Editing Banning, California (section)

==History==
===Etymology===
{{See also|List of Riverside County, California, placename etymologies#Banning|label 1=List of Riverside County, California, placename etymologies: Banning}}
Initially named '''Moore City''', by [[Ransom B. Moore]], within only a few months the town was renamed for [[Phineas Banning]], ''"Father of the [[Port of Los Angeles]]"'', who had pastured sheep in the San Gorgonio Pass area, and operated a stagecoach that ran through the Pass.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gunther |first1=Jane Davies |title=Riverside County, California, Place Names; Their Origins and Their Stories |date=1984 |location=Riverside, California |pages=332}}</ref>

===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 (people)|Serrano]]); the Cahuilla expansion into the pass occurred only late in recent, documented history. 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 [[Indian reservation]]s for the Cahuilla were established in 1877.

The settlement that was to become Banning developed in coincidence  with the start of the [[Steamboats of the Colorado River#Colorado River Gold Rush|Colorado River Gold Rush]]. The [[Bradshaw Trail]], which passed through the area in 1862, was a wagon road to the gold [[boomtown]]s of the [[Arizona Territory]]. '''[[Gilman Ranch|Gilman's Ranch]]''', north of downtown, served as a station for the stagecoach lines on this road.<ref name=Wheeler>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.</ref> The railroad followed, passing through the town in 1876. The [[Southern Pacific Railroad|Southern Pacific]] (later purchased by [[Union Pacific]]) railroad was a major contributor to the area's growth. [[U.S. Route 99 (California)|U.S. Route 99]] was built in 1923, followed by [[U.S. Route 60 (California)|U.S. Route 60]]/[[US 70 (CA)|70]] in 1936, and subsequently [[Interstate 10 (California)|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'''. [[Ransom B. Moore]] 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 [[municipal corporation|incorporated]] on February 6, 1913.

===Almond production===
In the early 20th century, the area immediately around Banning was considered well fitted to [[almond]] culture, and was known as the oldest almond growing district in southern California.<ref>''The Almond in California'', R. H. Taylor. Bulletin No. 297, August 1918, University of California Press, Berkeley. p. 18.  
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/66711</ref>

===Indian School and cemetery===
The [[St. Boniface Indian School|St. Boniface Indian Industrial School]] was opened in 1890, providing vocational education to [[Cahuilla people|Cahuilla]], [[Serrano people|Serrano]], [[Luiseño people|Luiseño]], [[Kumeyaay people|Kumeyaay]], and other American Indians.<ref>{{cite web|last=Murkland|first=Pat|title=Inside St. Boniface|url=http://dorothyramon.blogspot.com/2009/05/inside-st-boniface.html|work=Ahunika'|publisher=Dorothy Ramon Learning Center|date=May 10, 2009}}
* {{coord|33.93835|-116.88863|display=inline}}: {{GNIS|273395|Saint Boniface School}}
* And see: {{cite book|title=Precious Blood Catholic Church and St. Boniface Indian School, Banning, California: 1890–1990, the first hundred years|year=1990|publisher=Olan Mills|location=Chattanooga, TN |oclc=31345410 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Harley|first=Bruce|title=Readings in Diocesan Heritage |volume = 8, Seek and ye shall find: St. Boniface Indian Industrial School, 1888–1978|year=1994|publisher=Diocese of San Bernardino|location=San Bernardino, CA|pages=i–137| oclc=29934736}}</ref> Bishop [[Francisco Mora y Borrell]] authorized the school and  Mother [[Katharine Drexel]] provided funding to the [[Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions]] for purchase of the land, construction, and operations.<ref name="Library" >{{cite web|title=The St. Boniface Indian/Industrial School|url=http://www.banninglibrarydistrict.org/banning/documents/st.pdf|work=Banning Record Gazette|publisher=Banning Public Library|date=September 9, 2011|access-date=January 5, 2014|archive-date=January 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106031600/http://www.banninglibrarydistrict.org/banning/documents/st.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Rathbun|first=Tanya L.|title=Boarding House Blues: Revisiting American Indian Educational Experiences |editor=Clifford E. Trafzer |editor2=Jean A. Keller |editor3=Lorene Sisquoc  |year=2006|publisher=University of Nebraska Press|isbn=978-0803244467|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S445KLj_rfEC&q=saint+boniface&pg=PA155-IA16|chapter=6. Hail Mary: The Catholic Experience at St. Boniface Indian School |oclc  =63703921 }}</ref> Over its history, about 8,000 students attended the school which was demolished in 1974.<ref name="Library" /> A small abandoned cemetery remains.<ref>{{cite book|last=Holtzclaw|first=Kenneth M.|title=Banning|year=2006|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-0738529929|page=11}}</ref>

===World War II===
During [[World War II]], 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.<!-- The refs for this are at the BGH article. -->
[[Image:Art of Banning.jpg|thumb|right|250px|City of Banning, public art]]
[[Image:Ringofhonor.jpg|thumb|right|250px|City of Banning Ring of Honor]]
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 Defence Force]]. The tank, named "City of Johannesburg", is preserved at a local museum in [[Richmond, KwaZulu-Natal|Richmond]], [[Natal Province]], [[South Africa]].<ref>Charmain Coulson (1985). ''Beaulieu-on-Illovo: Richmond Natal, its people and history''. Richmond Women's League and Institute.  p. 324. {{ISBN|978-0620103954}}</ref>