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113-614: It is bounded in the east by Mills Avenue at Janine Drive in Whittier , past Whittier Boulevard . At Telegraph Road , it changes to Florence. West of La Cienega Boulevard , it swerves into Aviation Boulevard , which is a north–south street, in the City of Inglewood . Florence Avenue runs through the cities of Inglewood , Los Angeles , Huntington Park (where it intersects Pacific Boulevard ), Bell , Bell Gardens , Downey , Santa Fe Springs , and unincorporated Los Angeles County bordering

226-601: A Recorded Minister in Manchester . His 1835 book A Beacon to the Society of Friends insisted that the inner light was at odds with a religious belief in salvation by the atonement of Christ. This Christian controversy led to Crewdson's resignation from the Religious Society of Friends, along with 48 fellow members of Manchester Meeting and about 250 other British Quakers in 1836–1837. Some of these joined

339-507: A charge of religious blasphemy . According to Fox's autobiography, Bennet "was the first that called us Quakers, because I bade them tremble at the word of the Lord". It is thought that Fox was referring to Isaiah 66:2 or Ezra 9:4 . Thus the name Quaker began as a way of ridiculing Fox's admonition, but became widely accepted and used by some Quakers. Quakers also described themselves using terms such as true Christianity, Saints, Children of

452-681: A dispute with Mission San Gabriel . Nonetheless, Nieto still had a claim to 167,000 acres (680 km ) stretching from the hills north of Whittier, Fullerton , and Brea , south to the Pacific Ocean, and from what is known today as the Los Angeles River east to the Santa Ana River . Nieto built a rancho for his family near Whittier, purchased cattle and horses for his ranch, and planted cornfields. When Nieto died in 1804, his children inherited their father's property. At

565-510: A great people to be gathered". Following this he travelled around England, the Netherlands, and Barbados preaching and teaching with the aim of converting new adherents to his faith. The central theme of his Gospel message was that Christ has come to teach his people himself. Fox considered himself to be restoring a true, "pure" Christian church. In 1650, Fox was brought before the magistrates Gervase Bennet and Nathaniel Barton, on

678-443: A household in the city was $ 49,256, and the median income for a family was $ 55,726. Males had a median income of $ 40,394 versus $ 34,223 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 21,409. About 7.8% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 13.7% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over. Mexican and German were the most common ancestries. Mexico and El Salvador were

791-537: A larger population than Whittier proper. In the founding days of Whittier, when it was a small, isolated town, Jonathan Bailey and his wife, Rebecca, were among the first residents. They followed the Quaker religious faith and practice and held religious meetings on their porch. Other early settlers, such as Aquila Pickering, espoused the Quaker faith. As the city grew, the citizens named it after John Greenleaf Whittier ,

904-494: A meeting house in 1672 that was visited by George Fox in the same year. They were able to establish thriving communities in the Delaware Valley , although they continued to experience persecution in some areas, such as New England . The three colonies that tolerated Quakers at this time were West Jersey , Rhode Island , and Pennsylvania , where Quakers established themselves politically. In Rhode Island, 36 governors in

1017-519: A ministry of Trinity Lutheran Church, serves kindergarten through eighth grade. Whittier Christian School, a ministry of Calvary Baptist Church, Association of Christian Schools International serves the Whittier community. They have an elementary campus, two preschool campuses, one junior high school, and one high school. Plymouth Christian School, a ministry of Plymouth Church, serves preschool through sixth grade. Higher education institutions in

1130-568: A more structured organisation, which led to separate women's meetings. Through the women's meetings, women oversaw domestic and community life, including marriage. From the beginning, Quaker women, notably Margaret Fell , played an important role in defining Quakerism. They were involved in missionary work in various ways and places. Early Quaker women missionaries included Sarah Cheevers and Katharine Evans. Others active in proselytising included Mary Penington , Mary Mollineux and Barbara Blaugdone . Quaker women published at least 220 texts during

1243-574: A national Famine Relief Committee in May 1942, encouraging a network of local famine relief committees, among the most energetic of which was the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, Oxfam . Irving and Dorothy Stowe co-founded Greenpeace with many other environmental activists in 1971, shortly after becoming Quakers. Some Quakers in America and Britain became known for their involvement in

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1356-589: A new business center on Redondo Boulevard near Hillcrest Avenue, Inglewood, a Spanish stucco structure "in harmony with the nearby Inglewood Woman's Club." In 1931 West Boulevard was extended south to Florence Avenue and intersected Redondo Boulevard at the latter's easterly end. In 1934, the Los Angeles Times noted that "Florence Avenue runs into Redondo Boulevard." East–west Redondo Boulevard turned north–south to traverse between Inglewood and Redondo Beach . The intersection of Florence and Normandie

1469-638: A new world rather than fighting to destroy the old", as did the American Friends Service Committee . Birmingham in England had a strong Quaker community during the war. Many British Quakers were conscripted into the Non-Combatant Corps during both world wars. After the two world wars had brought the different Quaker strands closer together, Friends from different yearly meetings – many having served together in

1582-677: A peak of 60,000 in England and Wales by 1680 (1.15% of the population of England and Wales). But the dominant discourse of Protestantism viewed the Quakers as a blasphemous challenge to social and political order, leading to official persecution in England and Wales under the Quaker Act 1662 and the Conventicle Act 1664 . This persecution of Dissenters was relaxed after the Declaration of Indulgence (1687–1688) and stopped under

1695-671: A prepared Bible message coordinated by a pastor (with the largest Quaker group being the Evangelical Friends Church International ). Some 11% practice waiting worship or unprogrammed worship (commonly Meeting for Worship ), where the unplanned order of service is mainly silent and may include unprepared vocal ministry from those present. Some meetings of both types have Recorded Ministers present, Friends recognised for their gift of vocal ministry. The proto- evangelical Christian movement dubbed Quakerism arose in mid-17th-century England from

1808-529: A respected Quaker poet , and deeded a lot to him. Whittier wrote a dedication poem and is honored today with statues and a small exhibit at the Whittier Museum; a statue of him sits in Whittier's Central Park, and another representing his poem "The Barefoot Boy" used to reside by the City Hall and is now in front of the main library. Whittier never set foot there, but the city still bears his name and

1921-563: A shopping mall that had to be rebuilt. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 14.7 square miles (38 km ), virtually all land. Whittier is bordered by the community of 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 at

2034-664: A statement of faith known as the Richmond Declaration . Supported by many of the older, longstanding members in the London Yearly Meeting, Braithwaite saw the Richmond Declaration of Faith as being a bulwark against "unsound and dangerous doctrine" in times when Friends were "in a state of discipline and warfare". This statement of faith was agreed to by 95 of the representatives at a meeting of Five Years Meeting Friends, but unexpectedly

2147-628: A third building was dedicated on the same site in 1917. With a capacity of 1,700, the 1917 meeting house featured a balcony and was constructed of brick with mahogany paneling and pews. The present meeting house, dedicated in 1975, features many architectural elements and materials from the 1917 building, including the stained glass windows and mahogany interior. The Quakers also founded Whittier Academy (later Whittier College), and additional meetings met in East Whittier and at Whittier College's Mendenhall. The Mendenhall and East Whittier meetings kept

2260-502: A total population of 87,306 people with a density of 5,824.9 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 48.7% White (24.5% Non-Hispanic white , 24.2% White Hispanic ), 1.5% African American , 1.1% Native American , 5.3% Asian , 0.0% Asian Pacific American , and 8.4% from two or more races . Hispanic and Latino Americans were 65.8% of the population. 16.6% of the population were foreign born , and 3.1% of people were veterans . There were 27,093 households, of which

2373-854: A variety of industries. Two notable examples were Abraham Darby I and Edward Pease . Darby and his family played an important role in the British Industrial Revolution with their innovations in ironmaking. Pease, a Darlington manufacturer, was the main promoter of the Stockton and Darlington Railway , which was the world's first public railway to use steam locomotives. Other industries with prominent Quaker businesses included banking ( Lloyds Banking Group and Barclays PLC ), pharmaceuticals ( Allen & Hanburys ), chocolate ( Cadbury and Fry's ), confectionery (Rowntree ), shoe manufacturing ( Clarks ), and biscuit manufacturing ( Huntley & Palmers ). Voltaire 's Letters on

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2486-471: Is "The Poet." By 1906, Whittier College was an educational institution with laboratories, boarding halls, a large gymnasium, and athletic fields. Due to an economic depression in the 1890s, the first bachelor's degrees were not awarded at the college for 17 years. Leona May Mendenhall donated the Mendenhall Building at Whittier College in honor of her husband, Oscar. The Mendenhalls were among

2599-405: Is called East Whittier . East Whittier was an unincorporated agricultural community until the postwar era. The eastern parts of East Whittier, developed in the 1950s and 1960s, are known as Friendly Hills, which was developed at the same time as Murphy Ranch and Leffingwell Ranch. Friendly Hills and Murphy Ranch are generally considered north of Whittier Boulevard, while Leffingwell Ranch is south of

2712-719: Is currently serving as the city manager, with Shannon DeLong as the assistant city manager. In the California State Legislature , Whittier is in the 30th Senate District , represented by Democrat Bob Archuleta , and in the 56th Assembly District , represented by Democrat Lisa Calderon . In the United States House of Representatives , Whittier is in California's 38th congressional district , represented by Democrat Linda Sánchez . The following school districts serve

2825-694: Is noted for an attack during the 1992 riots in Los Angeles when several black men pulled white driver Reginald Denny from his truck and beat him in the intersection. The attack was televised. Whittier, California Whittier ( / ˈ hw ɪ t i ər / ) is a city in Southern California in Los Angeles County , part of the Gateway Cities . The 14.7-square-mile (38.0 km ) city had 87,306 residents as of

2938-576: Is now the Mid-India Yearly Meeting. Later it spread to Madagascar from 1867, China from 1896, Sri Lanka from 1896, and Pemba Island from 1897. After the 1860 civil conflict in Mount Lebanon and Damascus between Christians and Druze, many missionaries flocked to Ottoman Syria . These missionaries included Friends from several nations. The Friends Syrian Mission was established in 1874, which among other institutions ran

3051-461: Is rooted in the Quaker tradition. 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 300,000 acres (1,200 km ), Rancho Los Nietos , as a reward for his military service and to encourage settlement in California. The area of Nieto's land grant was reduced in 1790 as the result of

3164-496: The 2020 United States census , an increase of 1,975 from the 2010 census figure. 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 . The city is surrounded by three unincorporated areas sharing the Whittier name, West Whittier-Los Nietos , South Whittier , and East Whittier , which combined are home to

3277-663: The Act of Toleration 1689 . One modern view of Quakerism at this time was that the direct relationship with Christ was encouraged through spiritualisation of human relations, and "the redefinition of the Quakers as a holy tribe, 'the family and household of God ' ". Together with Margaret Fell , the wife of Thomas Fell , who was the vice-chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and an eminent judge, Fox developed new conceptions of family and community that emphasised "holy conversation": speech and behaviour that reflected piety, faith, and love. With

3390-537: The Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution from Rhode Island Quakers, trial by jury, equal rights for men and women, and public education. The Liberty Bell was cast by Quakers in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania. Early Quakerism tolerated boisterous behaviour that challenged conventional etiquette, but by 1700, its adherents no longer supported disruptive and unruly behaviour. During the 18th century, Quakers entered

3503-645: The Great Separation of 1827, which resulted in a parallel system of Yearly Meetings in America, joined by Friends from Philadelphia, New York, Ohio, Indiana, and Baltimore. They were referred to by opponents as Hicksites and by others and sometimes themselves as Orthodox. Quakers in Britain recognised only the Orthodox Quakers and refused to correspond with the Hicksites. Isaac Crewdson was

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3616-667: The Homestead Act and built the cabin known today as the Jonathan Bailey House . Gerkens would later become the first chief of police of the Los Angeles Police Department . Gerkens' land was owned by several others before a group of Quakers purchased it and expanded it to 1,259 acres (5 km ), intending to found a Quaker community. The area soon became known as a thriving citrus ranching region, with "Quaker Brand" fruit shipped all over

3729-711: The Inward light . They were imprisoned in harsh conditions for five weeks and banished by the Massachusetts Bay Colony . Their books were burned, and most of their property confiscated. In 1660, English Quaker Mary Dyer was hanged near Boston Common for repeatedly defying a Puritan law banning Quakers from the colony. She was one of the four executed Quakers known as the Boston martyrs . In 1661, King Charles II forbade Massachusetts from executing anyone for professing Quakerism. In 1684, England revoked

3842-633: The Legatine-Arians and other dissenting Protestant groups breaking with the established Church of England . The Quakers, especially the Valiant Sixty , sought to convert others by travelling through Britain and overseas preaching the Gospel. Some early Quaker ministers were women. They based their message on a belief that "Christ has come to teach his people himself", stressing direct relations with God through Jesus Christ and belief in

3955-574: The London Yearly Meeting for the same reason in 1865. They formed a separate body of Friends called Fritchley General Meeting , which remained distinct and separate from London Yearly Meeting until 1968. Similar splits took place in Canada. The Yearly Meetings that supported John Wilbur's religious beliefs became known as Conservative Friends . In 1887, a Gurneyite Quaker of British descent, Joseph Bevan Braithwaite , proposed to Friends

4068-767: The Nobel Peace Prize . Religious strife in the Kingdom of England had existed for centuries, with proto-Protestant groups (mainly the Lollards ) popping up before the English Reformation brought radical ideas to the mainstream. During and after the English Civil War (1642–1651) many dissenting Christian groups emerged, including the Seekers and others. A young man, George Fox ,

4181-549: 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 . During the 1920s and 30s, Whittier was a conservative sundown town . New housing tracts such as College Hills were developed under restrictive covenants and minorities were restricted to areas outside

4294-782: The Penn's Creek Massacre of 1755. Early colonial Quakers also established communities and meeting houses in North Carolina and Maryland, after fleeing persecution by the Anglican Church in Virginia. In a 2007 interview, author David Yount ( How the Quakers Invented America ) said that Quakers first introduced many ideas that later became mainstream, such as democracy in the Pennsylvania legislature,

4407-606: The Plymouth Brethren . Orthodox Friends became more evangelical during the 19th century and were influenced by the Second Great Awakening . This movement was led by British Quaker Joseph John Gurney . Christian Friends held Revival meetings in America and became involved in the Holiness movement of churches. Quakers such as Hannah Whitall Smith and Robert Pearsall Smith became speakers in

4520-474: The Quietist period in the history of their church, becoming more inward-looking spiritually and less active in converting others. Marrying outside the Society was cause for having one's membership revoked. Numbers dwindled, dropping to 19,800 in England and Wales by 1800 (0.21% of the population), and 13,859 by 1860 (0.07% of population). The formal name "Religious Society of Friends" dates from this period and

4633-700: The Ramallah Friends School in the West Bank, which still exist today and is affiliated with the Friends United Meeting . The Swiss missionary Theophilus Waldmeier founded Brummana High School in Lebanon in 1873. Evangelical Friends Churches from Ohio Yearly Meeting sent missionaries to India in 1896, forming what is now Bundelkhand Yearly Meeting . Cleveland Friends went to Mombasa , Kenya , and started what became

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4746-529: The Religious Society of Friends , a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations . Members refer to each other as Friends after John 15:14 in the Bible, and originally, others referred to them as Quakers because the founder of the movement, George Fox , told a judge to quake "before the authority of God". The Friends are generally united by a belief in each human's ability to be guided by

4859-576: The Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade , or The Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, were Quakers: John Barton (1755–1789); William Dillwyn (1743–1824); George Harrison (1747–1827); Samuel Hoare Jr (1751–1825); Joseph Hooper (1732–1789); John Lloyd; Joseph Woods Sr (1738–1812); James Phillips (1745–1799); and Richard Phillips. Five of the Quakers had been amongst

4972-561: The Whittier Narrows earthquake struck, the epicenter being six miles (10 km) north by northwest of Whittier. The seismic event, which registered 5.9 on the moment magnitude scale, killed eight people and damaged many of uptown Whittier's historic buildings. Three days later, on October 4, 1987, at 3:59 a.m., a major aftershock measuring 5.2 caused further damage. Buildings and residential structures that were already borderline unsafe were now deemed unsafe or uninhabitable. In

5085-879: The inward light to "make the witness of God" known to everyone. Quakers have traditionally professed a priesthood of all believers inspired by the First Epistle of Peter . They include those with evangelical , holiness , liberal, and traditional Quaker understandings of Christianity, as well as Nontheist Quakers . To differing extents, the Friends avoid creeds and hierarchical structures . In 2017, there were an estimated 377,557 adult Quakers, 49% of them in Africa followed by 22% in North America . Some 89% of Quakers worldwide belong to evangelical and programmed branches that hold services with singing and

5198-404: The 1650s, individual Quaker women prophesied and preached publicly, developing charismatic personae and spreading the sect. This practice was bolstered by the movement's firm concept of spiritual equality for men and women. Moreover, Quakerism initially was propelled by the nonconformist behaviours of its followers, especially women who broke from social norms. By the 1660s, the movement had gained

5311-489: The 17th century. However, some Quakers resented the power of women in the community. In the early years of Quakerism, George Fox faced resistance in developing and establishing women's meetings. As controversy increased, Fox did not fully adhere to his agenda. For example, he established the London Six Weeks Meeting in 1671 as a regulatory body, led by 35 women and 49 men. Even so, conflict culminated in

5424-517: The 1930s, Nixon's law office was in the National Bank of Whittier Building in Uptown Whittier. Following Nixon's return from World War II service, conservative Whittier businessman Herman Perry, Nixon's former landlord at the bank, spearheaded an effort to form a Committee of 100 Republicans in Eastern Los Angeles County to get Nixon elected to Congress in 1946. After World War II , Whittier grew rapidly. The sub-dividing of orange groves began, driven by housing shortages in southern California. In 1955,

5537-661: The Bible as secondary to the individual cultivation of God's light within. With Gurneyite Quakers' shift toward Protestant principles and away from the spiritualisation of human relations, women's role as promoters of "holy conversation" started to decrease. Conversely, within the Hicksite movement the rejection of the market economy and the continuing focus on community and family bonds tended to encourage women to retain their role as powerful arbiters. Elias Hicks 's religious views were claimed to be universalist and to contradict Quakers' historical orthodox Christian beliefs and practices. Hicks' Gospel preaching and teaching precipitated

5650-453: The City of Whittier. Florence Avenue also crosses the San Diego Freeway (Interstate 405) , Harbor Freeway (Interstate 110) , Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) , San Gabriel River Freeway (Interstate 605) , and Santa Ana Freeway (Interstate 5) . An unconnected portion of Florence Avenue is located in La Habra and has similar west–east coordinates to the main Florence Avenue. Metro Local Lines 111 and 120 run through Florence Avenue;

5763-438: The English (1733) included the spirit of commerce and religious diversity in Great Britain, with the first four letters based on the Quakers. Quakers have a long history of establishing educational institutions. Initially, Quakers had no ordained clergy , and therefore needed no seminaries for theological training. In England, Quaker schools sprang up soon after the movement emerged, with Friends School Saffron Walden being

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5876-506: The Five Years Meeting due to a concern of what they saw as the allowance of modernism in the FYM. Some Orthodox Quakers in America disliked the move towards evangelical Christianity and saw it as a dilution of Friends' traditional orthodox Christian belief in being inwardly led by the Holy Spirit . These Friends were headed by John Wilbur , who was expelled from his yearly meeting in 1842. He and his supporters formed their own Conservative Friends Yearly Meeting. Some UK Friends broke away from

5989-425: The Friends Ambulance Unit or the American Friends Service Committee, or in other relief work – later held several Quaker World Conferences. This brought about a standing body of Friends: the Friends World Committee for Consultation . A growing desire for a more fundamentalist approach among some Friends after the First World War began a split among Five Years Meetings . In 1924, the Central Yearly Meeting of Friends

6102-455: The Light, and Friends of the Truth, reflecting terms used in the New Testament by members of the early Christian church. Quakerism gained a considerable following in England and Wales, not least among women. An address "To the Reader" by Mary Forster accompanied a Petition to the Parliament of England presented on 20 May 1659, expressing the opposition of over 7000 women to "the oppression of Tithes". The overall number of Quakers increased to

6215-449: The Manchester Conference in England in 1895, one thousand British Friends met to consider the future of British Quakerism, and as a result, Liberal Quaker thought gradually increased within the London Yearly Meeting. During World War I and World War II , Friends' opposition to war was put to the test. Many Friends became conscientious objectors and some formed the Friends Ambulance Unit , aiming at "co-operating with others to build up

6328-452: The Massachusetts charter , sent over a royal governor to enforce English laws in 1686 and, in 1689, passed a broad Toleration Act. Some Friends migrated to what is now the north-eastern region of the United States in the 1660s in search of economic opportunities and a more tolerant environment in which to build communities of "holy conversation". In 1665 Quakers established a meeting in Shrewsbury, New Jersey (now Monmouth County), and built

6441-558: The Midwest. Acceptance of the theory of evolution became more widespread in Yearly Meetings who moved toward liberal Christianity in the 19th and 20th centuries. However, creationism predominates within evangelical Friends Churches, particularly in East Africa and parts of the United States. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the so-called Quaker Renaissance movement began within London Yearly Meeting. Young Friends in London Yearly Meeting at this time moved away from evangelicalism and towards liberal Christianity. This movement

6554-469: The Richmond Declaration was not adopted by London Yearly Meeting because a vocal minority, including Edward Grubb , opposed it. Following the Christian revivals in the mid-19th century, Friends in Great Britain sought also to start missionary activity overseas. The first missionaries were sent to Benares ( Varanasi ), in India, in 1866. The Friends Foreign Mission Association was formed in 1868 and sent missionaries to Madhya Pradesh , India, forming what

6667-403: The United States. Beginning in 1887, walnut trees were planted, and Whittier became the largest walnut grower in the United States. In addition to walnuts and citrus, Whittier was also a significant producer of pampas grass . For many years, the sole means of transport from this area to Los Angeles was on foot or via horse and wagon over rough dirt roads, impeding settlement, development, and

6780-401: The Wilkinson–Story split, in which a portion of the Quaker community left to worship independently in protest at women's meetings. After several years, this schism became largely resolved, testifying to the resistance of some within the Quaker community and to the spiritual role of women that Fox and Margaret Fell had encouraged. Particularly within the relatively prosperous Quaker communities of

6893-415: The abolitionist movement. In the early history of Colonial America , it was fairly common for Friends to own slaves, e.g. in Pennsylvania . During the early to mid-1700s, disquiet about this practice arose among Friends, best exemplified by the testimonies of Benjamin Lay , Anthony Benezet and John Woolman , and this resulted in an abolition movement among Friends. Nine of the twelve founding members of

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7006-642: The area include Rio Hondo College , which lies just outside the city, Southern California University of Health Sciences , and historic Whittier College . The local newspaper is the Whittier Daily News . Other area papers include the San Gabriel Valley Tribune , the parent paper of the Whittier Daily News , the Los Angeles Times , and the Orange County Register . Music fanzine Los Angeles Flipside published locally from 1977 to 1990. Former newspapers include: Coast Reporter , Whittier Californian , Whittier Graphic , Whittier Star Reporter , and more. Quaker Quakers are people who belong to

7119-419: The average size was 3.07 persons. The median household income during 2016–2020 was $ 76,026, and 9.5% of the population was living in poverty . The population was spread out, with 23.0% of the population under the age of 18 and 15.1% above the age of 65. Of all people aged above 25 years, 88.5% were high school graduates, and 26.7% had a bachelor's degree or higher. 61.5% of people aged above 16 years were in

7232-408: The board members, librarians, and citizen fundraising groups, the new library was completed at the Washington Avenue site in May 1959. In 1968, service was further expanded with the construction of the Whittwood Branch Library on Santa Gertrudes Avenue. Whittier uses a council–manager form of government. Until 2014, all five city council members were elected at-large, with the mayor being elected by

7345-450: The border adjacent to the Hyde Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, the Downtown Inglewood station at La Brea Avenue in Downtown Inglewood and the Westchester/Veterans station at Hindry Avenue near the border adjacent to the Westchester neighborhood of Los Angeles. The roadway was formerly known as Redondo Boulevard westward from West Boulevard at the Inglewood-Los Angeles city boundary. Land developer George E. Longan in 1927 established

7458-605: The boulevard. The area at the extreme east of Whittier is occasionally called Sunglow. Whittier is about 15 miles (24 km) inland of the Pacific Ocean, resulting in higher daytime temperatures, and since it lies at a higher elevation than the cities further west, cold air drains into the lower elevation of the Los Angeles Basin which results in warmer night-time lows, producing an example of thermal inversion . Winter daytime highs typically range from 57 °F to 72 °F (20 °C to 27 °C) with overnight lows dropping to about 41 °F to 50 °F (6° to 12 °C). In

7571-472: 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 recently designated a historic district, as it has a small cluster of homes along Earlham Drive. The area east of College Avenue

7684-429: The city limits in unincorporated Los Angeles County. Santa Fe High School is located within the City of Santa Fe Springs. Adults may attend the Whittier Adult School, which belongs to the Whittier Union High School District . The city also has three private Catholic elementary schools, K-8 The schools are operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles , with one (St. Mary of the Assumption School) being one of

7797-447: The city limits such as Jimtown (portions of which were destroyed by the building of the 605 Freeway ). 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 (1928-30) and Whittier College (1930-34) In

7910-456: The city of Whittier: Five high schools, California High School , La Serna High School , Pioneer High School , Santa Fe High School , and Whittier High School comprise the Whittier Union High School District. There is one alternative continuation high school Frontier High School and a homeschooling hq, Sierra Vista High School. Although they still have Whittier postal addresses, both California High School and Pioneer High School lie outside

8023-564: The city was 43.2% White , 1.2% African American , 1.3% Native American , 3.3% Asian , 0.2% Pacific Islander , 25.8% from other races , and 5.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 65.9% of the population. There were 28,271 households, out of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who

8136-609: The civilian labor force . The 2010 United States Census reported that Whittier had a population of 85,331. The population density was 5,818.6 inhabitants per square mile (2,246.6/km ). The racial makeup of Whittier was 55,117 (64.6%) White (28.3% Non-Hispanic White, 36.3% White Hispanic), 1,092 (1.3%) African American , 1,093 (1.3%) Native American , 3,262 (3.8%) Asian , 123 (0.1%) Pacific Islander , 20,848 (24.4%) from other races , and 3,796 (4.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 56,081 persons (65.7%). The Census reported that 83,696 people (98.1% of

8249-410: The council. Following the 2016 elections, four city council members were elected to four-year terms in districts, whereas the mayor was directly elected to two-year terms. The council also appoints a city manager. The current mayor of Whittier is Joe Vinatieri. The city council is currently made up of Fernando Dutra, Octavio Martinez, Cathy Warner, and mayor pro tempore Jessica Martinez. Brian Saeki

8362-510: The eastern United States, the focus on the child and "holy conversation" gave women unusual community power, although they were largely excluded from the market economy. With the Hicksite–Orthodox split of 1827–1828, Orthodox women found their spiritual role decreased, while Hicksite women retained greater influence. Described as "natural capitalists" by the BBC , many Quakers were successful in

8475-670: The export of agriculture. 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,

8588-467: The first 100 years were Quakers. West Jersey and Pennsylvania were established by affluent Quaker William Penn in 1676 and 1682 respectively, with Pennsylvania as an American commonwealth run under Quaker principles. William Penn signed a peace treaty with Tammany , leader of the Delaware tribe, and other treaties followed between Quakers and Native Americans. This peace endured almost a century, until

8701-457: The first half of the 20th century before the country's independence in 1963. International volunteering organisations such as Service Civil International and International Voluntary Service were founded by leading Quakers. Eric Baker , a prominent Quaker, was one of the founders of Amnesty International and of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament . The Quaker Edith Pye established

8814-501: The footwear firm of C. & J. Clark and the big three British confectionery makers Cadbury , Rowntree and Fry ; and philanthropic efforts, including abolition of slavery, prison reform , and social justice . In 1947, in recognition of their dedication to peace and the common good, Quakers represented by the British Friends Service Council and the American Friends Service Committee were awarded

8927-603: The former runs through most of Florence starting at Studebaker Road and the latter east of Studebaker Road. The Metro A Line light rail serves the Florence station , at the intersection of Graham Avenue and Florence Avenue in the unincorporated community of Florence . The Metro K Line serves three light rail stations on Florence Avenue, with the Fairview Heights station in Inglewood at West Boulevard near

9040-443: The founding families of Whittier. Oscar's brother, Samuel Mendenhall, helped bring in the water system and post office. The Mendenhalls were large growers for Sunkist oranges and Blue Diamond walnuts. Whittier was the first home to Azusa Pacific University , established on March 3, 1899, by the Quaker community and a Methodist evangelist under the name Training School for Christian Workers. On October 1, 1987, at 7:42 a.m.,

9153-441: The front porch of the Jonathan Bailey House . Eventually, as more Quakers arrived, the need for an actual Meeting House arose, and the first Quaker meeting house was built on the corner of Comstock Avenue and Wardman Street in 1887. The meeting soon outgrew this 100-seat meeting house, and a new larger building was erected on the corner of Philadelphia Street and Washington Avenue in 1902. By 1912, membership had grown to 1,200, and

9266-488: The informal group of six Quakers who had pioneered the movement in 1783, when the first petition against the slave trade was presented to Parliament. As Quakers could not serve as Members of Parliament, they relied on the help of Anglican men who could, such as William Wilberforce and his brother-in-law James Stephen . By the beginning of the American Revolutionary War , few Friends owned slaves. At

9379-609: The largest Catholic elementary schools in Los Angeles County . St Gregory The Great School has been Number One in their deanery for the Academic Decathlon two consecutive years. Whittier Friends School is a member of the Friends Council on Education and associated with First Friends Church of Whittier, the founding Quaker meeting of Whittier. Whittier Friends School includes a licensed preschool and an elementary school (TK-6th grade). Trinity Lutheran School,

9492-557: The library facilities began in the Woody Building as a reading room maintained by Hester in exchange for space for his telegraph office. In 1907, a Carnegie grant funded building construction at Bailey and Greenleaf that many Whittierites fondly remember. As the city expanded, a more extensive library was needed, and the Friends of the Library was organized in 1956 to raise money for a new building. Through their efforts and those of

9605-455: The more urban, wealthier, Orthodox Quakers. With increasing financial success, Orthodox Quakers wanted to "make the Society a more respectable body – to transform their sect into a church – by adopting mainstream Protestant orthodoxy". Hicksites, though they held a variety of views, generally saw the market economy as corrupting, and believed Orthodox Quakers had sacrificed their orthodox Christian spirituality for material success. Hicksites viewed

9718-465: The most common foreign places of birth. In 2022, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority 's Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count counted 127 homeless individuals in Whittier. Whittier's Redevelopment Agency has numerous projects underway to revitalize the community. This includes a $ 7 million project near the historic Hoover Hotel . In addition, the agency is working on developing a 480-acre (1.9 km ) project area near Whittier Blvd. The master plan

9831-520: The most prominent. Quaker schools in the UK and Ireland are supported by The Friends' Schools' Council. In Australia, Friends' School, Hobart , founded in 1887, has grown into the largest Quaker school in the world. In Britain and the United States, friends have established a variety of institutions at a variety of educational levels . In Kenya, Quakers founded several primary and secondary schools in

9944-804: The most successful Friends' mission. Their Quakerism spread within Kenya and to Uganda , Tanzania , Burundi , and Rwanda . The theory of evolution as described in Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species (1859) was opposed by many Quakers in the 19th century, particularly by older evangelical Quakers who dominated the Religious Society of Friends in Great Britain. These older Quakers were suspicious of Darwin's theory and believed that natural selection could not explain life on its own. The influential Quaker scientist Edward Newman said that

10057-542: The new Civic Center complex was completed, and the City Council met in new chambers for the first time on March 8, 1955. The city continued to grow as the City annexed portions of Whittier Boulevard and East Whittier. The 1961 annexation added over 28,000 people to the population, bringing the total to about 67,000. However, South and West Whittier remained unannexed by the city. The first Quaker meetings were held on

10170-656: The population) lived in households, 1,083 (1.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 552 (0.6%) were institutionalized. There were 28,273 households, out of which 11,289 (39.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 14,152 (50.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 4,566 (16.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,896 (6.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,770 (6.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships , and 247 (0.9%) same-sex married couples or partnerships . 6,096 households (21.6%) were made up of individuals, and 2,495 (8.8%) had someone living alone who

10283-567: The population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 34,303 people (40.2%) lived in rental housing units. During 2009–2013, Whittier had a median household income of $ 68,522, with 12.4% of the population living below the federal poverty line. As of the census of 2000, there were 83,680 people, 28,271 households, and 20,468 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,719.4 inhabitants per square mile (2,208.3/km ). There were 28,977 housing units at an average density of 1,980.5 per square mile (764.7/km ). The racial makeup of

10396-567: The religious beliefs of Joseph John Gurney were known as Gurneyite yearly meetings. Many eventually collectively became the Five Years Meeting (FYM) and then the Friends United Meeting , although London Yearly Meeting , which had been strongly Gurneyite in the 19th century, did not join either of these. In 1924, the Central Yearly Meeting of Friends , a Gurneyite yearly meeting, was started by some Friends who left

10509-656: The religious movement and introduced Quaker phrases and practices to it. British Friends became involved with the Higher Life movement , with Robert Wilson from the Cockermouth meeting founding the Keswick Convention . From the 1870s it became common in Britain to have "home mission meetings" on Sunday evening with Christian hymns and a Bible-based sermon, alongside the silent meetings for worship on Sunday morning. The Quaker Yearly Meetings supporting

10622-755: The restructuring of the family and household came new roles for women; Fox and Fell viewed the Quaker mother as essential to developing "holy conversation" in her children and husband. Quaker women were also responsible for the spirituality of the larger community, coming together in "meetings" that regulated marriage and domestic behaviour. The persecution of Quakers in North America began in July 1656 when English Quaker missionaries Mary Fisher and Ann Austin began preaching in Boston. They were considered heretics because of their insistence on individual obedience to

10735-563: The silent meeting longer than the main church. In 1887, the Pickering Land and Water Company set aside a 20-acre (81,000 m ) parcel of land to develop a college, but a collapse in the land boom stalled construction. Progress on developing a college was sporadic, but on July 30, 1896, the Whittier Academy, operating since 1891, officially changed its name to Whittier College with 100 students enrolled. The school mascot

10848-408: The summer highs range from 84 °F to 97 °F (26 °C to 35 °C) and corresponding overnight lows in the 62 °F to 70 °F (14 °C to 22 °C). Rainfall follows a Mediterranean pattern, with most rain falling during winter, while summers tend to be rather dry. The mean annual rainfall is about 14 inches (360 mm). The 2020 United States census reported that Whittier had

10961-503: The theory was "not compatible with our notions of creation as delivered from the hands of a Creator". However, some young Friends such as John Wilhelm Rowntree and Edward Grubb supported Darwin's theories, using the doctrine of progressive revelation. In the United States, Joseph Moore taught the theory of evolution at the Quaker Earlham College as early as 1861. This made him one of the first teachers to do so in

11074-566: The time of the 1840s Mexican–American War , much of the land that would become Whittier was owned by Pio Pico , a rancher and the last Mexican governor of Alta California. Pio Pico built a hacienda here on the San Gabriel River, known today as Pio Pico State Historic Park . Following the Mexican–American War, German immigrant Jacob F. Gerkens paid $ 234 to the U.S. government to acquire 160 acres (0.6 km ) of land under

11187-471: The tragic and fateful voyage of the slave ship Sally . Brown broke away from his three brothers, became an abolitionist, and converted to Christian Quakerism. During the 19th century, Quakers such as Levi Coffin and Isaac Hopper played a major role in helping enslaved people escape through the Underground Railroad . Black Quaker Paul Cuffe , a sea captain and businessman, was active in

11300-572: The universal priesthood of all believers. This personal religious experience of Christ was acquired by direct experience and by reading and studying the Bible . Friends focused their private lives on behaviour and speech reflecting emotional purity and the light of God, with a goal of Christian perfection . A prominent theological text of the Religious Society of Friends is A Catechism and Confession of Faith (1673), published by Quaker divine Robert Barclay . The Richmond Declaration of Faith (1887)

11413-584: The war's end in 1783, Yarnall family members along with fellow Meeting House Friends made a failed petition to the Continental Congress to abolish slavery in the United States . In 1790, the Society of Friends petitioned the United States Congress to abolish slavery. One example of a reversal in sentiment about slavery took place in the life of Moses Brown , one of four Rhode Island brothers who, in 1764, organized and funded

11526-546: The war, forming groups such as the Free Quakers and the Universal Friends . Later, in the 19th century, there was a diversification of theological beliefs in the Religious Society of Friends, and this led to several larger splits within the movement. The Hicksite–Orthodox split arose out of both ideological and socioeconomic tensions. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Hicksites tended to be agrarian and poorer than

11639-445: The west, La Habra Heights to the east, La Habra to the southeast and Santa Fe Springs to the south. There are several neighborhoods in Whittier. The area centered around Philadelphia Street and Greenleaf Avenue is known as Uptown Whittier and contains the traditional central business core. Just north of Uptown Whittier are the neighborhoods known as Central Park and Hadley-Greenleaf. They have been designated historic districts by

11752-529: The years following the earthquake, the city's deteriorating uptown business district became the focus of renewed development, meeting opposition from many Whittier citizens. The Whittier Conservancy was formed in 1987 to stop the demolition of many historic buildings and residences after the disaster. The city also created a Historic Resources Commission to oversee the approval of landmark designations, historic districts, and Mills Act proposals. The Whittier Narrows earthquake also destroyed The Quad at Whittier ,

11865-404: Was 35.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males. There were 29,591 housing units at an average density of 2,017.8 per square mile (779.1/km ), of which 16,207 (57.3%) were owner-occupied, and 12,066 (42.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.1%. 49,393 people (57.9% of

11978-450: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.38. In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.3% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males. The median income for

12091-423: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96. There were 20,614 families (72.9% of all households); the average family size was 3.46. The population was spread out, with 21,686 people (25.4%) under the age of 18, 9,198 people (10.8%) aged 18 to 24, 23,627 people (27.7%) aged 25 to 44, 20,819 people (24.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 10,001 people (11.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

12204-434: Was adopted by many Orthodox Friends and continues to serve as a doctrinal statement of many yearly meetings. Quakers were known to use thee as an ordinary pronoun, refuse to participate in war , wear plain dress , refuse to swear oaths , oppose slavery , and practice teetotalism . Some Quakers founded banks and financial institutions, including Barclays , Lloyds , and Friends Provident ; manufacturers including

12317-744: Was adopted in June 2005 by the City Council. In 2019, Whittier's first food hall , Poet Gardens , opened in Uptown Whittier. The Whittwood Town Center is a shopping destination in Whittier. According to the city's 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: On April 17, 1900, the Whittier Public Library Board of Trustees held its first meeting in Landrum Smith's drugstore. With an initial collection of 60 books and 200 magazines,

12430-561: Was dissatisfied with the teachings of the Church of England and nonconformists . He claimed to have received a revelation that "there is one, even Christ Jesus, who can speak to thy condition", and became convinced that it was possible to have a direct experience of Christ without the aid of ordained clergy. In 1652 he had a vision on Pendle Hill in Lancashire, England, in which he believed that "the Lord let me see in what places he had

12543-517: Was particularly influenced by Rowntree, Grubb, and Rufus Jones . Such Liberal Friends promoted the theory of evolution, modern biblical criticism , and the social meaning of Christ's teaching – encouraging Friends to follow the New Testament example of Christ by performing good works. These men downplayed the evangelical Quaker belief in the atonement of Christ on the Cross at Calvary . After

12656-561: Was probably derived from the appellations "Friends of the Light" and "Friends of the Truth". Conservative Friends (US 2K) Friends United Meeting (US 25K, world 170K) Evangelical Friends Church International (US 34K, world 200K) Beaconite Friends General Conference (US 22K, world 32K) Around the time of the American Revolutionary War , some American Quakers split from the main Society of Friends over issues such as support for

12769-656: Was started by some Friends who left the Five Years Meeting. In 1926, Oregon Yearly Meeting seceded from the Five Years Meeting , bringing together several other yearly meetings and scattered monthly meetings. In 1947, the Association of Evangelical Friends was formed, with triennial meetings until 1970. In 1965, this was replaced by the Evangelical Friends Alliance, which in 1989 became Evangelical Friends Church International . In

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