Desert insiders know Palm Desert as the geographic and cultural heart of the Coachella Valley. This resort town with over 30 golf courses started as a barren outpost aptly named Sand Hole. Founder Cliff Henderson envisioned a modern utopia growing from the scrub and--as a centerpiece--built the Shadow Mountain Club in 1948. With its glamorous figure-eight swimming pool and high-dive competitions, the club drew celebrities, presidents, and future residents. Cliff's brother Randall Henderson spotlighted another side of desert life when he established the headquarters of Desert Magazine in the...