5 Reasons to Visit Coachella Valley History Museum in Indio
Image Source: https://www.cvhm.org/
The Coachella Valley History Museum is dedicated to documenting, preserving, and understanding the region’s history. Founded in 1965, CVHM is dedicated to sharing the local history of the city and its indigenous.
As new and interesting technology is used, CVHM seeks to not just preserve history but also spread awareness of it. On your visit there, you’ll have lively conversations during social events regarding your city’s history and legacy. It’ll provide a plethora of fascinating topics where not only you will learn about your city but also meet new and interesting people of your community.
Along with offering a unique opportunity to learn – the historic and sentimental campus is also open for reservations for personal events. As offers venture rentals, from tiny private gatherings or to grand 1,500-person gatherings. Read on to find out the attractions at CVHM!
- The California Date History Museum
The date palm tree is one of the earliest cultivated crops in human history. The museum displays the date palm’s introduction to the Coachella Valley in 1900 all the way from its Middle Eastern origins and highlights the work of horticulturists and essential workers that harvested and maintained this desert fruit. A functioning date grove located just outside the Museum showcases the diversity of dates grown in the Coachella Valley.
- 1909 Indio Schoolhouse
A time travel machine is right here! The Indio Schoolhouse made in 1909, Indio’s third school has been preserved diligently. Its design is reminiscent of several of the early railroad station schools. This treasure was first discovered on Oasis and Bliss Avenue, then moved to the grounds of the former Roosevelt School, and ultimately to the Museum property in 1999. This is unquestionably a journey back in time!
- Smiley-Tyler House
Another historic building from the 1930s is preserved in the museum, called the ‘Smiley-Taylor House’. The house exhibits all sorts of historic items such as:
- The Cahuilla People’s Room in the Desert
- Exhibit Area for Water and Agriculture
- This year’s yearly rotating exhibit, Heritage Room
- Room for the Railroad and Fire Department
- Kitchens in the 1930s and 1940s
- Pioneer Hall
The house also features an eclectic collection of Mexican folk art representing various Mexican artists of ceramics, textiles, costumes and wooden toys.
- The Outdoor Gallery
Before there were vehicles or air conditioning, available land and water drew residents to the Coachella Valley to cultivate fruits, vegetables, and hay. This collection of tools, structures, and equipment pays tribute to the pioneers, farmers, railroad workers, and blacksmiths, and gives visitors a sense of how this valley was altered to prepare the way for the twenty-first century.
The attractions include:
- Blacksmith shop
- Fire, Railroad, Hay, and Farm Equipment Drawn by Horses
- Water Tower and Submarine from 1921
- The Gardens
The Museum’s Gardens feature a wide range of desert-adapted plant species. The gardens, which feature natural flora as well as species imported to the desert by pioneer families, are accessible for tourists to wander around throughout their stay. Guides are available to teach you about the flora.
Attractions include:
- The Rose Garden of Geissler
- The Japanese Memorial Garden
- The Jardín del Desierto