"Quaker Colony Brand Tomatoes, Whittier Canning Company". Whittier Historical Visual Collection. EPH-022.

Bob Donnelson & Angelus Matchcover Club Whittier-area Matchbook Collection

302 matchbook covers advertising Whittier-area businesses were lent to the library in 2014 by collectors Bob Donnelson and the Angelus Match Cover Club. These have primarily been dated by street addresses (which changed throughout Whittier in 1966), and by whether the “striker” (the sandpaper used to strike the match) is on the front or back of the matchbook. In 1971, a law was passed prohibiting front strikers, and businesses were given two years to distribute their back stock of front strikers. This collection is a colorful look at the history of restaurants, shops, and country clubs in Whittier, as well as Pico Rivera and La Habra. 

Leeba Lessin Whittier Postcard Collection

In 2019, Leeba Lessin, proprietor of Auntie's Bakery & Cafe in Uptown Whittier, donated 141 historical postcards depicting Whittier to the Whittier Public Library. Most were purchased on eBay, one at a time, over a period of 20 years. The postcards in this collection cover a range of subjects, including agriculture, business enterprises, church buildings, dwellings, Fred C. Nelles School for Boys (also known as the Whittier State School), hotels, and schools.

Ephemera 

These items of collectible memorabilia, which were originally expected to have only short-term usefulness, reveal unique details about Whittier's past. Here you can peruse tickets, event programs, advertisements, pamphlets, and product labels.

We welcome any additional information you may have about any of these materials. Please send comments or questions to: historyroom@whittierlibrary.org.