Pearl McCallum McManus (1879–1966) was one of the key builders of early Palm Springs—and by extension, the Coachella Valley’s identity as a desert resort destination. Born into the McCallum family, she arrived in the area as a child when it was still more frontier than town, and later returned to help revive her family’s desert holdings through years of hardship, drought, and ongoing water challenges. 

After marrying Austin G. McManus, Pearl co-led their real estate venture (Pioneer Properties) and spent decades reacquiring and developing large stretches of Palm Springs land, eventually becoming one of the town’s largest individual property owners. 

Her boldest mark came through projects that raised Palm Springs’ ambitions. In the mid-1920s, she and Austin launched the Oasis Hotel, commissioning architect Lloyd Wright (Frank Lloyd Wright’s son) for a modern concrete design—an early signal that Palm Springs could be a destination with architectural distinction.

She followed that vision with what became one of the area’s signature retreats: the Palm Springs Tennis Club, which opened as a private club in 1937 and later expanded with major architectural talent—helping cement the “desert lifestyle” image that drew visitors for generations. 

Just as lasting was her civic footprint. Known locally as “Auntie Pearl,” she donated land, backed scholarships, and supported community institutions—especially the Palm Springs Woman’s Club, where her gifts and influence are still recognized today. 
She also helped fund a landmark civic feature: the striking fountain at the Palm Springs airport area, contributing significant money to bring it to life. 

Through her estate and legacy giving, her impact reached beyond Palm Springs. In the early 1960s, she set aside $250,000 toward a performing arts center—seed money that later helped lead to what is now the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, one of the valley’s cultural anchors. 

Legacy in the Coachella Valley

• Oasis Hotel (Palm Springs): a defining early modern landmark and resort statement. 

• Palm Springs Tennis Club: helped shape Palm Springs’ resort culture and design legacy. 

• Tahquitz River Estates: tied to major postwar neighborhood planning and flood-control work. 

• Philanthropy & scholarships: major support for local civic life, including the Palm Springs Woman’s Club. 

• Arts legacy (Palm Desert): early funding that helped spark the McCallum Theatre’s origin story.