Lorin Morgan-Richards Presents Biographies of the West
The Cabot Yerxa Story
Directed by Lorin Morgan RichardsS2 • E3 Jul 15, 2023
The Cabot Yerxa story explores the life of Cabot Yerxa, a desert pioneer, artist, and visionary who helped found Desert Hot Springs, California. Born in 1883 in the Dakota Territory, Yerxa led an adventurous life-from selling cigars in Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush to homesteading 160 acres in the California desert in 1913. The documentary, presented by Lorin Morgan-Richards, highlights Yerxa's creation of the Cabot's Pueblo Museum, a hand-built, 35-room Hopi-style structure made from reclaimed materials. It also delves into his discovery of two aquifers-one hot and one cold-that helped shape the future of Desert Hot Springs. A naturalist, writer, and early environmentalist, Yerxa's story is one of resilience, creativity, and deep respect for the land and its history.
