Discussion and direction on the history of the City's branding, including the "Stagecoach Town USA" slogan. No formal action is required at this workshop.
Banning's identity has been tied to the stagecoach since before the City existed. At a recent meeting, Mr. Bill Lamb asked during public comment that the City return to the "Stagecoach Town USA" branding, and the City Council directed staff to bring back the topic for discussion.
The San Gorgonio Pass was a key east-west route for wagons and stage traffic through the Pass, long before the railroad. In 1862, the Bradshaw Trail carried wagon and stage traffic through the Pass to the gold fields along the Colorado River, and the Gilman Ranch north of downtown served as a stage station. The town was named for Phineas Banning, a prominent Southern California stagecoach and freight operator. The Southern Pacific Railroad reached the town in 1876, and Banning incorporated on February 6, 1913.
The community has celebrated that history through Stagecoach Days since 1957. Today the event is run by the Stagecoach Days Association and includes a parade and PRCA rodeo at the Dysart Equestrian Center. A restored late-1800s Banning Stage Line coach is housed at the Gilman Historic Ranch and Wagon Museum, operated by Riverside County Parks.
In 1995, the City began using an unofficial logo reading "Stagecoach Town USA," with the slogan "Proud History, Prosperous Tomorrow."
Prior Council Actions
Staff found no resolution, ordinance or minute action that ever adopted "Stagecoach Town USA" as an official City slogan, logo or seal; it appears to have been used administratively.
In 2019, a Council Member requested an ad hoc committee to study redesigning the seal. The committee found the existing seal no longer reflected the City, and the City retained CV Strategies of Palm Desert to design a new one.
In 2020, Council adopted Resolution No. 2020-33 approved a new City seal by a 4-1 vote, and Ordinance No. 1561 updating the seal's description and restrictions on its use. The seal reads "The City of Banning," "Incorporated 1913" and "Endless Opportunities."
This workshop responds directly to a resident who has asked, during public comment, that the City return to the "Stagecoach Town USA" branding, and to the City Council's request to discuss the topic. A workshop gives Council and the public a shared, factual understanding of how the City's seal, logo and slogans have changed over time before any decision is made.
The history matters to the decision. Staff's research shows that "Stagecoach Town USA" was never adopted by Council as an official seal, logo or slogan; it was used administratively from 1995 until the current seal was adopted in 2020. Returning to it would therefore not mean reversing a prior Council action. It would be a new policy choice, and Council can decide how formal that choice should be.
The timing also calls for care. The City is operating under a declared fiscal emergency, and branding changes can carry hidden costs in signage, vehicles, uniforms and printed materials. Discussing the options in a workshop, with no action requested, lets Council weigh community identity against cost, legal review and consistency, and give staff clear direction on whether and how to proceed. Any formal action would come back to Council at a future meeting with legal review and cost estimates.
There is no fiscal impact from this workshop discussion. Staff time to prepare this report is within the adopted FY 2026–27 budget.
Costs of any future direction would depend on its scope:
- Tagline only, phased in: Digital updates (website, social media, email signatures) by staff; printed materials updated as current stock is used.
- New or restored logo, phased in: Low to moderate. Staff or volunteer design time, City Attorney review, and gradual replacement of materials.
- Full rebrand of seal and logo: Moderate to significant. Could include consultant design, Municipal Code amendment, and replacement of signage, vehicle graphics, uniforms and printed materials. Staff does not recommend this path during the fiscal emergency.
If Council gives direction, staff will return with cost estimates.