Banning House
Also known as: The Gen. Phineas Banning Residence
Why it's listed
Built in 1864 on the edge of Wilmington, California, the General Phineas Banning Residence is a wood-frame Greek Revival house of three and a half stories topped by a cupola. It has a raised brick foundation, a two-story balconied porch with Roman Doric columns, and a ballroom in the basement. It was built for Banning, who founded the town and helped create the Los Angeles harbor, ran freight and stage lines, and pushed for railroad links. He was a vocal Union supporter during the Civil War and was appointed a brigadier general in the state militia. The house was the largest and most impressive structure in the harbor district, and its style tied frontier California to national ideals. Later changes were made by the Banning family and are themselves considered historic. Since 1927 the city has managed the house and its 20 acres of parkland as a museum, with a coach house also counted as historic.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to Phineas Banning, who founded Wilmington and developed the Los Angeles harbor, freight and transportation links, and rail connections. He was also a prominent Union supporter in Southern California during the Civil War. The house was the largest and most impressive structure built in the harbor district, and it remains relatively unaltered, with its Greek Revival design reflecting Banning's national outlook.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 71000160, listed May 6, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 401 E. M St., Wilmington |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | May 6, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000160 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1864-1885 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (built by General Phineas Banning) |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century: Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition, furnished and open to the public as a museum within Banning Park; a coach house is also contributing, with six non-contributing park buildings. |
| Acreage | 20 |
| Coordinates | 33.79030, -118.25818 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 71000160.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q806890
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.