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Whittier

Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Part of the Gateway Cities, the 14.7-square-mile city had 87,306 residents as of the 2020 United States census. Whittier was incorporated in February 1898 and became a charter city in 1955. The city is named for the Quaker poet John Greenleaf Whittier and is home to Whittier College. It lies at the foot of the Puente Hills, about 12 miles southeast of the city center of Los Angeles.

The City of Whittier has a diverse and colorful history beginning with the Gabrielino Indians who first inhabited the area. Later, Spanish California would influence the region with the establishment of both missions and large ranchos. It was the Spanish land grant given to retired soldier Jose Manuel Nieto in 1784 that would encompass part of present-day Whittier. At the time of the 1840s Mexican–American War, much of the land that became Whittier was owned by Pio Pico, the last Mexican governor of Alta California. Pio Pico built a hacienda on the San Gabriel River, known today as Pio Pico State Historic Park.

After the war, German immigrant Jacob F. Gerkens paid the U.S. government $234 to acquire 160 acres of land under the Homestead Act. His land was later purchased and expanded to 1,259 acres by a group of Quakers intending to found a Quaker community. The town was named after fellow Quaker John Greenleaf Whittier, a famous poet, writer, and newspaper editor. With the community’s early growth and prosperity tied to its agriculture and oil industries, the successful conveyance of water into the community in 1890 along with the arrival of the Southern Pacific, Pacific Electric, and Santa Fe Railroads all provided critical infrastructure to enable Whittier to thrive into the 20th century.

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. On October 1, 1987, the Whittier Narrows earthquake struck, registering 5.9 on the moment magnitude scale, killing eight people and damaging many of Uptown Whittier’s historic buildings.

The largest racial and ethnic groups in Whittier are Hispanic at 66.7%, followed by White at 23.1% and Asian at 4.8%. The median household income is $92,374 and the median age is 38.3 years. The racial makeup of the city at the 2020 census was 48.7% White, 1.5% African American, 5.3% Asian, and Hispanic and Latino Americans made up 65.8% of the population.

Whittier uses a council–manager form of government. Following the 2016 elections, four city council members are elected to four-year terms in districts, while the mayor is directly elected to two-year terms. The council also appoints a city manager. The current mayor of Whittier is Joe Vinatieri.

Largest employers in the city include PIH Health Hospitals, Inter Health Corporation, Community College Rio Hondo, Los Angeles County Sanitation, and Whittier Hospital Medical Center. Businesses and industries in the area include 436 professional services, 845 retail stores, 200 family-type restaurants, and 37 manufacturing plants, predominantly located in Uptown Whittier, the Quad shopping mall, and the Whittwood Town Center.

Whittier College, the alma mater of U.S. President Richard M. Nixon, was established as Whittier Academy in 1887. Richard Nixon, though born and buried in Yorba Linda, grew up in East Whittier. He attended and played football at Whittier High School and Whittier College. In the 1930s, Nixon’s law office was in the National Bank of Whittier Building in Uptown Whittier.

Whittier has served as a filming location for numerous productions. Whittier High School was used as Hill Valley High School in Back to the Future (1985) and Back to the Future Part II (1989). The Muppets (2011) filmed scenes of Walter and Gary’s hometown in historic Uptown Whittier, and The Little Things (2021), starring Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, and Jared Leto, was also filmed in the city.

Notable people connected to Whittier include Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States; Pat Nixon, First Lady of the United States; Lou Henry Hoover, wife of President Herbert Hoover; comedian Gabriel Iglesias; John Lasseter, who helped found Pixar Animation Studios; Olympic swimmer Shirley Babashoff; and actress Andrea Barber, known for Full House.

City of Whittier