115-742: 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 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
230-644: A California earthquake forecast, which models earthquake occurrence in California. This is a partial list of earthquakes in Southern California. For a full list, see List of earthquakes in California . Note: Earthquakes with epicenters in the Los Angeles Metro Area are marked with the (#) symbol. Other earthquakes mentioned indicates shaking was felt in the region. As of the 2020 United States Census , Southern California has
345-658: A M w 6.7 earthquake or greater, such as the San Andreas Fault , which can produce M w 8.0 or greater. The largest known earthquake in California was the 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake that ruptured 200+ miles (320+ kilometers) of the San Andreas Fault from Parkfield to Wrightwood . With a recurrence interval of roughly 150 years, this part of the San Andreas fault is well within its window to produce another large earthquake. Along with
460-595: A higher population, with 23.76 million residents as of the 2020 census . The sparsely populated desert region of California occupies a significant portion (part of which has even been proposed to be split into a new county due to cultural, economic and geographic differences relative to the rest of the more urban region) of the area: the Colorado Desert , along with the Colorado River , is located on Southern California's eastern border with Arizona , and
575-443: 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
690-517: 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
805-473: A passenger train and send scores and hundreds to instant death. There are many Southern Pacific locomotives still in revenue service with railroads such as the Union Pacific Railroad , and many older and special locomotives have been donated to parks and museums, or continue operating on scenic or tourist railroads. Most of the engines now in use with Union Pacific have been "patched", where
920-611: A population of 23,762,904. Despite a reputation for high growth rates, Southern California's population has grown slower than the state average since the 2000s. This is due to California's growth becoming concentrated in the northern part of the state as result of a stronger, tech-oriented economy in the Bay Area and an emerging Greater Sacramento region. Southern California consists of one Combined Statistical Area , eight Metropolitan Statistical Areas , one international metropolitan area , and multiple metropolitan divisions. The region
1035-473: A population of approximately 4 million, Los Angeles is the most populous city in California and the second most populous in the United States. South of Los Angeles and with a population of approximately 1.4 million is San Diego, the second most populous city in the state and the eighth most populous in the nation. The counties of Los Angeles , San Diego , Orange , Riverside , and San Bernardino are
1150-593: A rail connection between San Francisco and San Diego, California . The company was purchased in September 1868 by a group of businessmen known as the Big Four : Charles Crocker , Leland Stanford , Mark Hopkins, Jr. and C. P. Huntington . The Big Four had, in 1861, created the Central Pacific Railroad (CPRR) It later acquired the Central Pacific Railroad in 1885 through leasing. By 1900,
1265-562: 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
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#17327909970151380-468: A telecommunications network with a state-of-the-art microwave and fiber optic backbone. This telecommunications network became part of Sprint , a company whose name came from the acronym for Southern Pacific Railroad Internal Networking Telephony. The original Southern Pacific Railroad was founded in San Francisco in 1865, by a group of businessmen led by Timothy Phelps with the aim of building
1495-627: 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
1610-502: 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
1725-769: A whole enacted the Alquist Priolo Special Studies Zone Act in the wake of the 1971 San Fernando earthquake . The act prohibits new construction of residential buildings closer than 50 feet (15 m) from a surface rupturing active fault zone. In addition, the act improved safety by requiring new structures (both residential and commercial) to be seismically retrofitted. It also required existing infrastructure to comply. Since 1972, numerous large magnitude earthquakes have struck Southern California with little widespread damage in part due to act. However, exceptions can be noted for epicenters that lie directly on top of densely populated regions such as
1840-470: 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
1955-804: Is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California . It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area (the second most populous urban agglomeration in the United States ) as well as the Inland Empire (another large metropolitan area). The region generally contains ten of California's 58 counties: Los Angeles , San Diego , Orange , Riverside , San Bernardino , Kern , Ventura , Santa Barbara , San Luis Obispo , and Imperial counties. Although geographically smaller than Northern California in land area, Southern California has
2070-502: Is also home to a large surf and skateboard culture. Companies such as Vans , Volcom , Quiksilver , No Fear , Stüssy , RVCA , and Body Glove are all headquartered there. Skateboarder Tony Hawk ; surfers Rob Machado , Timmy Curran , Bobby Martinez , Pat O'Connell , Dane Reynolds , and Chris Ward live in Southern California. Some of the most famous surf locations are in Southern California as well, including Trestles , Rincon , The Wedge , Huntington Beach , and Malibu . Some of
2185-513: Is also known for its mountain resort communities, such as Big Bear Lake , Lake Arrowhead , and Wrightwood , and their ski resorts, like Bear Mountain , Snow Summit , Snow Valley Mountain Resort , and Mountain High . The inland desert city of Palm Springs is also popular. Southern California is generally considered the area of California south of the latitude 35°45', approximately one-third of
2300-687: Is an important government, arts and entertainment, and retail district. Downtown San Diego is the CBD of San Diego, though the city is filled with business districts. These include Carmel Valley , Del Mar Heights , Mission Valley , Rancho Bernardo , Sorrento Mesa , and University City . Most of these districts are located in Northern San Diego and some within North County regions. Los Angeles Orange County Riverside & San Bernardino San Diego Southern California
2415-405: 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
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#17327909970152530-716: 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
2645-410: Is home to Los Angeles International Airport , the second-busiest airport in the United States by passenger volume (see World's busiest airports by passenger traffic ) and the third-busiest by international passenger volume (see Busiest airports in the United States by international passenger traffic ); San Diego International Airport , the busiest single-runway airport in the world; Van Nuys Airport ,
2760-403: 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 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
2875-568: Is home to two extended metropolitan areas that exceed five million in population. These are the Greater Los Angeles Area at 17,786,419, and San Diego–Tijuana at 5,105,768. Of these metropolitan areas, the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana metropolitan area , Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area , and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura metropolitan area form Greater Los Angeles; while
2990-401: Is low to moderate depending on the area. Rain is infrequent, but is often heavy when it does occur, making flash floods an aspect of living in Southern California. This climatic pattern was alluded to in the hit song " It Never Rains (In Southern California) ". While snow is very rare in lower elevations, mountains above 5,000 feet (1,500 m) receive plentiful snowfall in the winter. Since
3105-768: The Constitution of the United States . The Southern Pacific Railroad was replaced by the Southern Pacific Company and assumed the railroad operations of the Southern Pacific Railroad. In 1929, Southern Pacific/Texas and New Orleans operated 13,848 route-miles not including Cotton Belt, whose purchase of the Golden State Route circa 1980 nearly doubled its size to 3,085 miles (4,965 km), bringing total SP/SSW mileage to around 13,508 miles (21,739 km). The T&NO
3220-605: The El Centro metropolitan area and San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos metropolitan area form the Southern Border Region . North of Greater Los Angeles are the Santa Barbara , San Luis Obispo , and Bakersfield metropolitan areas. Los Angeles (with a population of approximately 3.9 million people) and San Diego (at nearly 1.4 million people) are the two largest cities in all of California, and are among
3335-665: 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
3450-650: The Los Angeles metropolitan area ( Los Angeles and Orange counties, with 13.3 million people), the Inland Empire ( Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley cities, with 4.3 million people), and the Oxnard–Thousand Oaks–Ventura metropolitan area (0.8 million people). In addition, Southern California contains the San Diego metropolitan area with 3.3 million people, Bakersfield metro area with 0.9 million, and
3565-717: The Mojave Desert shares a border with Nevada to the northeast. Southern California's southern border with Baja California is part of the Mexico–United States border . Southern California encompasses eight metropolitan areas (MSAs), three of which together form the Greater Los Angeles Combined Statistical Area (CSA) with over 18 million people, the second-biggest CSA after the New York CSA . These three MSAs are
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3680-760: The Newport–Inglewood-Rose Canyon Fault (located adjacent to SoFi Stadium and responsible for Signal Hill ), the Elsinore Fault (created Lake Elsinore ), the Garlock Fault (which marks boundary between of the Sierra Nevada and the Mojave Desert ), and the Hollywood fault (which is within feet of Capitol Records and is roughly parallel to Hollywood Boulevard ). The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has released
3795-548: 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
3910-634: 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 , 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
4025-699: The San Diego metropolitan area as they do with the Inland Empire . To the east, the United States Census Bureau considers the San Bernardino and Riverside County areas, Riverside-San Bernardino area as a separate metropolitan area from Los Angeles County. Newly developed exurbs formed in the Antelope Valley , north of Los Angeles, the Victor Valley , and the Coachella Valley with the Imperial Valley . Also, population growth
4140-492: The San Fernando Valley . The area of Santa Monica and Venice (and perhaps some of Culver City) is informally referred to as "Silicon Beach" because of the concentration of financial and marketing technology-centric firms located in the region. The San Bernardino-Riverside Area maintains the business districts of Downtown San Bernardino , Hospitality Business/Financial Centre , University District which are in
4255-480: The Santa Barbara , San Luis Obispo , and El Centro (Imperial County) metropolitan areas. The Southern California Megaregion (or megalopolis ) is larger still, extending northeast into Las Vegas , Nevada and south across the Mexican border into Tijuana . Within Southern California are two major cities, Los Angeles and San Diego , as well as three of the country's largest metropolitan areas . With
4370-535: The St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt, reporting marks SSW), El Paso and Southwestern Railroad , the Northwestern Pacific Railroad at 328 miles (528 km), the 1,331-mile (2,142 km) Southern Pacific Railroad of Mexico , and a variety of 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow-gauge routes. The SP was known for its mammoth back shops at Sacramento, California , which was one of
4485-526: The Transverse and Peninsular Ranges with their peaks, and into the large and small interior valleys, to the vast deserts of California . Note: Plate boundary faults are indicated with a (#) symbol. Each year, Southern California has about 10,000 earthquakes. Nearly all of them are too small to be felt. Only several hundred have been greater than magnitude (M w ) 3.0, and only about 15–20 have been greater than M w 4.0. California as
4600-561: 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
4715-403: The entertainment industry . Other industries include software, automotive, aerospace, finance, biomedical, ports and regional logistics. The region was a leader in the housing bubble from 2001 to 2007, and has been heavily impacted by the housing crash. Since the 1920s, motion pictures, petroleum, and aircraft manufacturing have been major industries. In one of the richest agricultural regions in
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4830-724: 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,
4945-541: 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 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
5060-697: The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad to the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, allowing the combined Rio Grande Industries railroad system to use the Southern Pacific name due to its brand recognition in the railroad industry and with customers of both the Southern Pacific Transportation Company and the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. A long time Southern Pacific subsidiary, the St. Louis Southwestern Railway
5175-546: The Los Angeles Area are the major business districts of Downtown Pasadena , Downtown Burbank , Downtown Santa Monica , Downtown Glendale and Downtown Long Beach . Los Angeles proper has many business districts, such as Downtown LA and those lining Wilshire Boulevard , including Mid-Wilshire , the Miracle Mile , Downtown Beverly Hills , and Westwood ; others include Century City and Warner Center in
5290-399: The M w 6.7 1994 Northridge Earthquake and, to a lesser extent, the smaller M w 5.5 2008 Chino Hills earthquake . The Northridge earthquake occurred on a blind-thrust fault directly underneath the San Fernando Valley , which until the earthquake was previously undiscovered. Seismic retrofitting of existing and new construction is aimed to prevent damage and save lives in
5405-504: The SP logo on the front is replaced by a Union Pacific shield, and new numbers are applied over the old numbers with a Union Pacific sticker, however some engines remain in Southern Pacific "bloody nose" paint. Over the past couple years, most of the patched units were repainted into the full Union Pacific scheme and as of January 2019, less than ten units remain in their old paint. Among the more notable equipment is: On August 19, 2006, UP unveiled
5520-518: The SP shops there, new shops and yards were built six miles south of the city at Bayshore. The Alhambra Shops in Los Angeles consisted of 10 buildings and employed 1,500 but declined in importance when the Taylor Yard was built in 1930. The SP was the defendant in the landmark 1886 United States Supreme Court case Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad , which is often interpreted as having established certain corporate rights under
5635-456: The Southern California desert system. Because of the barrier formed by the Tehachapi and Sierra Nevada ranges, cartographer George Wheeler observed in 1876 that Northern California was better connected to Oregon and Nevada than it was to Southern California. Following the acquisition of the territory of California by the United States, several pro-slavery politicians attempted to arrange
5750-641: The Southern Pacific Transportation Company to be taken over by the Union Pacific Corporation ; the parent Southern Pacific Rail Corporation (formerly Rio Grande Industries), the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, the St. Louis Southwestern Railway and the SPCSL Corporation were also taken over by the Union Pacific Corporation. The Union Pacific Corporation merged the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad,
5865-588: The Southern Pacific system was a major railroad system incorporating many smaller companies, such as the Texas and New Orleans Railroad and Morgan's Louisiana and Texas Railroad . It extended from New Orleans through Texas to El Paso , across New Mexico and through Tucson , to Los Angeles , through most of California , including San Francisco and Sacramento . Central Pacific lines extended east across Nevada to Ogden, Utah , and reached north through Oregon to Portland . Other subsidiaries eventually included
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#17327909970155980-409: The Southern Pacific, the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, was founded in 1969 and assumed control of the Southern Pacific system. The Southern Pacific Transportation Company was acquired in 1996 by the Union Pacific Corporation and merged with their Union Pacific Railroad . The Southern Pacific legacy founded hospitals in San Francisco , Tucson , and Houston . In the 1970s, it also founded
6095-490: The St. Louis Southwestern Railway and the SPCSL Corporation into their Union Pacific Railroad but did not merge the Southern Pacific Transportation Company into the Union Pacific Railroad. Instead, the Union Pacific Corporation merged the Union Pacific Railroad into the Southern Pacific Transportation Company on February 1, 1998; the Southern Pacific Transportation Company became the surviving railroad and at
6210-465: The Sunset Limited. Well known were the Southern Pacific's unique " cab-forward " steam locomotives. These were 4-8-8-2 , 2-8-8-2 , and 4-6-6-2 (rebuilt from 2-6-6-2 ) locomotives set up to run in reverse, with the tender attached to the smokebox end of the locomotive. Southern Pacific had a number of snow sheds in mountain terrain, and locomotive crews nearly asphyxiated from smoke in
6325-493: The U.S., cattle and citrus were major industries until farmlands were turned into suburbs. Although military spending cutbacks have had an impact, aerospace continues to be a major factor. Southern California is home to many major business districts. Central business districts (CBD) include Downtown Los Angeles , Downtown Riverside , Downtown San Bernardino , downtown San Diego , and the South Coast Metro . Within
6440-401: 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
6555-432: The aftermath of a major quake, but it cannot guarantee that buildings will be unscathed if the epicenter is relatively close by. The 1994 Northridge earthquake was particularly destructive, causing a substantial number of deaths, injuries, and structural collapses. The quake caused the most property damage of any earthquake in U.S. history at an estimated $ 20 billion. Many Southern California faults are able to produce
6670-1026: 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. Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal )
6785-419: 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
6900-407: 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
7015-605: 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
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#17327909970157130-426: The cab. After a number of engineers began running their engines in reverse (pushing the tender), Southern Pacific asked Baldwin Locomotive Works to produce cab-forward designs. No other North American railroad ordered cab-forward locomotives. Narrow Gauge Locomotives Until May 1, 1971 (when Amtrak took over long-distance passenger operations in the United States), the Southern Pacific at various times operated
7245-497: The centers of their respective metropolitan areas, composed of numerous smaller cities and communities. The urban area is also host to an international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan region, created by the urban area spilling over into Baja California . The main barrier to urbanization along the Interstate 5 corridor is Camp Pendleton . The cities and communities along Interstate 15 and Interstate 215 are so interrelated that Temecula and Murrieta have as much connection with
7360-400: The cities of San Bernardino and Riverside. In Orange County, has highly developed suburban business centers (also known as edge cities ) including the Anaheim–Santa Ana edge city along I-5; and another, the South Coast Plaza–John Wayne Airport edge city that stretches from the South Coast Metro to the Irvine Business Complex ; Newport Center ; and Irvine Spectrum . Downtown Santa Ana
7475-472: 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
7590-429: 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
7705-443: 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
7820-455: 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
7935-563: 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
8050-605: 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
8165-407: 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
8280-594: The division of Alta California at 36 degrees, 30 minutes, the line of the Missouri Compromise . Instead, the passing of the Compromise of 1850 enabled California to be admitted to the Union as a free state , preventing the southern half of California from becoming its own separate slave state . Subsequently, Californians (dissatisfied with inequitable taxes and land laws) and pro-slavery Southerners in
8395-600: 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,
8510-483: The few in the country equipped to design and build locomotives on a large scale. Sacramento was among the top ten largest shops in the US, occupying 200 acres of land with dozens of buildings and an average employment of 3,000, peaking at 7,000 during World War II. Other major shop sites were located at Ogden, Utah ; Houston, Texas ; and Algiers, New Orleans . After the 1906 earthquake destroyed much of San Francisco, including
8625-429: The first decade of the 21st century, droughts and wildfires have increased in frequency as a result of climate change . Southern California consists of one of the more varied collections of geologic, topographic, and natural ecosystem landscapes in a diversity outnumbering other major regions in the state and country. The region spans from Pacific Ocean islands , shorelines , beaches, and coastal plains , through
8740-749: The five most populous in the state, and are among the top 15 most populous counties in the United States. The motion picture , television and music industry are centered in the Los Angeles area in Southern California. Hollywood , a district of Los Angeles, gives its name to the American motion picture industry, which is synonymous with the neighborhood name. Headquartered in Southern California are The Walt Disney Company (which owns ABC ), Sony Pictures , Universal Pictures , MGM , Paramount Pictures , and Warner Bros . Universal, Warner Bros., and Sony also run major record companies. Southern California
8855-429: The following named passenger trains . Trains with names in italicized bold text still operate under Amtrak: The man or men who committed this horrible deed near Glendale may not be anarchists, technically speaking. But if they are sane men, moved by motive, they are such stuff as anarchists are made of. If the typical anarchist conceived that a railroad corporation should be terrorized, he would not scruple to wreck
8970-442: 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.,
9085-440: 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
9200-606: 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,
9315-612: 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
9430-500: The lightly populated "cow counties" of Southern California attempted three times in the 1850s to achieve a separate statehood or territorial status separate from Northern California . The last attempt, the Pico Act of 1859, was passed by the California State Legislature and signed by State Governor John B. Weller . It was approved overwhelmingly by nearly 75 percent of voters to form the proposed Territory of Colorado . This territory
9545-577: The locomotive's smokebox silver (almost white in appearance), with graphite colored sides, for visibility. Some passenger steam locomotives bore the Daylight scheme, named after the trains they hauled, most of which had the word Daylight in the train name. The most famous "Daylight" locomotives were the GS-4 steam locomotives . The most famous Daylight-hauled trains were the Coast Daylight and
9660-550: The more urban region) that have been left undeveloped. It is the third most populated megalopolis in the United States, after the Great Lakes megalopolis and the Northeast megalopolis . Much of Southern California is famous for its large, spread-out, suburban communities and use of automobiles and highways. The dominant areas are Los Angeles, Orange County , San Diego , and Riverside – San Bernardino , each of which are
9775-462: 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
9890-541: 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
10005-638: The other line connecting San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange counties directly. Southern California is also home to the Port of Los Angeles , the country's busiest commercial port; the adjacent Port of Long Beach , the country's second busiest container port; and the Port of San Diego . The following table shows all airports listed by the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) as a hub airport: Southern Pacific Railroad The Southern Pacific ( reporting mark SP ) (or Espee from
10120-656: 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
10235-563: 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
10350-529: The pruning of branch lines. On October 13, 1988, the Southern Pacific Transportation Company (including its subsidiary, St. Louis Southwestern Railway) was taken over by Rio Grande Industries , the parent company that controlled the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (reporting marks D&RGW). Rio Grande Industries did not merge the Southern Pacific Transportation Company and the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad together, but transferred direct ownership of
10465-484: The railroad initials) was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States . The system was operated by various companies under the names Southern Pacific Railroad , Southern Pacific Company and Southern Pacific Transportation Company . The original Southern Pacific began in 1865 as a land holding company. The last incarnation of
10580-402: The same time the Union Pacific Corporation renamed the Southern Pacific Transportation Company to Union Pacific Railroad. Thus, the Southern Pacific Transportation Company became, and is still operating as, the current incarnation of the Union Pacific Railroad. Like most railroads, the SP painted most of its steam locomotives black during the 20th century, but after 1945 SP painted the front of
10695-562: 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
10810-471: The sole county to vote for the GOP, with Orange County having been Democrat since 2012. Southern California is one of the largest economies in the United States. It is dominated by, and heavily dependent upon, the abundance of petroleum, as opposed to other regions where automobiles are not nearly as dominant, due to the vast majority of transport that runs on this fuel. Southern California is famous for tourism and
10925-584: The southern section of the San Andreas (in the Palm Springs region, which has not ruptured in ~400 years), the entire Southern California portion of the San Andreas Fault is ready to produce a powerful earthquake in the near future. Notable faults capable of large magnitude events include the San Jacinto Fault (a splay of the San Andreas that runs directly under the I-10 & I-215 interchange),
11040-470: The state, formed by the northern boundaries of San Luis Obispo , Kern , and San Bernardino counties, which are not exactly a straight line. Another definition for Southern California uses Point Conception and the Tehachapi Mountains as the northern geographical barriers, especially when defining California's bioregions . In this definition, Owens Valley and Death Valley are part of
11155-408: 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
11270-563: 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
11385-417: The top eight largest cities in the United States. In Southern California, there are also 14 cities with more than 200,000 residents and 48 cities over 100,000 residents. Many of Southern California's most developed cities lie along or in close proximity to the coast, with the exception of San Bernardino and Riverside. Southern California has drifted left since 2004, and is solidly Democrat. Kern County remains
11500-445: 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
11615-429: The world's busiest general aviation airport; major commercial airports at San Bernardino , Orange County , Bakersfield , Ontario , Burbank , and Long Beach ; and numerous smaller commercial and general aviation airports. Six of the seven lines of the commuter rail system, Metrolink , run out of Downtown Los Angeles, connecting Los Angeles, Ventura , San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and San Diego counties with
11730-435: The world's largest action sports events, including the X Games , Boost Mobile Pro , and the U.S. Open of Surfing , are held in Southern California. The region is also important to the world of yachting with premier events including the annual Transpacific Yacht Race , or Transpac , from Los Angeles to Hawaii. San Diego Yacht Club hosted the three America's Cup races from 1988 to 1995. The first modern-era triathlon
11845-529: 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 ,
11960-403: 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
12075-450: 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
12190-423: 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
12305-677: 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,
12420-715: Was also marketed under the Southern Pacific name. Along with the addition of the SPCSL Corporation route from Chicago to St. Louis, the former mainline of the Chicago, Missouri and Western Railroad that once belonged to the Alton Railroad , the total length of the D&;RGW/SP/SSW system was 15,959 miles (25,684 km). Rio Grande Industries was later renamed Southern Pacific Rail Corporation . By 1996, years of financial problems had dropped Southern Pacific's mileage to 13,715 miles (22,072 km). The financial problems caused
12535-428: Was fully merged into the SP in 1961. In 1969, the Southern Pacific Transportation Company was established and took over the Southern Pacific Company; this Southern Pacific railroad is the last incarnation and was at times called "Southern Pacific Industries", though "Southern Pacific Industries" is not the official name of the company. By the 1980s, route mileage had dropped to 10,423 miles (16,774 km), mainly due to
12650-528: Was grouped with other counties of the San Joaquin Valley , California's central agricultural valley. Southern California consists of a heavily developed urban environment, home to some of the largest urban areas in the state, along with the Deserts of California (part of which was even proposed to become a new county due to cultural, economic and geographic differences relative to the rest of
12765-590: Was held in San Diego's Mission Bay in 1974. Since then, Southern California, and San Diego in particular, have become a mecca for triathlon and multi-sport racing, products, and culture. Southern California has multiple sports franchises and networks, such as Fox Sports Net . Many of these locals and tourists frequent the Southern California coast for its beaches. Some of Southern California's most popular beaches are Malibu , Laguna Beach , La Jolla , Manhattan Beach , and Hermosa Beach . Southern California
12880-546: Was high in the Bakersfield-Kern County , Santa Maria , and San Luis Obispo areas. Most of Southern California has a Mediterranean -like climate, with warm and dry summers, mild and wet winters, where cool weather and freezing temperatures are rare. Southern California contains other types of climates, including semi-arid , desert and mountain , with infrequent rain and many sunny days. Summers are hot or warm, and dry, while winters are mild, and rainfall
12995-717: Was reduced in 1790 as the result of 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
13110-698: Was the name of a proposed new state which failed to get on the 2018 California ballot. The ballot measure proposed splitting the existing state into three parts. In December 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic , the state government led by Governor Gavin Newsom divided the state into five regions for the purpose of issuing stay-at-home orders. The Southern California region consisted of the following counties: Imperial , Inyo , Los Angeles , Mono , Orange , Riverside , San Bernardino , San Diego , San Luis Obispo , Santa Barbara , and Ventura . However, Kern County
13225-707: Was to include a portion of the much larger Tulare County and all of San Luis Obispo County . The proposal was sent to Washington, D.C. , with a strong advocate in Senator Milton Latham . However, the secession crisis following the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and the subsequent American Civil War led to the proposal never coming to a vote. In 1900, the Los Angeles Times defined Southern California as including "the seven counties of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, and Santa Barbara." This definition left out San Luis Obispo and Kern counties. Southern California
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