DESERTRADE was established as early as the late 1920s, seven miles from downtown 29 Palms. that consisted of only a  general store, tended by author Helen Bagely and her husband.

Over time, seven structures emerged across the land: a spacious 2,200-square-foot one-bedroom home; four humble bungalows; a workshop; a bunker that doubled as a wine cellar; and even a badminton court. Needless to say, the residents who came before knew how to enjoy life. Adobe bricks shaped the soul of the property—forming rooms, closets, pony walls, and the entrance gate, which features a primitive wagon wheel that we plan to feature on the property. 

Previous stewards of the property, Gene and Verle Ludwig, were pillars of the community—artists and educators alike. Gene hosted Chinese cuisine cooking classes in her humble outdoor kitchen, tucked beside a petite bungalow. Verle, a colonel at the Marine base just across Highway 62, wrote military fiction from his bungalow, aptly named “The Dirty Shame.”

At one time, the bungalows were rented to female Marines—some of whom even raised rabbits, adding yet another layer of life to this quietly storied place.