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B-Bar-H Ranch Club: Old West easy living
8
miles from Palm Springs
by Tracy Conrad, Special to The Desert Sun
Published 1:43
a.m. PT April 12, 2020
“In event you fly, our Ranch wagon will pick you up at Palm
Springs airport.” The lovely offer of a station wagon ride
from the airport for those who decided to fly, rather than
drive, ended an advertisement for B-Bar-H Ranch’s two-day “Get
Acquainted Offer for Prospective Members” in 1958.
All the recreational facilities of the club were available for
enjoyment.
“Guests at the outdoor steak fry enjoy true western
hospitality at a social hour and complimentary punch bowl
followed by a sumptuous dinner in the Golden Saddle Room.” A
strong drink could be had at the Branding Iron Cocktail Bar.
To make a reservation, one could call, or write to Post Office
Box BB, Palm Springs. Of course!
The ad continued with more to offer than just a station wagon
ride from the airport.
“Here is Romance, Steeped in the Legends of the Old West. The
pleasures of a vacation in the land of sunshine are an
experience of unforgettable enjoyment. Lazy blue skies invite
you to engage in a choice of an endless variety of
recreation…golf driving range, putting green, tennis,
badminton, swimming, ping pong, square dancing, bridle trails,
shuffleboard, children’s playground, entertainment.
“When you long to get away from the humdrum routine of city
dwelling; when you seek escape from the rigors of wintry
climates; when you seek active diversion or genuine rest and
relaxation in the world’s most perfect winter climate, you
will find your wish fulfilled at B-Bar-H Ranch Club. Located
in an authentic atmosphere of the true Western ranch, combined
with the comforts of the finest metropolitan hotel.”
B-Bar-H ranch was located 10 miles from Palm Springs, an easy
station wagon ride, framed by majestic snow-capped mountains
through a vast expanse of rolling sand dunes, sagebrush and
cactus.
Started during the Great Depression, B-Bar-H Ranch was named
for Hollywood mogul Lucienne Hubbard and his son-in-law
Charles Bender. The men purchased the land from the Southern
Pacific Land Company in 1927 and began promoting the natural
hot mineral springs, soon becoming an invitation-only resort.
“Let there be no two strangers between these walls” was the
motto of B-Bar-H and Charles Bender, the genial original
manager. “Informal ranch life is emphasized. Guests dwell in
luxurious cottages, decorated in dude style and surrounded by
verdant grass yards. The Ranch is in a date grove and guests
may pick the fruit off the trees. There is a swimming pool,
filtered with clear, cool spring water that comes directly
from the mountains. A tennis court adjoins the pool and there
are badminton and paddle tennis courts as well as pool tables
and other means of recreations for the guests. The main
building has a living room with an immense fireplace. Smaller
rooms have pianos and card tables.”
And, of course, the western-style cocktail bar.
Horses were included in the daily rate and guests could ride
as many times as they wished during the day. “All-day rides
are planned frequently and there is a picnic once a week to
some nearby picturesque spot when the chef and his retinue
bring barbecued steaks and rack of lamb, steaming plates of
casserole potatoes, enchiladas and big piece of apple pie to
satisfy ravenous appetites following a fast canter of the
desert. Cowboy guides are also included without extra charge.
On moonlight evenings there are night rides and often guests
arrange small party rides to interesting destinations.”
In February 1939 a correspondent from the Pittsburgh
Sun-Telegraph reported, “…this is being written from our
temporary headquarters, the B-Bar-H ranch. I have already been
initiated into the Order of Pamperers, founded here a season
or so ago by Publisher M. Lincoln Schuster. The code of the
Pamperers is never do today what can be done tomorrow — and
the favorite byword is: ‘Well, give me until tomorrow — and
I’ll give you a definite maybe.’ There is a laziness in the
air. Walt Disney, who has just left, was finally persuaded to
mount a horse ... the order of the day is complete inactivity
—something I do not find very difficult to fall in with.”
In 1940, the lazy atmosphere of the Ranch was purchased by Jay
Kasler for $42,000. Kasler was a prominent businessman and
entrepreneur. The Ranch would become the center of high
society activity and desert amusements during the next decade.
In January 1946, the gymkhana was free to the public, but a
collection was taken up at the door with all proceeds going to
the Palm Springs hospital fund. The gymkhana featured
broomstick polo matches, girls egg race, children’s musical
chairs, bareback and saddle races, jackpot calf roping,
amateur calf stopping, stake races, rescue races and bell calf
roping.
The western dances were a weekly affair. “Caller” Guy Merrill
guided guests through the rigors of the Virginia Reel, a
Spanish waltz, and “Take a Little Peek,” a favorite among
square dance devotees.
In the middle of the next decade, the Ranch announced a new
manager for the fabulous resort, “Bill Taylor has taken over
the reins relinquished by Alexander Nord.” Nord was to devote
his time to promotional work on the sale of land in the newly
opened B-Bar-H Ranch Estates. “Taylor has big plans for
increasing the popularity of the resort. The weekly free
dances and jamborees held in true Western style, will continue
to be a feature, and later in the season, it is planned to
resume the Poolside Barbecues, instituted by Nord, that proved
such a drawing card last season.”
But the draw was becoming less persuasive. The Hollywood
crowd, noted Pamperers, like Bob Hope, Darryl Zanuck, and Bing
Crosby moved east to Palm Springs. (One exception was Mary
Pickford who built a large home on the Ranch in 1948, which
she would later donate to the Veterans of Foreign Wars for
their Post 1534.)
By 1955 there were new owners who opened the lounge to local
groups for meetings at no charge and made the large dance hall
available to the community. Guest memberships were offered to
“select” area residents which entitled use of the facilities,
meaning mostly the bar, but also putting green and “grassed
and shaded picnic area,” at no charge. There was minimal
charge to use the pool and stables. Subsequent owners would
continue to emphasize the home lots for sale, rather than the
allure of the guest ranch.
Advertisements now started with “Drive out today!” Offering
only 138 lots, “each… fronts on a wide street and will be
served with an unlimited supply of healthful Mineral water
piped directly from the Ranch wells. Wealth is not a requisite
to home ownership at B-Bar-H Ranch estates.” Prices were as
low as $1,295.00 with “easy terms.” Presumably customers drove
out in their own station wagons, and through the impressive
original gate.
But the original Ranch, as described by the correspondent for
the Pittsburgh paper, still imbued glamour to the landscape.
“Interesting personalities…are Charles and Paul Bender who own
this B-Bar-H Ranch in partnership with producer Lucien
Hubbard. Charles, once a newspaperman … came out this way…
fell in love with the desert tableland at the toes of the
great mountains—and bought up huge stretches. He dug down
laboriously for months until water gurgled—and since then has
created a heavenly oasis that lures people from all over the
world—among past and present guests having been John J. Raskob
(builder of the Empire State Building,) Joan Crawford, the
Marx brothers, …Tyrone Power, Darryl Zanuck, Marlene Dietrich,
Wendy Barrie, …Robert Taylor, Eleanor Powell and others.”
The simple pleasures of a western resort, riding and relaxing
in the fine winter weather, had been enough for decades to
lure illustrious guests to drive in from Hollywood and parts
further flung. That 1939 newspaper communique ended, “As this
is being written, the station wagon is starting off to fetch
half a dozen Easterners, among whom is playwright Moss Hart.”
Hart evidently had decided to fly rather than drive.
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