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Thousand Palms, California facts for kids

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Thousand Palms, California
Thousand Palms Post Office (2023)
Thousand Palms Post Office (2023)
Location in Riverside County and the state of California
Location in Riverside County and the state of California
Thousand Palms, California is located in the United States
Thousand Palms, California
Thousand Palms, California
Location in the United States
Country United States
State California
County Riverside
Area
 • Total 23.636 sq mi (61.217 km2)
 • Land 23.636 sq mi (61.217 km2)
 • Water 0 sq mi (0 km2)  0%
Elevation
246 ft (75 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 7,967
 • Density 337.071/sq mi (130.144/km2)
Time zone UTC-8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
92276
Area codes 442/760
FIPS code 06-78596
GNIS feature IDs 1656643, 2409313

Thousand Palms is a special kind of community in Riverside County, California. It's called a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's an area that looks like a town but isn't officially run by its own local government.

In 2020, about 7,967 people lived in Thousand Palms. This number has grown quite a bit over the years!

Exploring Thousand Palms' Location

Thousand Palms is located in the Coachella Valley. It shares borders with the cities of Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert. The area covers about 23.6 square miles (61.2 square kilometers) of land.

The Coachella Valley Preserve

One of the most amazing places near Thousand Palms is the Coachella Valley Preserve. This huge nature area is about 20,000 acres! It has many natural desert oases, which are like green islands in the desert with water. You can also find big sand dunes and groves of California fan palm trees here.

The preserve is home to special animals, like the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard, which is an endangered species. Many other rare plants and animals that live only in the Sonoran Desert can be found here. The oases were formed because of the San Andreas Fault. This fault line allows underground water to come up to the surface, creating springs and ponds.

Over 180 different kinds of birds live in the preserve. There's even an endangered fish called the Desert pupfish. If you love hiking, the preserve has over 25 miles of trails to explore! Native Americans have lived in this area for hundreds of years. Long ago, the preserve was also a popular stop for stagecoaches traveling between Los Angeles and the gold mines along the Colorado River.

A Look Back: History of Thousand Palms

This area had a different name a long time ago. On maps from 1874, it was called 100 Palm Spring. In 1915, a post office was set up, and the area was named Edom, after an ancient country.

But the residents wanted a new name! In 1919, they asked for a change, and the name became Thousand Palms. The post office was moved in 1938 and officially renamed "Thousand Palms" in 1939.

Sports in Thousand Palms

Thousand Palms is home to a professional ice hockey team! The Coachella Valley Firebirds play their games at Acrisure Arena. They are part of the American Hockey League and are connected to the Seattle Kraken, a team in the National Hockey League.

Utilities and Services

The electricity in Thousand Palms is provided by the Imperial Irrigation District.

See also

A robot for kids, representing the "See also" section. In Spanish: Thousand Palms para niños

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