Welwood Murray Memorial Library

Palm Springs Historic Site #3 - Welwood Murray Memorial Library Palm Springs Historic Site #3 - Welwood Murray Memorial...

Marc Gagnon

May 26th, 2021

2 min read

Palm Springs Historic Site #3 - Welwood Murray Memorial Library

Posted by Brad Hudson on Tuesday, July 21st, 2015 at 5:26am

The Welwood Murray Memorial Library was designed by architect John Porter Clark, and it opened in 1941 on the corner of South Palm Canyon Drive and East Tahquitz Canyon Way in Palm Springs. The library originally shared space with the Palm Springs Desert Museum (now known as Palm Springs Art Museum). The building was designated a Class 1 Historic Site by the Palm Springs City Council on October 3, 1984. Stop by the library to learn more about the history of Palm Springs and the architects that created this architectural mecca. The Paul Kaplan Group specializes in unique properties and real estate by notable architects.

According to the plaque near the front door of the library: In 1938 George Welwood Murray donated this land to provide for a library as a memorial to his father, Welwood Murray, pioneer hotel operator. Cornelia White donated an additional strip of property on the eastern end of the site. The existing structure, designed by John Porter Clark and constructed by Charles Chamberlin, opened as the first permanent home of the Palm Springs Public Library in February 1941. With the completion of the Library Center at Sunrise Plaza in October 1975, the Welwood Murray Memorial Library became the downtown branch. Albert Frey is burried in the courtyard.