The city of Whittier, California, has numerous historic properties listed on federal, state, and local registries. Seven properties are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and seven have been designated as California Historic Landmarks. The city's landmark listings are the most extensive, totaling 110 properties as of 2022.

Three properties are listed on all three registries: Jonathan Bailey House, built in the 1860s by early Quaker settler Jonathan Bailey, and the site of early Quaker meetings in the city; Standard Oil Building, built in 1914 to support oil drilling operations; and Orin Jordan House, a Victorian house built in 1888.

Other notable properties include Pio Pico Casa, the 19th century home of Pío Pico, a large land owner and the last Mexican governor of Alta California, and the Whittier Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, built in 1892.

National Register Seven buildings in Whittier have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

+No.NameImageLocationNRHP YearDescription1Pio Pico Casa6003 Pioneer Blvd19732Jonathan Bailey House13421 E. Camilla St.19773Standard Oil Building7257 Bright Avenue19804Orin Jordan House8310 Comstock Ave19805National Bank of Whittier Building13002 Philadelphia St.19826Hoover Hotel7035 Greenleaf Ave20027Whittier Southern Pacific Railroad Depot7333 Greenleaf Ave(formerly 11825 Bailey St.)2005

California Historic Landmarks In addition, seven propertharries in Whittier (some sites having multiple buildings) have been designated by the State of California as California Historic Landmarks.

+No.NameImageLocationDateDescription1Casa de Governor Pio Pico6003 Pioneer Blvd19732Jonathan Bailey House13421 E. Camilla St.19773Standard Oil Building7257 Bright Avenue19804Orin Jordan House8310 Comstock Ave19805Johnson-Harrison House 6554 Friends Ave19896Fred C. Nelles School11850 Whittier Blvd1994Three designated buildings: school, administrative building, and superintendent's house7Whittier High School 12417 E Philadelphia Ave1996Multiple buildings designated, including science building, library, girl's locker room, commerce building, auditorium, cafeteria/annex, auto/machine shop, radio shop, art building, wood/print shop

City-designated landmarks In the first half of the 1980s, Whittier lost several historic buildings, including the Murphy Hospital, the William Penn Hotel, and in 1983 the sudden demolition of the arched Spanish-style Union Pacific depot. The Southern Pacific's decision to cease service led to concerns that the Southern Pacific depot, built in the 1880s, would also be lost.

The City adopted a historic resources ordinance in 1986. The ordinance required city approval for changes to the exterior of historic structures and provided a 180-day moratorium on the demolition process.

Only four buildings were designated in the first two years after passage of the ordinance. Two of those, the Briggs House and Southern Pacific Depot, were moved despite the designation. The 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake substantially damaged other historic buildings, including the old City Hall, the Lindley Building, and the Harvey Apartments -- each of which was leveled after the earthquake. The Whittier Theatre, which was one of the first buildings receiving landmark designation, was also damaged in the earthquake; it was eventually leveled.

The loss of significant historic resources in the earthquake spurred a movement to accelerate the city's historic preservation efforts. After a review of more than 75 buildings, the Whittier City Council in October 1990 added 14 buildings to the local historic register.

+No.NameImageLocationDateDescription1Southern Pacific Railroad Depot7333 Greenleaf Ave.(formerly 11825 Bailey St.)1986-12-082Briggs House 6516 Bright Ave1989-08-22Built in 1901 for William P. Briggs, a citrus rancher, justice of the peace, and charter member of the First Friends Church3Johnson-Harrison House 6554 Friends Ave1989-09-07Craftsman house built 1912 for A.C. Johnson, who founded Whittier First National Savings Bank and was on the Whittier College board of trustees for 40 years. It was later owned by architect William Henry Harrison.4Strong House/Ranchito Del Fuerte 11114 Orange Dr.1991-09-11Built in late 1860s on 220 acres purchased by Charles and Harriet Strong from Pio Pico; Harriet became exporter of pampas grass5Chase House 6523 Bright Ave1991-09-256Bailey House 13421 Camilla St1991-09-257Orin Jordan House8310 Comstock Ave1991-09-25Victorian house built 19008Standard Oil Building13033 Penn St1991-09-25Simple Mission Revival style, built 1914 as an early corporate office building9First National Bank of Whittier Building13002 Philadelphia St1991-09-25Beaux Arts structure built 1922 has been the home of four community banks and also housed Richard Nixon's law office10Simon J. Murphy House 7758 S. College Ave1991-09-25Queen Anne Victorian built 1887, 1890, or 1892 (source disagree) by lumber dealer Simon Murphy, who was responsible for developing Whittier's water supply11Dorland House and Barn 12348 Dorland St1991-09-25Queen Anne Victorian built 1888 for the Dorland family, designation includes barn12Guirado House 6237 Greenleaf Ave1991-09-25Victorian house built in 1905 for Mary Ann King Gurado and her husband who operated a general store in Los Nietos13Wellesley House 8600 La Tremoina Ln1991-09-25Two-story ranch home built 1923 by Murphy Ranch & Oil Co. for its resident manager14East Whittier Woman's Improvement Clubhouse 14148 Second St1991-09-25Purchased in 1905 by the East Whittier Woman's Improvement Club and converted into a meetng hall; Richard Nixon's parents married at the site15Aubrey Wardman House 13952 Summit Dr1991-09-25Spanish-style home built in 1925 by the Wardman family that operated the local telephone company, built the Wardman Theatre, and donated buildings to Whittier College16Charles-Sutherland House 6537 Washington Ave1991-09-25Queen Anne Victorian built in 1893 by Barclay Johnson Charles17Citrus Ass'n Packing House 12327 Whittier Blvd1991-09-25Fruit cannery and warehouse built 1894, main packing house built 1902; later converted to shops18National Trust & Saving Bank 6754 Greenleaf Ave1993-04-1319Former Whittier Women's Club 6706 Friends Ave1993-04-2220Former Wardman Theater 7040 Greenleave Ave1993-05-0421Cool-a-Coo Ice Cream Plant 12025 Hadley St1993-05-0422Smullins House 6045 Painter Ave1993-05-04English country-style home built in 1916 for William and Anna Smullins, damaged in 1987 earthquake and restored with help from Whittier HIstorical Society23Mendenhall Hall (Whittier College) 13406 Philadelphia Ave1993-05-04 24Landreth-Harrington House 7055 Washington Ave1993-05-0425St. Matthias Episcopal Church 7056 Washington Ave1994-0726Whittier Paradox Hybrid Walnut Tree 12300 Whittier Blvd1994Planted in 1903 or 1907, a hybrid between English or Persian walnut and a native California walnut; saved from ax when boulevard was widened during 1950s27Rios House 6318 Washington Ave1995-0328Stokes/Sullens House 6235 Bright Ave1997-01-1429Knupp House 6732 Pickering Ave1997-05-2730Osmun House 6513 Washington Ave1997-10-2831Strawbridge House 13648 La Cuarta1997-11-1132Seelt House 6317 Bright Ave1997-12-0933Sheridan House 6546 Friends Ave1997-12-0934S.C. Hookstratten Residence 11706 N Circle Dr1998-07-2835Batson House 6324 Painter Ave1998-09-2236Williams House 8201 Michigan Ave2000-01-1137Swain House 6743 Worsham Dr2000-09-1237Barr House 6056 Friends Ave2000-11-2838The Monterey Building 13019 Bailey St2001-06-2639Thornburgh House 6543 Washington Ave2001-09-1140Coppock House 5821 Painter Ave2001-10-2341Stoody House 6799 Worsham Dr2001-12-1842Eason House 5810 Brigh Ave2002-10-2243McGee House 7332 College Ave2003-04-2244Leslie/Myers House 13537 Beverly Blvd2004-08-1045Mauro Residence 14932 La Cuarta2004-09-14Neoclassical, built 1942 46Warner/Snyder House 5813 Washington Ave2014-12-0747Holton-Haendiges Residence and Barn/Guest House 13634 Mar Vista St2005-09-13Owned by Dr. Quincy Adams Rollin Holton; a refuge for early Quaker settlers48-108Various 2015-07-0761 houses were added to the local list on July 7, 2015, per "Residential Historic Resources Survey (2013)."109Nixon Tudor Cottage 15844 Whittier Blvd2021-11-09Address used by Richard Nixon while he was a Congressman and Vice President in the 1940s and 1960s110J. Clem Arnold Residence 6004 Painter Ave2022-07-12

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