SUNNYLANDS, CAMP DAVID OF THE WEST

March 23, 2018

We toured the grounds of Sunnyland in Rancho Mirage. It is called the Camp David of the West because  many Presidents, leaders from other Countries, Cabinet members, Judges and the very rich have been here.  Even the Queens family has been to visit. It was built by The Annenbergs in 1965.  He and his wife are the only married couple that have been both Ambassadors. He was the Ambassador to the United Kingdom under Nixon, she was the Protocol Ambassador to Ronald Regan.  They made their money in publishing an real estate. Walter Annenberg started the TV guide and Seventeen magazine, among many others.  All the Presidents from Eisenhower to Clinton have stayed here. Many have held summits of foreign leaders here. Nixon came here directly from the White House when he resigned. Ronald Regan wrote speeches and spoke on his radio show from here.  Such amazing history.  

We only took a guided tour of the grounds.  Tickets for the house tour only go on sale on the 15th of the month for the following month and they sell out within hours. Will try next year to get those tickets. It is 200 acres of beauty, it also has it's own 9 hole golf course.

This is the entrance to the estate. The lucky people you see are on the house tour.  They built the Mexican Column in 1968 to welcome everyone

The Birds of Welcome were built in 1971. They saw these in Japan and wanted a replica for the grounds

This is the view of the backside of the home. Looks smaller than it really was.

There are 11 lakes on the property

View of the golf course

The 2 palm trees in the distance are the only ones on the grounds.  President Eisenhower was the very first visitor. He commented that it was strange to be in Palm Springs with no palm  trees on the estate. Mr. Annenberg was from the east coast and wanted the estate to remind them of one of their favorite paintings by Van Gogh, The Olive Garden.  That is why there are over 600 olive trees on the grounds.  Eisenhower still thought it was strange, so he bought 2 palm trees for them.  This was in 1966

Because of the drought in the past several years, the grounds are only watered on the golf course and surrounding areas. The rest is left dormant

This totem pole was built in 1976

Another view of the golf course.

View of both of golf course and the areas that don't get watered.

This is called the Nixon Magnolia Tree.  Nixon gave the Annenbergs a cutting of the tree  in 1972 that was on the White House Grounds.  That tree was planted by Andrew Jackson in memory of his wife.  That tree was just cut down because of disease so this tree is the only one left from the days of Andrew Jackson. Quite a history of that tree.

View of the estate