Whittier

History

The Gabrielino first inhabited the area. Whittier's roots can be traced to Spanish soldier Manuel Nieto. In 1784, Nieto received a Spanish land grant of , Rancho Los Nietos, as a reward for his military service and to encourage settlement in California. Gerkens later become the Los Angeles Police Department's first chief of police. His land was owned by several others before a group of Quakers purchased it and expanded it to , intending to found a Quaker community. The area soon became known as a thriving citrus ranching region, with "Quaker Brand" fruit shipped all over the United States. Beginning in 1887, walnut trees were planted, and Whittier became the nation's largest walnut grower. Thus in 1887 "enterprising and aggressive businessmen" contracted with the Southern Pacific Railroad to build the first railroad spur to Whittier, including a depot. The businessmen covered the $43,000 construction cost for the six-mile spur, which branched off from the Southern Pacific mainline at a junction near what is now Studebaker Road between Firestone Boulevard and Imperial Highway. By 1906, 650 carloads of oranges and 250 carloads of lemons were shipped annually by rail. In 1904, the Pacific Electric opened the trolley line known as "Big Red Cars" from Los Angeles to Whittier. In the first two decades, over a million passengers a year rode to and from Los Angeles on the Whittier Line. Whittier even had a branch of the Silver Shirts. Liquor sales were forbidden in the city; Bailey's Liquor Store was just outside the city limits. Richard Nixon, though born and buried in Yorba Linda, grew up in East Whittier. He attended and played football at Whittier High School (1928–1930) and Whittier College (1930–1934) In the 1930s, Nixon's law office was in the National Bank of Whittier…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , virtually all land. Whittier is bordered by Hacienda Heights to the northeast, City of Industry to the north, and several other unincorporated communities in the San Gabriel Valley mostly along its northern sections. Pico Rivera lies to the west, La Habra Heights to the east, La Habra to the southeast, and Santa Fe Springs to the south. Whittier has several neighborhoods. The area around Philadelphia Street and Greenleaf Avenue is known as Uptown Whittier and contains the traditional central business core. Just north of it are the neighborhoods known as Central Park and Hadley-Greenleaf. They have been designated historic districts by the city Historic Resources Commission and comprise most of the Whittier Historic Neighborhood Association area. These districts contain many Craftsman and Spanish Colonial Revival homes. In and abutting the hills north of the historic districts is Starlite Estates. The area surrounding Whittier College is known as College Hills and was also designated a historic district, as has a small cluster of homes along Earlham Drive. | date = February 2011 }}

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Downey High
  High · Downey · 4,063 students · 23.4:1 ratio
• Paramount High
  High · Paramount · 3,737 students · 20.5:1 ratio
• Warren (Earl) High
  High · Downey · 3,437 students · 23.7:1 ratio
• Mayfair High
  High · Lakewood · 2,578 students · 22.6:1 ratio
• California High
  High · Whittier · 2,504 students · 23.2:1 ratio
• La Serna High
  High · Whittier · 2,410 students · 25.9:1 ratio
• Options For Youth - Duarte Inc
  High · City Of Industry · 2,354 students · 28:1 ratio
• Bell Senior High
  High · Bell · 2,351 students · 22:1 ratio