Last summer, I wrote a blog post called “What’s in Your Backyard”. It was a story about how many places in Palm Springs I have not visited since moving here nearly 9 1/2 years ago. My goal for the upcoming year is to visit as many places in Palm Springs, and to write about my experiences.

I’ve been living in the Vista Las Palmas neighborhood of Palm Springs for nearly 2 years. Every day when I go to work, I drive by the Welwood Memorial Cemetery. The cemetery is named after Dr. Welwood Murray, the man who built the first hotel in Palm Springs, The Palm Springs Hotel, in 1886. The cemetery is about a 2 acre parcel of land, adjacent to the O’Donnell Golf Course, right below the Matzner hillside estate.

As the first cemetery for non-Indian settlers in Palm Springs, this is the final resting place for many Palm Springs pioneers and visionaries. Deeded to the Palm Springs cemetery district by Welwood Murray’s heirs, it is named in his honor. Erksine Murray, son of Elizabeth and George Murray, was the first buried here in 1894.

It was not until today that I decided to take a look who resides here. It’s not that I have a morbid fascination for cemeteries, it is just that I didn’t realize who was buried here and the stories these people could tell. I go down the walkways, looking at the plaques in the ground. It’s a beautiful afternoon, the sun glistens in the clear blue skies above and a slight breeze rustles the palm trees. I was having a peaceful moment of reflection, reminding myself to live each day to the fullest. Here are the plaques that caught my attention:

Welwood Erskine Murray, died in 1894. He was the first person buried in the Welwood Memorial Cemetery.

Albert Frey, one of the most prolific modernist architects of the 20th century, died in 1998. To learn more about his life, click here.

Charles Farrell, film actor of the ’20’s & ’30’s, died in 1990. Mr Farrell also built the Palm Springs Racquet Club, along with fellow actor, Ralph Bellamy. To learn more about his life, click here.

E. Stewart Williams, the architect who built the Frank Sinatra House in 1946, died in 2005. Mr. Williams designed many of the buildings that still stand today in Palm Springs. Click here for more info.

Nellie Coffman and her husband, Dr. Harry Coffman, opened the Desert Inn Sanitorium in 1909. In 1914, Nellie converted the sanitorium in a hotel, much to the dismay of her husband. They soon divorced after this. Nellie Coffman died in 1950. To learn more about Nellie’s life, click here.

Out of all the plaques and tombstones in the cemetery, these are the ones that touched me most. These two people were not famous people, but they were someone’s wife, daughter, sister. These women mattered to someone. I didn’t know who they were, but for that brief moment I was there, they spoke to me:

I was sad when I came across this plaque. It was a stone that said “Mexican Woman”. No name, no information. Who was this woman? When did she die? How old was she? Where did she come from? I hope she didn’t die alone. I cannot fathom that no one knew this woman. This cemetery was not a Potter’s Field. Everybody matters in this world, and people should not be forgotten.

Alvah Hicks died in 1944. She is buried next to her husband. What impressed me about this stone was the saying that was written on it:

“For the breath of life is in the sunlight, and the hand of life is in the wind”

How prophetic, way to go Alvah!!

The next time you are visiting Palm Springs, make a point to visit the Welwood Memorial Cemetery. This small piece of Palm Springs history is worth looking at. To get here, go west on Alejo Rd. from Downtown Palm Springs, head west towards the mountain. You can’t miss it.

Every year, the staff of Scott Lyle Realtors always gets into the holiday spirit in anticipation of the parade.  Our office, a small Spanish hacienda, is located at 483 N. Palm Canyon Dr., right in the heart of Downtown Palm Springs.   Earlier this week, we decorated our front yard with hundreds of lights. 

This year, there were 89 entries in the parade.  Every entry, whether its a float or a marching band, has to be illuminated in Christmas lights.  The lights usually must be white. This year, multi-colored lights made their debut.

 There were many creative entries in the parade this year.  Xavier Prep School’s ”Grease” entry was a hit.  You had the T-Birds, Pink Ladies, Beauty School Dropouts and the Carnival, all on one float.   The camel riders were also popular with the kids.  The camels were rescued from a compound that was threatened by the recent California wildfires.   The crowd favorite again this year was the Tonka Toy: A giant tractor covered with thousands of white lights.   Every kid’s dream!!

 My friends & clients, Sarah and Marsha, were down from San Francisco for the weekend and had never seen anything like this parade. They both were getting into the spirit of the season.  The smiles on their faces said it all.

The parade concluded when the 89th entry came into view: Santa’s House.  The float was adorned with 2 giant nutcrakers & brightly lit house.  It was a sight to see.   I didn’t who was more excited to see Santa: the kids or Sarah & Marsha.  

The holidays are about spending time with your family, friends, and the ones you love.  Don’t get caught up in all the commercialism of the season, because that’s not what is important.  This parade for me epitomizes all that is good in the world.  Happy Holidays to one and all!!

When I moved to Palm Springs nine years ago, one of the first activities that I immersed myself in was hiking. Being a “city boy” most of my life, I never had the opportunity to go to any of the National Forests or Desert to indulge in this sport.

I heard about the Lykken Trail, the Bump & Grind, and the Mecca Hills.  I wanted to jump right in, and start exploring everything that the desert had to offer.

I didn’t start my journey hastily though.  The sport of hiking comes with some responsibility.

Hiking in the open wilderness or desert can be a fun and exhilarating experience, but it can also be a dangerous  one if you are not prepared.  This week alone, there were 2 instances where hikers had to be rescued from the mountains above Palm Springs.  One was a man who went on the trails above the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway,  and went off the trails and got lost for 2 days.  This man was by himself, not wearing the appropriate clothes, and had no food and water.  Another was a father and his young daughter who decided to take a short cut and got separated from his group.  They were found the next day.

These people were lucky.  There have been many instances where hikers have died because they were not prepared.

Here are some of the basics you need to know before you go hiking in Palm Springs:

• Don’t Hike Alone- Go with a friend
• Take a cell phone- you may need to call for help
• Tell someone where you are going- This way someone  call for help if you don’t come back
• Food & water- Bring protein bars & plenty of water.  Dehydration is the #1 killer of lost hikers.
• Where proper clothing- The mountains are usually 20 degrees cooler than the desert floor.
• Stay on the trails- Do not go off & explore.  The trails are there for a reason.  54 sq miles of trails should be plenty of excitement for anyone.

Follow these simple rules, and your Palm Springs hiking experience should be a pleasant one.  We have an excellent Search & Rescue Team here in the Desert if you do find yourself in a precarious situation. We want our visitors & residents of Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley to have a memorable experience in our mountains. Have fun and Happy Trails!!!

For more information on the local Palm Springs Hiking Trails, click here.