About Coachella

The City of Coachella History- The Railroad

With a four-hour timetable and the first trains departing Los Angeles for Indio, officials from Southern Pacific Railroad stated that it would begin operations on May 29th. A.N Towne was in command as general Superintendent of operations- A new era had begun in transportation!

Coachella Valley experienced great development with the railroads.

The first tourist train on July 4th went from Los Angeles to Coachella and Indio. There was a large crowd gathered in Coachella at a newly established depot which was built exclusively for tourists by Southern Pacific Railroad Co.

Coachella Valley was now connected with the major cities of Southern California with an abundance of new vacationers, investors, and entrepreneurs wanting to see the Coachella valley for themselves. The town Coachella became Coachella Station in 1907. The train depot was rebuilt in 1926 where it stands today on Highway 111 at Harrison Street.

Woodspur

In 1898, when James L. Rector, known as the town’s creator, built a mesquite wood station on SP tracks in Coachella Valley wasn’t simply any old nowhere stretch of the desert – he had discovered one-fifth mile-long Coachella Valley, which would later become famous for its highly valued annual crops: grapes and citrus

The original spur line started at this point, climbing up into what is now known as “Mesquitela,” where things such as timber were unloaded before being carried down LA Highway 111.

Artesian Water Spurred the Early Settlement of the Valley

The hamlet’s name is Woodspur, which derives from a local estate. Mr. Rector resigned from his post in order to pursue his life’s ambition of mapping the valley. His next step was to drill a well to see whether there was enough water for irrigation; as had been rumored, he drilled a well in search of water.

This was where Coachella got its name, Coahuila being the Spanish word for “snake” and thus Coachella meaning Coahuila’s Well.

Since then, Coachella has grown into a city of 29,000 residents. Coachella is known through famous music festivals hosted in the valley. This includes Coachella Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Stagecoach Music Festival, and more. Coachella’s culture has also been captured through many artists who’ve visited the city including; Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur, Ice Cube, Busta Rhymes, Cypress Hill, DJ Quik (and more). Coachella is a city of culture and music, a place where the past lives on.

Read more about Palm Springs

Coachella celebrates its heritage with an annual celebration called “Old Spanish Days Fiesta.” Coachella’s history also spans approximately 1 million years as Coachella was once part of the Gulf of Mexico. Coachella’s history dates back thousands of years to when Coachella’s inhabitants were from the Cahuilla tribe. Coachella is a culturally diverse city, in a valley that has a very rich history.

Coachella is home to the Coachella Valley History Museum in Old Town Coachella and also holds an annual “Old Spanish Days Fiesta.” This festival includes events such as Coachella Valley History Walk, Coachella’s Got Talent and more. Coachella is also home to the Coachella Valley Transportation Authority (CVTA) bus service that helps locals get around Coachella and Palm Springs. Coachella is a culturally diverse city in a valley rich in history.

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