Banning is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 29,505 as of the 2020 census, down from 29,603 at the 2010 census. It is situated in the

San Gorgonio Pass The San Gorgonio Pass, or Banning Pass, is a elevation gap on the rim of the Great Basin between the San Bernardino Mountains to the north and the San Jacinto Mountains to the south. The pass was formed by the San Andreas Fault, a major tran ...

, also known as ''Banning Pass''. It is named for

Phineas Banning Phineas Banning (August 19, 1830 – March 8, 1885) was an American businessman, financier and entrepreneur. Known as "The Father of the Port of Los Angeles," he was one of the founders of the town of Wilmington, in Los Angeles County, Califor ...

stagecoach A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by four horses although some versions are dra ...

line owner and the "Father of the Port of Los Angeles." Banning shares geographic and regional features with its western neighbor, the city of Beaumont. Banning and Beaumont have been rapidly growing in size and population since the 1990s. Both cities are about 80 miles east of downtown Los Angeles and 30 miles west of Palm Springs, each connected by freeway and railroad.

History

Etymology

Initially named Moore City, for and by

Ransom B. Moore Ransom Barbee Moore, or Ranse Moore, (January 29, 1827November 18, 1904) was an American cattle rancher, local politician and Arizona state legislator in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was one of the earliest settlers of El Monte, Cali ...

, within only a few months the town was renamed for

, ''"Father of the Port of Los Angeles"''. Banning had pastured sheep in the San Gorgonio Pass area, and operated a stagecoach that ran through the Pass.

Early history

The area, up to the mid-19th century, was inhabited by the Cahuilla people, though the region around Banning was originally Maringayam ( Serrano), and the Cahuilla expanded into the pass only in historic times. In 1824, the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel established the '' Rancho San Gorgonio'' in the pass. The first Anglo to settle in the area was Dr. Isaac Smith in 1853. In 1863, a smallpox epidemic further diminished the Cahuilla. The government created Indian reservations for the Cahuilla in 1877. The settlement that was to become Banning developed in coincidence with the start of the Colorado River Gold Rush. The Bradshaw Trail, which passed through the area in 1862, was a wagon road to the gold

boomtown A boomtown is a community that undergoes sudden and rapid population and economic growth, or that is started from scratch. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, althou ...

s of the Arizona Territory. Gilman's Ranch, north of downtown, served as a station for the stagecoach lines on this road.Topographical Sketch showing the Outward and Inward Route of a Party, while examining as to the practicability of a Diversion of the Colorado River for Purposes of Irrigation, Lithograph by Eric Bergland, 1875. From, Wheeler, G.M., Topographical Atlas Projected To Illustrate United States Geographical Surveys West Of The 100th Meridian Of Longitude Prosecuted In Accordance With Acts Of Congress Under The Authority Of The Honorable The Secretary Of War, And The Direction Of Brig. Genl. A.A. Humphreys, Chief Of Engineers, U.S. Army. Embracing Results Of the Different Expeditions Under The Command Of 1st Lieut. Geo. M. Wheeler, Corps Of Engineers. Julius Bien, lith., G. Thompson, Washington, 1876. Names and distances between stations and watering places on the Bradshaw Trail taken from this survey map. The railroad followed, passing through the town in 1876. The Southern Pacific (later purchased by Union Pacific) railroad was a major contributor to the area's growth. U.S. Route 99 was built in 1923, followed by U.S. Route 60/ 70 in 1936, and subsequently Interstate 10. Banning borders the Morongo Indian Reservation, home to the Morongo Band of Cahuilla (Mission) Indians. Relations with reservation residents have been strained by disputes over water rights. Dorothy Ramon's book ''Always Believe'' (published 2000) depicts a Maringayam's views on Banning and reservation life. Prior to the name Banning, the settlement was called Moore City.

operated a large cattle ranch and was later a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, settling in the area and nearby San Gorgonio mountains in the early 1860s. Moore sold his holdings and relocated to central Arizona in 1883. The town of Banning was incorporated on February 6, 1913.

Almond production

In the early 20th century, the area immediately around Banning was considered well fitted to

almond The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genu ...

culture, and was known as the oldest almond growing district in southern California.

Indian School and cemetery

The St. Boniface Indian Industrial School was opened in 1890, providing vocational education to

Cahuilla The Cahuilla , also known as ʔívil̃uqaletem or Ivilyuqaletem, are a Native American people of the various tribes of the Cahuilla Nation, living in the inland areas of southern California.Serrano, Luiseño, Kumeyaay, and other American Indians. Bishop Francisco Mora y Borrell authorized the school and Mother Katharine Drexel provided funding to the

Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions The Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions was a Roman Catholic institution created in 1874 by J. Roosevelt Bayley, Archbishop of Baltimore, for the protection and promotion of Catholic mission interests among Native Americans in the United States. Hi ...

for purchase of the land, construction, and operations. Over its history, about 8,000 students attended the school which was demolished in 1974. A small abandoned cemetery remains.

World War II

During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, Banning was the site of the 1,000-bed Banning General Hospital. It supported training at the Desert Training Center and was later used as a naval convalescent hospital. The facilities were dismantled in 1948. In 1942 the citizens of Banning raised funds for the purchase of an M3 Stuart tank to support the war effort. After the war the tank was given to the South African defense force. The tank, named "City of Johannesburg", is preserved at a local museum in

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, Californi ...

, Natal Province,

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

Geography

Banning is located at (33.931729, -116.897557). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the city has a total area of , all of it land. Banning's elevation is approximately above sea level, which gives it a cooler climate in contrast to the county seat of Riverside at above sea level and the

Coachella Valley , map_image = Wpdms shdrlfi020l coachella valley.jpg , map_caption = Coachella Valley , location = California, United States , coordinates = , width = , boundaries = Salton Sea (southeast), Santa Rosa Mountains (southwest), San Jacin ...

of the Colorado Desert to the east. Banning is traversed by the

San Andreas Fault The San Andreas Fault is a continental transform fault that extends roughly through California. It forms the tectonic boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate, and its motion is right-lateral strike-slip (horizontal) ...

which created the pass in which the city is situated. Banning is west of Palm Springs and east of

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

Climate

According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

system, Banning has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2010

The

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...

reported that Banning had a population of 29,603. The population density was . The racial makeup of Banning was 19,164 (64.7%)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

(43.4% Non-Hispanic White), 2,165 (7.3%)

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 641 (2.2%) Native American, 1,549 (5.2%) Asian, 39 (0.1%)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 4,604 (15.6%) from other races, and 1,441 (4.9%) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 12,181 persons (41.1%). The Census reported that 28,238 people (95.4% of the population) lived in households, 254 (0.9%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1,111 (3.8%) were institutionalized. There were 10,838 households, out of which 3,083 (28.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 5,106 (47.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,488 (13.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 592 (5.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 700 (6.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 75 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,092 households (28.5%) were made up of individuals, and 2,085 (19.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61. There were 7,186 families (66.3% of all households); the average family size was 3.19. The population was spread out, with 6,777 people (22.9%) under the age of 18, 2,730 people (9.2%) aged 18 to 24, 6,048 people (20.4%) aged 25 to 44, 6,387 people (21.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 7,661 people (25.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males. There were 12,144 housing units at an average density of , of which 7,412 (68.4%) were owner-occupied, and 3,426 (31.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 10.9%. 17,552 people (59.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 10,686 people (36.1%) lived in rental housing units. According to the 2010 United States Census, Banning had a median household income of $38,919, with 19.4% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 23,562 people, 8,923 households, and 6,237 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 9,761 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 64.2%

, 8.6%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

, 2.5% Native American, 5.4% Asian, 0.1%

, 14.9% from other races, and 4.9% from two or more races. 30.2% of the population were

or Latino of any race. There were 8,923 households, out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.11. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.4% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 26.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $32,076, and the median income for a family was $38,995. Males had a median income of $31,300 versus $20,794 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $16,231. About 14.8% of families and 19.9% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 31.8% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Events

Banning Stagecoach Days has been held annually since 1957 in recognition of the city's historic ties to the original stagecoach line that passed through the area in the late 1800s, and because the city's namesake, Phineas Banning, was himself a stagecoach operator. Currently, each year the event is operated by the non-profit "Stagecoach Days Association", and held at the AC Dysart Equestrian Park in Banning.

Points of Interest

* Gilman Ranch Historic Park ** Gilman Historic Ranch and Wagon Museum

Government

City

Banning is a general law city as opposed to a charter city. The elected government consists of the Banning City Council which operates under a council-manager government. The current mayor is Colleen Wallace. There are 5 city council districts. The current manager is Douglas Schulze. The city has departments and appointed officers, including the Banning Police Department (BPD).

Federal and state representation

In the California State Legislature, Banning is in , and in . In the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

, Banning is in .

Public services

Safety

Banning has had its own police force since shortly after its 1913 incorporation, and for many years also had a regional station of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department (which has moved eastward to neighboring

Cabazon Cabazon (Spanish: ''Cabazón'') is a unincorporated community in Riverside County, California, United States. Cabazon is on the Pacific Crest Trail. In the 21st century, the area has become a tourist stop, due to the Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa ...

). The Beaumont, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, and

Desert Hot Springs Desert Hot Springs is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The city is located within the Coachella Valley geographic region. The population was 25,938 at the 2010 census, up from 16,582 at the 2000 census. The city has e ...

Police Departments also provide assistance in a major emergency, as well as the California Highway Patrol out of the Beaumont regional station. The city of Banning contracts for fire and paramedic services with the Riverside County Fire Department through a cooperative agreement with CAL FIRE.

Education

The city is served by the Banning Unified School District and nearby Beaumont has the

Beaumont Unified School District Beaumont Unified School District is located in the central part of Riverside County in California. The district services the city of Beaumont, California Beaumont is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, located at the summi ...

, both districts serve the area. Schools in the Banning USD: * Banning High School * Cabazon Elementary * Central Elementary * Coombs Alternative Education * Hemmerling Elementary * Hoffer Elementary * New Horizons High (Independent Studies) * Nicolet Middle The city is served by the Mt. San Jacinto Community College whose San Gorgonio Pass Campus is located within the city.

Transportation

Banning is served by Interstate 10, which connects the city to

in the west and the

in the east. The northern terminus of State Route 243, which runs south to Idyllwild and Mountain Center, is located in the city. City-owned

Banning Municipal Airport Banning Municipal Airport is a city-owned airport a mile southeast of Banning, in Riverside County, California. Facilities The airport covers at an elevation of 2,222 feet (677 m). Its one runway, 8/26, is 4,955 by 100 feet (1,510 x 30 m) ...

, FAA designator: BNG, has a runway. City-owned Pass Transit operates three fixed-route buses.

SunLine Transit Agency SunLine Transit Agency, a transit operator in Riverside County, California (with over 3.5 million passengers a year), is a transit agency providing bus service in the Palm Springs Area, with service extending into San Bernardino Transit Center du ...

provides service to Palm Desert and Riverside. Riverside Transit Agency provides connecting service to Hemet and

Moreno Valley Moreno Valley is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and is part of the Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario metropolitan area. It is the second-largest city in Riverside County by population and one of the Inland Empire's p ...

Health care

San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital is a General Acute Care Hospital in Banning with Basic Emergency Services as of 2005.

Cemetery

The Summit Cemetery District operates the San Gorgonio Memorial Park, which was originally established in 1931 as the Banning-

Cemetery District. Notable burials include

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of val ...

recipient William Powers Morris.

Library

The Banning Library District operates the Banning Public Library, which was established in 1916 as the Banning Unified School District Library District and became an independent special district in 2005.

In popular culture

* The protagonist in the 1950 film noir '' D.O.A.'' Frank Bigelow, played by Edmond O'Brien, is an

accountant An accountant is a practitioner of accounting or accountancy. Accountants who have demonstrated competency through their professional associations' certification exams are certified to use titles such as Chartered Accountant, Chartered Certifi ...

and notary from Banning. * Location shooting for the films '' Buckshot John'' (1915), '' Fatherhood'' (1915), '' Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here'' (1969), '' Sky Below, Crowd Above: The Art Scholl Story'' (1984), '' How to Make an American Quilt'' (1995), '' Follow Me Home'' (1996) and '' Evil on Queen Street'' (2002) took place in Banning. * ''Willie Boy: A Desert Manhunt'', was a 1960 novel written by Harry Lawton, and subsequently made into the film '' Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here'', starring Robert Redford and Robert Blake. The book and movie were based on the true story of the manhunt for the fugitive Willie Boy, a Paiute Indian who killed the father of Lola, the woman he wished to marry. Much of the story is centered around the historic Gilman Ranch located in Banning.

Notable residents

* Johnny Longden * Sally Sweetland * Earl Palmer * John Doucette

References

External links

* * {{Authority control Cities in Riverside County, California Incorporated cities and towns in California Populated places established in 1913 Bradshaw Trail 1913 establishments in California