Chirico Summit Marks 92 Years as Desert Landmark with Community Celebration

The community of Chirico Summit celebrated its 92nd anniversary today, commemorating nearly a century as a historic stop just east of the Coachella Valley along Interstate 10.

Originally known as Shaver’s Summit, the area transformed in 1933 when Joe Chirico and his wife, Ruth, opened its first gas station and general store. The site became part of General George S. Patton’s World War II training grounds in 1942 and was officially renamed Chirico’s Summit in 1958.

Today, the landmark is best known as the home of the General Patton Memorial Museum, co-founded by the Chiricos’ daughter, Margaret. She says the museum’s future plans include completing the East Wing and expanding educational outreach. “Hopefully we’ll be able to continue to record the history, preserving the peace through the lessons of the past,” she said. “We’d like to have more school children visit, and we’re working toward making that happen.”

The anniversary celebration included reflections on the site’s rich history and its role in honoring the legacy of World War II in the desert. More from Margaret Chirico and an in-depth look at General Patton’s time in the Coachella Valley will be featured in a special NBC Palm Springs report airing in November to mark the 80th anniversary of the war’s end.

Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.