About Us:

Coachella, pronounced "Koch - ella", Koch as in the baseball man, and Ella, as in Fitzgerald, with syllable division "Coa chella" and with the accent on the latter syllable.

The origin of the name Coachella is unclear but in 1901 the citizens of Woodspur voted on a new name for their Community - at their town hall meeting, the homeowners decided on "Coachella" as their designation. Coachella began as a 2 and 1/2 square miles of territory gridded out on the mesquite-covered desert floor. Not until the 1950s did Coachella begin to expand into its present sphere that includes 32 square miles.

In 1946 Coachella became "City of Coachella". Its first City Council was elected tentatively during the incorporation voting process: Lester C. Cox, T. E. Reyes, John W. Westerfield, Lester True, and Paul S. Atkinson. Also elected on November 26, 1946 were Marie L. Johnson as City Clerk and John C. Skene as City Treasurer. John Westerfield was appointed Mayor at the first meeting.