Palm Springs (Then and Now)

A fascinating look at how Palm Springs has changed over the year. A must for any one interested in Palm Springs history.

Yes ! Loved the book.

For those of us born during or just after WW II, we remember our communities as they were. This book focuses on the five blocks that comprise the main street (Palm Canyon Drive) of Palm Springs, California. More than eighty photos taken in early 1946 document a typical American downtown. Each page has a corresponding recent photo at the same address. The introduction concludes "The 1946 photographs in this book reveal village sized, family-owned, locally run businesses; five service stations; two newspapers; doctors' offices;chiropractor's office; movie theaters; upscale hotels; tourist courts; apartment complex; night club; delicatessen; malt shop; small department stores; camera shop; beauty shops; bowling alley; news store; barber shop; and real estate offices. One bank provided financial services. One building housed the fire and police departments. All of this in five downtown blocks. America won World War II and everything changed." Contemporary photos with detailed captions illustrate the dramatic shift in American downtown life since the end of the second world war.

We got this as a gift for the homeowners that we rented from. They loved it. I wish it came in hardback so it could be a coffee table book.

Great reading!