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Whittier, California

Whittier, California
Greenleaf Avenue
Whittier Village Cinemas
Skyline of Whittier, California
Flag of Whittier, California
Official seal of Whittier, California
Location of Whittier in Los Angeles County, California
Location of Whittier in Los Angeles County, California
Whittier is located in California
Whittier
Whittier
Location in California and the contiguous United States
Whittier is located in the United States
Whittier
Whittier
Whittier (the United States)
Coordinates: 33°57′56″N 118°1′28″W / 33.96556°N 118.02444°W / 33.96556; -118.02444
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyLos Angeles
IncorporatedFebruary 25, 1898[1]
Government
  TypeCouncil-Manager
  MayorJoe Vinatieri
  Mayor Pro TemOctavio Cesar Martinez
Area
  Total14.66 sq mi (37.97 km2)
  Land14.65 sq mi (37.94 km2)
  Water0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)  0.09%
Elevation367 ft (112 m)
Population
  Total87,306
  Rank98th in California
  Density5,824.9/sq mi (2,249.0/km2)
DemonymWhittierite
Time zoneUTC−8
  Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes[5]
90601–90610
Area code562
Websitewww.cityofwhittier.org Edit this at Wikidata

Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is near Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, La Habra and La Mirada. It is one of the oldest cities in the Los Angeles Area. Early settlers included Manuel Nieto and Pio Pico. In the 1880s, the land that is now Whittier was bought by Quakers, who named the city after John Greenleaf Whittier, a Quaker poet. These Quakers started Whittier College. In the early 1900s, Whittier was mostly orange groves, but became a suburb of Los Angeles after World War II. In 1987, a large earthquake hit the city, destroying many buildings and leading to a wave of civic activism. This activism helped save many old buildings, including the Bank of America Building, the Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, and the Hoover Hotel.

The 2020 United States Census reported that Whittier had a population of 87,306.[6]

Whittier's largest employers are Whittier College, Presbyterian Hospital, and Whittwood Mall. There has been talk of new development on the site of Nelles School for Boys and in Uptown. Besides Whittier College, Whittier has a community college, Rio Hondo College, five public high schools (Whittier, California, Pioneer, Santa Fe, and La Serna High), and several elementary and middle schools.

Many famous people have lived in Whittier, including Richard Nixon, who attended Whittier High and was a lawyer in the Bank of America Building.

References

[change | change source]
  1. "California Cities by Incorporation Date". California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Archived from the original (Word) on November 3, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  2. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  3. "Whittier". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  4. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Whittier city, California; United States". United States Census Bureau. April 1, 2020. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  5. "ZIP Code(tm) Lookup". United States Postal Service. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  6. "QuickFacts: Whittier city, California". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 28, 2023.