Whittier to Celebrate Its Centennial in Poetic Fashion

This city, settled by Quakers and eventually named after the 19th-Century poet John Greenleaf Whittier, will mark its 100th birthday with a series of activities beginning this weekend.

A centennial parade featuring bands and antique cars will get under way at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. The parade will travel from Greenleaf Avenue at Broadway to Central Park, 13200 Bailey St.

A traditional founder’s day celebration with entertainment, old-time memorabilia displays, food booths and other special events will continue from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Central Park. Highlights will include the unveiling and dedication of a 7-foot-tall concrete sculpture of the poet Whittier at noon, a founder’s day ceremony at 1 p.m. and a birthday party with a 100-foot-long cake at 2:30 p.m.

The celebration will continue at 8 p.m. May 16 with “100 Years of Heritage,” an extravaganza to be held at Whittier College Stadium, 13406 E. Philadelphia St. A cast of 3,000 performers will take part in musical numbers featuring authentic costumes and special effects tracing the 100-year life span of the city.

Tickets for the extravaganza are $20, $12 and $6, and can be purchased from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at City Hall, 13230 Penn St. Some $4 field seats are available for disabled persons.

The events will conclude five months of civic activity to commemorate May 11, 1887, the day that Quaker pioneer Jonathan Bailey and his wife moved into their five-room house as the first settlers of the community.