“Winter in the Desert ‘Round Palm Springs California ” is a short, color, travelogue-style film created by the Santa Fe Railroad, that served as an advertisement to entice tourists to visit the desert oasis town in Southern California. The film’s major selling point is Palm Springs’ desert climate and the plethora of resorts, golf courses, and tennis courts for year round fun and relaxation in summer temperatures. The film also highlights the Santa Fe Railway “Super Chief” train which provides transcontinental service from Chicago to San Bernardino and services Palm Springs. This film features vintage footage of Palm Springs resorts, sunbathers, and tennis players from the 1940s.

Opening credits (0:08). Arid, rocky valley with palm trees growing between ridges (0:27). People appear in between opening of palm trees and shrubs in oasis at foot of San Jacinto (0:49). Snow-capped San Jacinto in distance, wild flowers grow amid arid landscape (1:17). Close-up of wild flowers (1:26). The Stables and Rogers Ranch Club is shown, with a horse-drawn carriage with guests from local resort heading out for ride across the desert, ranchers and cowboys on horseback follow in path of carriage (1:41). (The Trav Rogers Stables were located on Chia Road. The original building, a dining room, flanked on either side by box stalls for horses, later became the Ranch Club and the pool is still part of the Ranch Club Estates.) Snow-capped mountains in background, carriage stops in field of wildflowers and family disembarks (2:09). Horseback riders gallop through shrubs, snow-capped mountains in background (2:19). Close-up of riders playfully racing each other, one swings their cowboy hat as the other rides through dust picked up by the horse’s hooves (2:34). Sardines cook in sauce (2:38). Visitors donned in cowboy hats and leather vests sit at long communal picnic table in field of wildflowers (2:49). Sign for El Mirador Hotel (3:06). (The El Mirador lives on today as the Desert Regional Medical Center.) Two women walk perimeter of hotel pool, other sunbathers relaxing in background (3:11). The two women relax in chaise lounges in typical 1930s swimming costumes (3:34). Mother applies sunscreen to child’s back on pool steps (3:45). Shot of El Mirador Tower and manicured hotel grounds, red flowers contrast green lawn (3:59). Another view of El Mirador Tower hidden among green trees (4:17). Hotel guests are guided to tennis courts (4:32). View of hotel swimming pool from high lookout (4:47). Guest jumps up and down on high diving board at pool (4:59). Diver, wearing flippers, swims toward camera and waves underwater (5:18). Young kid furiously kicks while holding onto flotation device (5:25). Sign for La Quinta Resort & Club imprinted in Spanish tile work (5:30). La Quinta golf course (5:40). La Quinta pool nestled at base of mountains (5:48). Couple plays ping pong by the pool (6:18). Sign for Palm Springs Tennis Club (6:29). Group of people sit court side, heads move in unison watching tennis ball travel back and forth (6:34). Close-up of woman wearing white tennis dress which contrasts black court up at net returning volleys (6:43). Sunbathers and swimmers at Palm Springs Tennis Club pool (7:09). Sign for Racquet Club of Palm Springs (7:36). Tennis players in tennis whites playing on red clay courts (7:44). Kid jumps on diving board at racquet club pool with clear view of mountain peaks in background (7:51). Entrance gate for the Desert Inn (8:04). Two women doing archery aim at a target (8:34). Two young women ride bikes along palm tree-lined path (8:47). Young women sit in typical 1930s swim costumes by the pool’s diving board (9:03). Sunbathers sit by the pool and apply sunscreen (9:08). Young woman lights a cigarette while sitting with her friend on the diving board (9:40). Santa Fe Railway “Super Chief” rides along track amid arid desert landscape (10:04).

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com