[4] Its residents are sometimes referred to as "Landroids"—an allusion to the popular UFO culture in the area—and its official slogan is "Beautiful Skies, Miles of Smiles," adopted pursuant to a contest held by the Landers Association in early 2014.

The Landers area was originally settled in the early 20th century by prospectors who came to mine gold in Goat Mountain, starting with Charles Reche in 1914.

[6] From the late 1940s through the 1970s, Landers was a popular gathering point for conventions of UFO enthusiasts, with the primary destinations of interest being the Integratron and nearby Giant Rock.

Like much of the High Desert region and the interior of California, as well as neighboring Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms, Landers is far more conservative than the rest of the state.

[14] GMARS is owned by the Riverside Astronomical Society, and is one of the most ambitious installations of its kind in the world with over 23 observatories and a solar powered USGS seismic station.

The Integratron dome is built using a unique design of wood construction with 16 glued and laminated spines held together at its apex by one ton of concrete.

Renowned food and travel personality Anthony Bourdain did a segment in 2011 on Van Tassel and the Integratron as part of his No Reservations television series (s07e13 – see here).

The compound is now open to the public as a study, performance, and retreat center for organized programs regarding neuroacoustics, music, meditation, energy healing, architecture, alternative health, science, and spirituality.