View source for Whittier Narrows

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox mountain pass
| name = Whittier Narrows
| photo = 070216-A-LA999-001 reversed.jpg
| photo_caption = Aerial view of [[Whittier Narrows Dam]] from downstream looking upstream through the gap.
| elevation_ft = 183
| elevation_ref = <ref name=gnis>{{cite web | url={{Gnis3|1173129}} | title=Delaware Water Gap | work=[[Geographic Names Information System]] | publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]] | access-date=2008-08-29 }}</ref>
| traversed = {{Jct|state=CA|I|605}}, {{jct|state=CA|CA|19}}
| location = North of [[Whittier, California]]
| range = [[Puente Hills]] / Montebello Hills
| coordinates = {{coord|34|01|45|N|118|02|58|W|type:pass_region:US|display=inline}}<ref name=gnis />
| topo =
}}
The '''Whittier Narrows''' is a [[narrows]] or [[water gap]] in the [[San Gabriel Valley]] of [[Los Angeles County, California]], United States, between the [[Puente Hills]] to the east<ref>{{Cite GNIS|1654992|Puente Hills}}</ref> and the Montebello Hills to the west.<ref>{{Cite GNIS|246125|Montebello Hills}}</ref> The gap  is located at the southern boundary of the San Gabriel Valley,<ref>{{Cite GNIS|1940052|San Gabriel Valley}}</ref> through which the [[Rio Hondo (California)|Rio Hondo]]<ref>{{Cite GNIS|248210|Rio Hondo}}</ref> and the [[San Gabriel River (California)|San Gabriel River]] flow to enter the [[Los Angeles Basin]]. The Narrows is located near the convergence of [[Interstate 605]] (the San Gabriel River Freeway) and [[California State Route 60]] (the Pomona Freeway).

==History==
The [[Tongva]] village of [[Shevaanga]] was located in the northern areas of the Whittier Narrows.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gabrielino/Tongva Nation of the Greater Los Angeles Basin |url=https://nahc.ca.gov/cp/tribal-atlas-pages/gabrielino-tongva-nation/ |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=NAHC Digital Atlas }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Greene |first1=Sean |last2=Curwen |first2=Thomas |title=Mapping the Tongva villages of L.A.'s past |url=https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-tongva-map/ |access-date=2023-04-25 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=9 May 2019 |language=en}}</ref> The first European land exploration of [[Alta California]], the Spanish [[Portolá expedition]], traversed Whittier Narrows on its return journey to [[San Diego]]. He wrote that the natives "presented us fish, hare, nuts, pine nuts, acorns, and other seeds prepared after their fashion".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sahagún |first=Louis |last2=Greene |first2=Sean |date=2023-10-09 |title=Tribal leaders and researchers have mapped the ancient 'lost suburbs' of Los Angeles |url=https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2023-10-09/researchers-map-ancient-tribal-villages-of-los-angeles |access-date=2023-10-09 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> On the outbound journey, the party had followed San Jose Creek, reaching the San Gabriel River north of the Narrows. [[Franciscan]] missionary [[Juan Crespi]] noted in his diary, "We started out in the morning through the gap of the valley of San Miguel [now San Gabriel], which is very full of trees. We traveled a long while to the southwest on the edge of the stream, which, rising from a copious spring of water in the same gap, merits now the name of river; its plain is covered with willows and some slender cotton woods." 

From the exploration [[Mission Vieja]] was built at Whittier Narrows  in 1771. A flood in 1776 caused Mission Vieja to move to [[Mission San Gabriel Arcángel]] in San Gabriel.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bolton |first=Herbert E. |pages=270 |year=1927 |title=Fray Juan Crespi: Missionary Explorer on the Pacific Coast, 1769–1774 |url=http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000288788 |publisher=HathiTrust Digital Library |access-date=2019-02-21}}</ref> Whittier Narrows was the meeting point for boundary corners of several land-grant [[Ranchos of California|''ranchos'']], created during the Spanish-Mexican era, including the [[Rancho Paso de Bartolo]].

On October 1, 1987 at 7:42 a.m. PDT, the 5.9 {{M|w}} [[1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake|Whittier Narrows earthquake]] affected the [[Greater Los Angeles Area]] with a maximum [[Mercalli intensity scale|Mercalli intensity]] of VIII (''Severe'').

In October 2008, a proposed new interpretive center drew controversy over the potential destruction of a large amount of existing wildlife habitat.<ref name="sahagun">{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-me-narrows12-2008oct12,0,57679.story |first=Louis |last=Sahagún |title=Plans for major overhaul of Whittier Narrows nature preserve stir passions |access-date=2008-10-12|newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=12 October 2008 }}</ref>

==Whittier Narrows Recreation Area==
[[File:Whittier Narrows Basin.JPG|thumb|View north of the Whittier Narrows Dam]]
The Whittier Narrows Recreation Area is a {{cvt|1500|acre|km2|sp=us|adj=on}} multi-use facility, mostly in an unincorporated part of [[Los Angeles County]], containing North Lake, Center Lake, and Legg Lake (where radio-controlled model speedboats may be operated), a rifle and pistol shooting range, numerous softball and soccer fields with picnic tables, a paved airstrip for radio-controlled hobby aircraft, a [[tether car]] race track, a USA BMX race track, and a connector trail between the Class I [[Rio Hondo bicycle path]] and the [[San Gabriel River bicycle path]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Fleming |first=Charles |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/912325615 |title=Secret walks : a walking guide to the hidden trails of Los Angeles |date=2015 |isbn=978-1-59580-821-9 |location=Solana Beach, California |chapter=22 |oclc=912325615 |author-link=Charles Fleming (author)}}</ref>

The place also has boat ride areas that can be used when paid, bike rides, and rentals. There is also a playground for other people to enjoy. 

The park is roughly bordered by Garvey Avenue and San Gabriel Blvd to the north and west and Durfee Avenue and Santa Anita/Merced Avenues to the south and east. A convenient point of access is the Rosemead Blvd ([[California State Route 19|State Route 19]]) exit south from the [[California State Route 60|Pomona (60) Freeway]].

Within the Recreation Area is the Whittier Narrows Nature Center, which contains exhibits about the plants and animals of the river environment, including live displays. The center offers public programs, lectures, ranger tours and education programs.

Dragon sculptures by Benjamin Dominquez can be seen here; others are at Laguna de San Gabriel Nautical Playground at [[Vincent Lugo Park]] in San Gabriel.<ref name=":0" />

==Whittier Narrows Dam==
{{main article|Whittier Narrows Dam}}
The Whittier Narrows Dam is a flood control and water conservation project constructed and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District. It collects runoff from the uncontrolled drainage areas upstream along with releases from the [[Santa Fe Dam]], and can redirect flows into the Rio Hondo or the downstream San Gabriel. It was completed in 1957.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-mega-storm-dam-failure-20190218-story.html |title=Rare L.A. mega-storm could overwhelm dam and flood dozens of cities, experts say |last=Sahagún |first=Louis |date=February 18, 2019 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=20 February 2019}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Battle of Rio San Gabriel]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Whittier Narrows}}
*{{cite web | url = http://parks.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/dpr/Parks/Whittier_Narrows_Recreation_Area | title = Whittier Narrows Recreation Area}}
*{{cite web | url = http://parks.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/dpr/Parks/Whittier_Narrows_Nature_Center  | title = Whittier Narrows Nature Center}}
*{{cite web | url = http://naturalareafriends.net  | title = Friends of the Whittier Narrows Natural Area}}

{{Geographic Location
 | title = '''Destinations from Whittier Narrows'''
 | Centre =Whittier Narrows
 | North =[[Rosemead, California|Rosemead]] 
 | Northeast =[[South El Monte, California|South El Monte]]
 | East = [[Avocado Heights, California|Avocado Heights]]
 | Southeast =Unincorporated Los Angeles County
 | South = [[Pico Rivera, California|Pico Rivera]]
 | Southwest =[[Montebello, California|Montebello]]
 | West =  [[Rosemead, California|Rosemead]]<br>[[South San Gabriel, California|South San Gabriel]]
 | Northwest =[[Rosemead, California|Rosemead]]
 | image =
}}

{{County of Los Angeles}}

[[Category:Puente Hills]]
[[Category:San Rafael Hills]]
[[Category:San Gabriel River (California)]]
[[Category:Geography of the San Gabriel Valley]]
[[Category:Landforms of Los Angeles County, California]]
<!---[[Category:Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation]]--->
[[Category:Nature centers in California]]
[[Category:Parks in Los Angeles County, California]]
[[Category:Water gaps of the United States]]
[[Category:Valleys of California]]