Whittier is located in Los Angeles County, about 12 miles southeast of the City of Los Angeles, California.
The City of Whittier has a diverse and colorful history beginning with the Gabrielino Indians who first inhabited the area during the City’s pre-history. Later, Spanish California (1769-1821) would influence the region with the establishment of both missions and large ranchos. It was the Spanish land grant given to retired solider Jose Manuel Nieto in 1784 that would encompass part of present day Whittier.
During the 1920s and 1930s, residential and commercial development was becoming increasingly geared toward accommodating the automobile. This became evident as residential garages replaced barns and streets were widened and paved with parking spaces to accommodate automobile traffic as the use of public rail for transportation waned and eventually ended in Whittier by 1938.
Here, below are some rare and amazing vintage photos that show the life in Whittier, California from between the 1900s and 1920s.
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The City of Whittier has a diverse and colorful history beginning with the Gabrielino Indians who first inhabited the area during the City’s pre-history. Later, Spanish California (1769-1821) would influence the region with the establishment of both missions and large ranchos. It was the Spanish land grant given to retired solider Jose Manuel Nieto in 1784 that would encompass part of present day Whittier.
During the 1920s and 1930s, residential and commercial development was becoming increasingly geared toward accommodating the automobile. This became evident as residential garages replaced barns and streets were widened and paved with parking spaces to accommodate automobile traffic as the use of public rail for transportation waned and eventually ended in Whittier by 1938.
Here, below are some rare and amazing vintage photos that show the life in Whittier, California from between the 1900s and 1920s.
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| Whittier College Girls Basketball Team in 1900 in front of Founders Hall in Whittier, California. |
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| Driving on Turnbull Canyon in Whittier, 1914 |
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| Whittier, CA Fire Department in 1904 |
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| Whittier Bakery truck, 1900 |
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| Celebrating the building of Turnbull Canyon Road in Whittier, CA, 1913 |
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| Golden Rule Store, 1910 |
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| D.E. McDaneld Packard store, vintage cars and lots of girls back in Whittier, California, 1925. They even used girls to sell cars back then! |
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| The Greenleaf Hotel on Greenleaf Avenue in Whittier, 1910 |
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| First National Bank, corner of Greenleaf and Philadelphia in Whittier, California, ca. 1907 |
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| Citrus Packing, California, 1910 |
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| The Quaker community of Whittier in 1907 |
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| J.A. Buckmaster Shoe store with owners on Greenleaf Avenue in Whittier, 1910 |
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| County Road in Whittier, 1920 |
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| Vintage Road Rally, Whittier, 1912 |
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| William Penn Hotel, early 1900s |
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| Carrying telephone poles, 1910 |
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| Lady plowing California in 1910 |
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| California farm school, 1900 |
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| Santa Fe Springs oil crew |
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| Kids at Bailey Street School, 1907 |
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| Whittier, California had many walnut trees back in the early 1900s |
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| Phildelphia St., Whittier, CA, 1924 |
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| Cabbage packing industry near the Whittier Brick Company in 1910 |
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| Barber shop 1906 |
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| Croquet game, 1920 |
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| Whittier Sanitary Dairy, 1925 |
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| May Pole Dance, Whittier, 1905 |
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| Hazlitt Market and A&R Cleaners on Greenleaf Avenue in Whittier, California, ca. 1920s |
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| Walnut shipping at Rivera Freight House, 1925 |
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| The News, Whittier, CA, 1905. This was the location of the The News and its employees in Whittier, California. |