By Valerie Milano
Palm Springs, CA (The Hollywood Times) 6/20/26 –
Preserving Local LGBTQ+ History During Pride Month
The mission of the LGBTQ+ History & Archives of the Desert extends far beyond preserving photographs, documents, and memorabilia. It also involves uncovering and sharing stories that might otherwise be lost to history.
Earlier this month, LGBTQ+ History & Archives of the Desert President David Gray appeared before the Rancho Mirage City Council as the city proclaimed June as Pride Month. During his remarks, Gray highlighted a little-known chapter of local LGBTQ+ history that places Rancho Mirage at the center of an important story of resilience and community.
According to Gray, the earliest currently documented gay bar in the Coachella Valley opened in Rancho Mirage during the summer of 1964. Known as Rancho Dandy, the establishment was located on Highway 111 at a site that is now part of the Desert European Motorcars and Jaguar-Land Rover campus.
At a time when LGBTQ+ people often faced discrimination, social isolation, and even the threat of arrest simply for gathering together, venues like Rancho Dandy offered something invaluable: a place where people could find friendship, acceptance, and community.
Rancho Dandy was listed in the 1966 edition of the International Guild Guide, one of the nation’s earliest directories identifying businesses that welcomed gay patrons. Interestingly, the guide omitted the bar’s full address, listing only Highway 111.
Gray also recounted a troubling incident from the bar’s history. On June 20, 1965, Rancho Dandy was the target of a gas-bomb attack. While no one was injured, the event serves as a reminder of the challenges LGBTQ+ individuals and businesses faced during that era.
The bar continued operating under new ownership until 1971, when its liquor license was transferred to the Desert Palms Inn in Cathedral City, where the Rancho Dandy name lived on for a time.
More than six decades later, Gray emphasized that LGBTQ+ history is not something that happened elsewhere, it happened right here in Rancho Mirage and throughout the Coachella Valley. As communities across the region celebrate Pride Month, stories like Rancho Dandy’s help illuminate the courage of those who created spaces of belonging and visibility long before equality became part of the mainstream conversation.
The work of the LGBTQ+ History & Archives of the Desert ensures that these stories remain accessible for future generations, preserving a legacy that is deeply woven into the history of Rancho Mirage, Palm Springs, and the Coachella Valley.
