The La Quinta Museum has a wonderful exhibit on the Salton Sea appropriately titled, “The Mysteriously Enchanting Salton Sea” that will run through September 21st. The exhibit includes many pieces of memorabilia on loan from early ‘Salton Sea’ families and the Salton Sea History Museum archives. Also included in the exhibit are panels from Portraits and Voices of the Salton Sea, a new book by Christina Lange. Be sure and visit the museum gift shop while you’re there. They have many Salton Sea gifts including the famous Salton Sea ashtray reproduction shown below, with all profits going to the Salton Sea History Museum!
Here are some recent comments from the Museum guest book:
My grandparents Ray and Dolsie Ellis had a vacation home at the Salton Sea and I spent many weekends boating and off roading there between 1960 and 1975. I think I was 6 or 7 years old when I was named the youngest to ski across the salton sea. My grandparents and parents Don and Iris Ellis were involved in the Salton Sea Treasure Trails, the Salton City Dune Busters and The Salton Sea Beach Helldivers. I have many great memories of the Salton Sea.
Your website is great, and I am anxious to visit the museum in person sometime.
I think the picture of the boy sitting on top of the merry-go-round when the beach area was flooded, is a picture of me... Is it possible you can tell me the year it was taken? Thank you
Wonderful site. Sad to say, I saw the sea for the first time while flying to Long Beach from Arizona. Plan to visit very soon. Thank you to all those involved to bring the sea back to life.
Nearly every weekend from the early 1950's to the early 1960's, the Cal Smith and Henry Smith families stayed at Helen's Beach in our garage and cabanas. What a time! Now, I make the trek to Mecca every November, hope on my tandem road bike with my friend April and ride the perimeter of this majestic lake. The total ride is 112 miles and worth every salty minute, from Bombay Beach to Calipatria to our old haunt, Salton Sea Beach. What a history!
Several years ago, my colleagues and I were in San Diego for a meeting. We played hookie one day to take a trip to see the Sea. We are meeting in St. Augustine, FL this year. I made the comment today that since we will have a car to use we might end up at the Salton Sea again. Everyone had a giggle. Take care. Remember that online museum store suggestion. I would proudly wear my North Shore Yacht Club t-shirt.
My wife and I are from San Diego. Back in the late 1980's I worked for Raytheon, and maintained a radar site in the Chocolate Hills, SW of the sea. Also I did some "train chasing" out there until we moved here in 1995. The San Diego Model RR Museum has modeled that area as it was back in the 40s - 60s. I recently found some old photos taken by my father in the early '60s of some of the boat racing held there.
I was 9 years old when I went there as a child. I fell in love with the Salton Sea then, and felt it was one of the 7 wonders of the world. I remember the rest of my family loved it also. I am 56 in a month and a half, and was very sad to hear of the plight has become of this wonderful place I once visited. Although I am disabled, and live on an Extremely low income, I would like to know if there is any assistance via email to state officials, or any other way to spread the word of this travesty of nature and our ecosystem? Please feel free to email me. Thank you, and my best regards in your valiant efforts to keep this great place from becoming extinct. I loved this place as a kid, and hope that generations more can enjoy floating on their backs, with little to no effort, and the warm water and beautiful views of Imperial Valley.
|
Salton Sea History Museum is a Tax-Exempt 501(c)(3) Corporation
Thanks to the