Located about 12 miles southeast of Los Angeles and about 20 miles northwest of Anaheim, the city of Whittier, California is home to Whittier College and also to the Southern California University of Health Sciences. The city was incorporated in 1898, and like many other southern California communities, underwent a population increase following World War II. Whittier experienced an even more rapid population spike starting in the 1990's. Many of the early settlers of Whittier were followers of the Quaker religion, and its citizens eventually named the city after John Greenleaf Whittier, a respected Quaker poet. Whittier wrote a dedication poem, and to this day is honored with an exhibit at the Whittier museum, a statue located in the park, and another statue representing his poem "The Barefoot Boy" near the City Hall. Although Whittier never set foot there, the city still bears his name and is still rooted in the Quaker tradition.
Whittier has a variety of freeways, including the San Gabriel River Freeway (Interstate-605) which transverses the city's northern end. Other nearby freeways include the Golden State Freeway (Interstate-5), Santa Monica Freeway (Interstate-10), Century Freeway (Interstate-105), Pomona Freeway (California State Highway 60), and the Orange Freeway (California State Highway 57).
Whittier Landmarks and Attractions:
Whittier is home to several landmarks. Some of the more notable of these are: The Casa de Governor Pio Pico (home of the last Mexican Governor of California and a designated California Historical Landmark); Pio Pico Historical State Park; El Camino Real; Mt Olive and Broadway Cemeteries; the Jonathan Bailey House (home of one of Whittier's first settlers); The Historic Whittier Transit Depot; President Richard M. Nixon's First Law Office; and the Whittier Historical Society Museum.
Although located in Los Angeles County, Whittier is less than a 30-minute drive to Anaheim. Consequently, a large array of very popular attractions in both the Los Angeles and Orange County regions are easily accessible from Whittier. Some of these include the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Knott's Berry Farm & Knott's Soak City in Buena Park, Universal Studios in Hollywood, and the Los Angeles Zoo.
Likewise, sports fans can enjoy the same level of access to home games for the following professional teams:
Major League Baseball: Dodgers (Los Angeles); L.A. Angels of Anaheim Professional lacrosse: Los Angeles Riptide (MLL) Pro basketball (Los Angeles): Lakers, Clippers (NBA); Sparks (WNBA) Pro hockey (NHL): Kings (Los Angeles); Mighty Ducks (Anaheim) Pro football: Los Angeles Avengers (AFL) Pro soccer: Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)
