Historic California
Posts, Camps Stations and Airfields:
Banning Rifle
Range
US Army Corps
of Engineers History
Located 29 miles southeast
of San Bernardino in the city of Banning, Riverside County, CA.
The intersection of Westward Avenue and Scott Street is approximately
650 feet west of the northwest corner of the site. It was adjacent
to the Banning
Landing Strip.
The War Department acquired 93.77 acres
of land through leaseholds and license as follows: 29.97 acres
by Lease No. W04-193-Eng-2773 from John C. Brinton and Margret
L. Brinton on 10 April 1942; 20.00 acres by Lease No. W04-193-Eng-540
from Helen M. Purpus on 10 April 1942; 38.80 acres by Lease No.
W04-193-Eng-2250 from the City of Banning; and 5.00 acres by
Permit No. W04-193-Eng-57 from the Pacific Cut Stone and Granite
Company on 6 August 1943.
The Banning Rifle Range was used by the
Army for a small arms firing range during World War II. There
are no known improvements placed on the site by DOD. The site
was exclusively under War Department control during the period
of ownership and use.
The three leases for 88.77 acres were
terminated in 1944, and the land was returned to the owners as
follows: lease for 29.97 acres was terminated on 2 June 1944,
lease for 38.80 acres was terminated on 25 May 1944, and the
lease for 20.00 acres was terminated on 5 June 1944. The permit
for 5.00 acres was terminated effective 25 August 1944. Currently
30.33 acres are privately owned and are undeveloped. The City
of Banning is currently utilizing 63.44 acres for evaporation
ponds for a Water Reclamation Facility.
Source US Army Corps of Engineers,
Los Angeles District