Desert in

 United States > California > Riverside County > Palm Springs

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View of the Desert Inn, located in Palm Springs. Large buildings appear on the left and in the background, and several small tables with umbrellas are visible on the lawn, where guests of the hotel appear to be having a meal. The grounds are neatly landscaped with trees, palms and cacti.The Desert Inn was established in 1909 by village pioneers Dr. Harry Lee Coffman (1867-1935) and Nellie Norton Coffman (1867-1950), along with their two sons George Roberson, Jr. (Nellie's son from a previous marriage) and Owen Earl Coffman. The Desert Inn started as a sanitarium in the tiny, unincorporated town called Palm Springs, and was originally a place for those afflicted with tuberculosis. In 1914 Nellie decided a change was needed and she converted the business into a hotel. Dr. Harry was in disagreement and not at all happy with this decision, and he and Nellie eventually divorced.