“The bronco's mighty wild and tough, / And full of outdoor feelin's: / His feet are quick, his ways are rough, / He's careless in his dealin's.” (-Henry Herbert Knibbs, "The Bronco")
With a name like Banning, you wonder whether you are allowed in the town at all, but there is a surprising amount of history and culture to discover here
“The bronco's mighty wild and tough, / And full of outdoor feelin's: / His feet are quick, his ways are rough, / He's careless in his dealin's.” (-Henry Herbert Knibbs, "The Bronco")
With a name like Banning, you wonder whether you are allowed in the town at all, but there is a surprising amount of history and culture to discover here. The city of Banning has been around for 100 years and was originally a stagecoach stop between Arizona and Los Angeles. It was originally occupied by Morongo Indians and then called Moore City. The name was changed to Banning after General Phineas T. Banning, who pioneered stagecoach routes. Even today it is known as Stagecoach Town.
Steeped in History
Knibbs’ poetry resonates with stagecoaches and cowboys, ranches and horses, which were once part of the landscape and to some extent still are. Annual Stagecoach Days are quite an event here for the community and are widely celebrated. Banning lies in the shadow of the San Gorgonio Mountains and the Pass in which the town is situated was created by the San Andreas Fault. All that sunshine in Banning inspired Irving Berlin to write, “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas,” in the town and several movies were filmed here, including How to Make an American Quilt.
Moving to Banning
Most homes in Banning are single family houses and apartments with just 4 percent being condominiums. Around 70 percent of housing is owner-occupied, while homes for rent in Banning are 30 percent of the accommodation. Homes tend to be priced lower than other areas in Riverside County and so anyone renting an apartment in Banning could easily end up with more floor space for their money. In Banning there is a mix of lower income migrant families, younger people who want to live in the suburban areas, and those who have retired and just like living there. There is a hospital, and several community events throughout the year. Banning has an interesting Cultural Alliance featuring art work and classes.
Neighborhoods in Banning
Banning is a relatively small town and has several popular neighborhoods to consider as a place to live. Most people in Banning have a 20 minute commute to work. Transportation will be another factor in choosing where to live.
Amber Hills: This area is just out of town in San Bernardino County and close to Banning. House prices are slightly more than downtown Banning in this area.
Cabazon: Cabazon has larger houses and is further along the Pass. Prices are a little higher here. It is best known for its large outlet mall and the huge dinosaur sculptures on the highway.
Beaumont: Beaumont is just outside Banning and larger, but with similar demographics. . House prices are a little lower than Banning.
Downtown Banning: There are all the facilities of a small town in Downtown Banning, and house prices are lower than other parts of California. It could be noisy by the airport but it is a good place to find rental property.
West Banning: In this part of Banning, there are larger homes with land and the pricing reflects this.
South Banning: The houses around here are larger and are very close to a local country club with private facilities. This is just the neighborhood for people who like golf or who want to have a private facility away from the locals.