Whittier Public Library Historical Photograph Collection

Whittier Public Library staff

Whittier Public Library

7344 S. Washington Ave.

Whittier, CA 90602

(562) 464-3450

http://www.whittierlibrary.org/

Descriptive Summary

Title: Whittier Public Library historical photograph collection

Dates: Circa 1890-1960

Bulk Dates: 1900-1954

Collection number: Consult library

Collector: Whittier Public Library

Collection Size: 205 photographs 205 online items

Repository: Whittier Public Library

Whittier, CA 90602

Abstract: The Whittier Historical Photograph Collection includes images documenting the foundation of the community of Whittier, California during the periods of the late 1800s to the middle of the 20th century. The images in the Whittier Historical Photograph Collection depict not only historical buildings and portraits of early Whittier settlers; they also document the beginnings of the California citrus, oil, and transportation industries. Many of the images in this collection display the prosperous time of growth as seen in similar early California settlements. Images include the Casa de Governor Pio Pico, (home of the last Mexican Governor of California), the Jonathan Bailey house, (purchased under the protection of the Homestead Act for $234), the Carnegie Library of Whittier, theaters (Sundown Drive-in), churches, local canyons, oil derricks, commercial buildings, personal photographs of residents, schools (including the reformatory school, Fred C. Nelles), and the funeral of poet John Greenleaf Whittier. The collection also includes images of historical craftsman homes, many of which are still standing. The collection includes photographic prints, negatives, and postcards.

Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English

Access

Collection open for research.

Preferred Citation

Whittier Public Library historical photograph collection. Consult library. Whittier Public Library, Whittier, CA 90602.

Acquisition Information

This collection of photographs is derived from various sources including donations from the Coffin family, the McMurray family, and Orville G. Espolt.

Project Information

This collection was assembled from the Whittier Historical Photograph Collection at the Whittier Public Library as part of the California Local History Digital Resources Project (LHDRP). Working in part with the California Digital Library, Califa, and the LHDRP, this collection of images were digitized and preserved for future researchers, scholars, students, and the general public. These images will now be available via the California Digital Library?s (CDL) Calisphere website (see http://www.calisphere.universityofcalifornia.edu ).

Project activities spanned from July 2006 ? June 2007. Activities included digitization, photograph documentation and research, preservation, and cataloging. Digital objects were created and cataloged using Contentdm, a digital asset management tool shared by LHDRP participants. Cataloging conforms to the CDL?s Guidleines for Digital Objects specifications for descriptive and copyright metadata. (see http://www.cdlib.org/inside/diglib/guidelines/ ).

The Whittier Public Library plans to continue to digitize the majority of their remaining photograph collection and early Whittier Daily News newspaper collections. For more detailed information on this collection and other digitized collections at the Whittier Public Library, contact the Whittier Public Library. (see http://www.whittierlibrary.org/ ).

For more information on the LHDRP, see http://www.cdlib.org/inside/projects/oac/lsta/ .

Scope and Content of Collection

The Whittier Historical Photograph Collection includes images documenting the foundation of the community of Whittier, California during the periods of the late 1800s to the middle of the 20th century. The images in the Whittier Historical Photograph Collection depict not only historical buildings and portraits of early Whittier settlers; they also document the beginnings of the California citrus, oil, and transportation industries. Many of the images in this collection display the prosperous time of growth as seen in similar early California settlements. Images include the Casa de Governor Pio Pico, (home of the last Mexican Governor of California), the Jonathan Bailey house, (purchased under the protection of the Homestead Act for $234), the Carnegie Library of Whittier, theaters (Sundown Drive-in), churches, local canyons, oil derricks, commercial buildings, personal photographs of residents, schools (including the reformatory school, Fred C. Nelles), and the funeral of poet John Greenleaf Whittier. The collection also includes images of historical craftsman homes, many of which are still standing. This digitized collection includes photographic prints, negatives, and postcards.

This particular digitized collection is part of the Whittier Public Library History Room collection which also includes many more photographs, newspapers, yearbooks, oral histories, maps, and other ephemera regarding the City of Whittier and California history. Works by John Greenleaf Whittier as well as local authors are also represented. Within the collection is also the Whittier Hills Archive, containing primary and secondary resources that relate to the conservation and preservation of the Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor. For additional information regarding the collections inside the Whittier Public Library History Room, visit: http://www.whittierlibrary.org/adult-history-room.html

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection.

Names and Places

Bailey, Jonathan, 1819-1904

Bailey, Rebecca, 1821-1898

Bailey, Ruthette (White)

Baldwin, Sarah, 1853-1947

Bayless, Jane

Bjorkman, Ruth (Samson)

Buckmaster, Lloyd, 1890-1987

Buckmaster, Percy, 1892-1969

Caralambo, George, 1828-1913

Clark, Artilissa Dorland, 1854-1940

Clarks, Arestas Charles, 1843?-1903

Coffman, Annie Dorland, 1865-1942

Dexter, Walter F., 1886-1945

Ditwiler, Thelma

Dorland, Henry, d. 1901

Ellis, Ruth

Ernest, Maude (Hibbs)

Espolt, Orville G., 1901-1987

French, Lillian (Flanders)

Fulmer, Margaret

Gregory, Ernest

Grover, Ermine

Hadley, Washington, 1817-1911

Hodge, Marion

Hofstetter, Marilyn

Hoover, Lou Henry, 1874-1944

Lindley, Hervey (Owens, Kate C.), 1854-1926

Newlin, Emilie, d. 1888

Perry, Herman

Pickering, Mary

Pico, Pio de Jesus IV, 1801-1894

Reynolds, Marion

Rice, Mabel

Robbins, Cleo

Stevens, A.J., 1897-1961

Votaw, Merritt, 1878-1975

Whittier, John Greenleaf, 1807-1892

Catalina Island (Calif.)

Whittier (Calif.)

Topics

Agriculture

Automobile Rallies

Banks

Barbershops

Cemeteries

Citrus fruit industry

City and Town Halls

Churches

Club Houses

Construction

Croquet

Demolition

Electricians

Electric Railroads

Fire Engines and Equipment

Fire Fighters

Founder's Day

Hospitals

Hotels

Landscapes

Librarians

Libraries

May Day

Motorcycles

Newspapers

Parades

Parks

Pioneers

Police

Railroads

Railroad Cars

Railroad Stations

Ranches

Residences

Schools

Stores & shops

Streets

Theatres

War Bonds and Funds

Water Supply

Young Men's Christian Associations

Genres and Forms of Materials

Photographs