"The things I'm working on now focus on getting archival oral histories of people who have been in Borrego a long time," she said.

King is working with a committee that is part of the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association. She said they have found several people who have lived in Borrego Springs for up to 60 years.

"We want people who were involved in the early days of farming here. There is historic interest in Borrego the town, not just the park's history, but Borrego Springs itself," she said.

The committee is raising funds to buy a recording device with high-quality archival features.

"We are getting those people interviewed and their photographs taken. It's a big chore, but we are going to do it."

King, 45, said she gained her interest in history from her late mother. The family moved to Borrego Springs when she was 9. Being a military family, there had been several moves during her childhood. Coming to the desert after her father retired brought stability into her life, she said.

"My mother was the type of person who, throughout her life as a military wife, no matter where she landed, she could relate to the community," King said.

The town's population has increased considerably since King's arrival, with most of the growth in recent years. About 8,000 live in Borrego Springs during the cooler months and fewer than 3,000 in summer.

"With our new-found real estate boom, we've seen a lot of changes," she said. "When I moved here, it was very much a core group of local people, then the people who came for five months out of the year. After winter, they left and we wouldn't see them again until the fall."

King decided to stay in Borrego Springs after graduating from high school. That puzzled some people.

"They would say, 'Why are you staying here? There's no opportunity,' " she said. "Now that I've been here long enough to come full circle, people are recognizing what a wonderful community it is, not just to visit, but to live here."

King officially took over as honorary mayor Oct. 29 in ceremonies during Borrego Festival Days. She credits the honor to her community involvement. King works full-time as community manager for two homeowners associations and finds time to be involved with several groups.

She is president of Borrego Springs Children's Center, a day-care center, and serves on the Borrego Springs Sponsor Group, which advises the county on planning issues. She also is on the board of trustees for the community service district that deals with water-related issues for the Club Circle community, and she is on the site council for Borrego Springs Elementary School. King is a trustee for Community United Methodist Church and is on the alumni committee at Borrego Springs High School.

She was in the 1979 graduating class at the high school, which at the time was the largest class in the school's history.

"We had 24 students," she said. "There are probably four who still live here. There were 16 or 17 of us who went all the way from fifth grade through high school. Of those, about 11 of us still keep in pretty regular contact."

The district hosts an all-school reunion every five years. The latest, in October, drew about 250 people.

"Some were spouses, but that's a wonderful turnout," King said.

King's husband, Charles King, is the information technology manager for Borrego Springs Unified School District. They have two sons, Nathan, 14, and Wyatt, 6.