Gilman Ranch
Why it's listed
Gilman Ranch in Banning, California, began in 1879 when James Marshall Gilman started building a board-and-batten cottage beside a natural spring. Around 1883 a larger Victorian front section was added, and a bungalow-style porch followed about 1922. The ranch once covered more than 500 acres producing grain, nuts, fruit, horses, pigs and cattle. Today the house, part of a long shed, an adobe milkhouse, a cement-walled barn and remnant olive and citrus orchards survive on about 126 acres. The site was an Indian village location and lay beside the Bradshaw Road, where Gilman kept a stage stop and general store. Gilman also served on the first Banning city council. His son Marshall French Gilman became a mayor, newspaper editor and horticultural expert. The ranch was also the scene of the 1909 killing that set off the Willie Boy manhunt. The house is described as the best Victorian ranch house in the San Gorgonio Pass area.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the ranch is important for the history of the San Gorgonio Pass, with a prehistoric Indian village site and spring, a stage stop on the Bradshaw Road, and the Gilman family's agricultural and civic leadership. It also cites the house as one of the finest Victorian ranch houses in Riverside County and the setting of the 1909 Willie Boy events.
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 76000508, listed November 17, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1937 W. Gilman St., Banning |
|---|---|
| County | Riverside County |
| Listed | November 17, 1977 |
| Reference number | 76000508 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1879- |
| Architect / builder | James M. Gilman |
| Architectural style | Victorian ranch house (California Victorian, with a circa 1922 bungalow-style porch) |
| Areas of significance | Prehistoric, Historic - Aboriginal, Agriculture, Transportation, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The ranch house is still occupied. Only a fraction of the original acreage, some orchards, part of a shed, an adobe milkhouse and a cement-walled barn remain. The form says a county park department hoped to acquire the property and restore it, and describes a threat of housing development. |
| Acreage | 126 |
| Coordinates | 33.93561, -116.89868 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 76000508.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20709832
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.