The Port of Los Angeles neighborhood of Wilmington was included in the 1784 Spanish land grant Rancho San Pedro and was known as New San Pedro from 1858 to 1863, when it became the city of Wilmington. It was named by “Father of the Harbor” Phineas Banning after his Delaware birthplace. The City of Los Angeles annexed Wilmington in 1909, and today it and neighboring San Pedro form the waterfront of one of the world’s largest import/export centers. Wilson College, precursor to the University of Southern California, opened here in 1874 as the first coeducational college west of the Mississippi. Entrepreneur and sportsman William Wrigley Jr. built innovative housing in Wilmington that was dubbed the “Court of Nations.” From the Union Army’s Drum Barracks headquarters of the Southwest in the Civil War to the Port’s myriad maritime activities during World War II, Wilmington has long-standing ties to the U.S. military.
Historic illustration of Wilmington, CA, looking north from Wilmington Harbor to the Sierra Madre Mountains.
Research at the WHS
The Wilmington Historical Society Archives holds collections related to the history and development of the Wilmington area, including individual and family papers, the records of businesses and organizations, historical materials related to schools, places of worship, and much more.
To access finding aids for Wilmington Historical Society collections, please visit the Online Archive of California.
The Wilmington Press Journal (1865-1867, 1928-1959) is digitally available on Newspapers.com.
The California Digital Newspaper Project also holds selected issues (6 June 1963 - 26 December 1963 [30 issues])
The Wilmington Historical Society Archives is open for research by appointment only. Please use our Contact Us form to request an appointment.
To access finding aids for Wilmington Historical Society collections, please visit the Online Archive of California.
The Wilmington Press Journal (1865-1867, 1928-1959) is digitally available on Newspapers.com.
The California Digital Newspaper Project also holds selected issues (6 June 1963 - 26 December 1963 [30 issues])
The Wilmington Historical Society Archives is open for research by appointment only. Please use our Contact Us form to request an appointment.