EL MIRADOR HOTEL, PALM SPRINGS, PAUL R. WILLIAMS ARCHITECT, BUILT 1952--53, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JULIUS SHULMAN, 1953, GELATIN SILVER PRINT, © J. PAUL GETTY TRUST. GETTY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, LOS ANGELES (2004.R.10)
In the early 1920s,
Palm Springs was a quiet village in the Coachella Valley. By the end of the decade, Palm Springs had blossomed into “Hollywood’s Playground,” a respite from the chaos of Los Angeles that adhered to the famous “two-hour rule,” a stipulation of studio contracts which required that stars be within two hours of the studio at all times. This influx of celebrities brought with it numerous opportunities for architects to design luxurious hotels and resorts throughout the region.