Flowers for Founders LbNA #41368 (ARCHIVED)

The Pickering Land & Water Co. purchased 1,259 acres of land for $69,890 from J. Mill Boal. The town was named by Aquila Pickering and other Friends for Quaker poet John Greenleaf Whittier. Although John Greenleaf Whittier never visited the city, he did write a poem in honor of it:

"My Name I Give To Thee"
Dear Town, for whom the flowers are born,
Stars shine, and happy songbirds sing,
What can my evening give to thy morn,
My Winter to Thy Spring?
A life not void of pure intent
With small desert of praise or blame;
The Love I felt, the Good I meant,
I leave Thee with My Name.

Mount Olive Cemetery was the final resting place for two descendents of Aquila Pickering: Macy Pickering and Eunice Pickering. This park was once Whittier Cemetery, Mount Olive Cemetery and Broadway Cemetery. The cemeteries had been abandoned in the 1930's. In 1968 the City of Whittier took advantage of legislation allowing the acquisition of the property and created a park on the four acres of land. Gravestones were removed and two monuments were erected that list the 2380 persons who were buried there.

Once you have located the park, park near the Mount Olive Cemetery. From the monument walk 20 steps north to a fork in the sidewalk. Take a left and walk 30 steps west on the path. Look north for a tree that doesn’t need to be watered. The letterbox is behind the tall tree to the right of it. Look 5 feet up behind it hanging on the chain-link fence. There is a path on the right side along the fence.

As always be stealthy and rehide carefully out of sight. Be respectful of the location and mind the folks napping nearby.