The Banning Company was started by Phineas Banning (1830-1885), a transportation leader in the Los Angeles area and founder of the city of Wilminigton, Calif. After his death the business was carried on by his sons: William, Joseph Brent, and Hancock. The company purchased Santa Catalina Island, developed it as a resort and provided the ships for transportation. Subsidiary firms of the Banning Company included the Wilmington Transportation Company, Santa Catalina Island Company, and Wilmington Development Company. The company's real estate interests included land in Los Angeles, Pasadena, and Newport Beach, as well as petroleum leases near Wilmington and Newport.
From the description of Records of the Banning Company, 1859-1948. (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 122499691
