Home of Cabot Yerxa

Pioneer, artist, and architectural recycler Cabot Yerxa (1883~1965) arrived by train in 1913 as one of the first homesteaders on 100,000 acres of desert land in the Coachella Valley. He lived outdoors until he was able to build a stone cabin on Miracle Hill in a hole he dug, safe from the wind, and claimed 160 acres as his land grant near what is now the Two Bunch Palms Resort.

When development encroached in 1941, Cabot, then married, constructed a new home closer to the mountains. He used the Hopi Indian style of building found in New Mexico 1,000 years ago and created an Indian Pueblo. Made entirely by hand and dug into the sloping landscape, it was four-stories high with 5,000 square feet of floor space, 35 rooms, 150 windows, and 65 doors. Cabot built and decorated it entirely with reclaimed objects he found in the desert pieces of abandoned homesteads, old telephone poles, buckboard wagon parts, railroad ties, and other materials.

Today, the Home of Cabot Yerxa is a city-managed museum, also known as Cabot's Pueblo Museum. It is open throughout the year, except the hot summer months, for single guided tours, scheduled group tours, and the hosting of special events. The landmark structure is located just 10 minutes from the Desert Hot Springs Interstate 10 Freeway Exit.