Desert in

 United States > California > Riverside County > Palm Springs

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View of the Desert Inn, located in Palm Springs, showing several buildings on either side of the wide dirt road. Two cars can be seen parked along the right side, toward the end of the road. A hotel or possibly a large mansion can be seen nestled on the mountain in the background.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.