, Later by supplying the gold prospecting in Alaska, and finally by getting into California agriculture and loosing it's citrus crops to the Big Freeze. That is what finally sent Cabot out to the desert to establish a homested which only required $10 to register his claim and live on the land for 4 years and improve upon the land. Improving the land meant finding water.
For the first year (circa 1913/1914) or more he had no luck and had to walk a round trip of 14 miles every day to get water from the nearest railroad station that had a pump. He and his faithful burro named Merry Christmas made this trek day in and day out. Then one day he tried digging a well just outside his back door and he tapped into a hot water aquifer. Soon after he also found a cold water aquifier. This effectively established the town of Desert Springs that to this day is known for it's spas and mineral water baths.
There is much more to this fascinating man's history, but the point of today was to visit the museum he built for himself to house an allow him to share all the artifacts and memorabilia he had collected through out his colorful history. He built the pueblo himself between 1941 and 1950 a room here and a room there using all found materials. No two doors or windows or alike. He'd fashion and fit whatever he needed based on what he found. For example, one interior door was fashioned from the buckboard of an old covered wagon. The main living room and entertaining space has an earthen floor so his Native American guest would feel comfortable. While the upstairs suite for his wife contained a full bathroom and kitchen and all the modern ammenities. The beams were made from old telegraph poles. A truly unique piece of American History wrapped up in the story of one man.
Cabot's sprawling 5000 sq foot Pueblo Museum
View beyond the Pueblo to the wind farm in the Valley
A Totem Gift to Cabot from a Native American Chief to thank him for his freindship. The Totem represents the two face white man - notice the phoney smile on one face and the greedy scowl on the other. The rattlesnake poisoning his brain and the boa constricting his heart.
After Cabots it was short drive down to the Air Museum where they have 3 hangars filled with restored planes from the WWII era with some Korean and Vietnam era aircraft as well. there were also a few interesting cars including a Jeepster, the attempt to go from the practical army jeep to a consumer friendly vehicle.
The Jeepster
some of the personalized artwork on the fuselage
B-17, The Flying Fortress
USNavy plane from WWII
After stopping back at our condo for lunch we again headed out this time in search of an oasis in the desert. They are found here along the San Andreas Fault where water bubbles up thru the cracks. And where there is water there is an oasis and a lush growth of palm trees when all else that surrounds it is dry samd and scrub vegetation.
water in the desert
dense growth
The oasis from a distance with the fault line in the background
On the way home we took a circuitous route in search of Shields Date Garden and a taste of a date shake. Yum. Time to relax and put our feet up and just enjoy being able to sit ousdie on the patio for a while. Later we will meet one of our traveling companions from Ireland for appetizers and dinner. She'll be here all month!
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