8310 Comstock Ave
Whittier, CA 90602, USA

Orin Jordan House (Old Jordan House;Whitaker Home) - National Register of Historic Places

Statement of Significance:

The Orin Jordan House, built I89O, is significant in its association with the early development of Whittier and the citrus culture and citrus packing industry of the Whittier area. The wood frame house is an example of the expert craftsmanship as employed by Jordan and one hired carpenter. As a representative of the fast-disappearing late I880's farm and small-town house it is unique on the large lot surrounded by commercial buildings and dwellings of a later period. It is the only house of this age in the immediate vicinity. Although uptown’; Whittier ‘has other old houses, very few are of- ' this date.

Orin Jordan, a Kansas wheat farmer, was one of the early settlers of Whittier, arriving in 1888 with his family one year after the townsite was laid out. Of modest means, he purchased 24 acres on the south side of the County Road (later changed to Whittier Blvd.) between present day Greenleaf Avenue and Comstock Avenue and planted oranges and walnuts on most of the property. First built was a small barn in which the family resided until the house was completed. Recognizing the new and growing interest of orange culture in Southern California he entered into a partnership with a Ed Bacon to contract with later arriving farmers in the planting of citrus- groves. Many of the first orange groves of the Whittier area were planted by this partnership. The packing house industry followed* Jordan was noted connected with this.

In 1926, the house was moved contact approximately 300 feet southwest on the farm to its present Comstock Avenue location. This move represents the continuing-growth, of■ Whittier, the original site on Whittier Blvd., being developed for business buildings. Balance of the farm was later subdivided for both business and residential uses.

Architecturally, the Jordan house, with its ornate gables and roof lines, retains all the grace and character of the original construction, 'the roof over the front porch balcony and the north side porch could readily be removed without injury to the house. Window trim and doorway trim are simple and clean in appearance. The new composition roof in compatible. The only major exterior repairs needed is the replacement of a sill timber at the northwest corner and placement of a new 8-inch concrete block foundation under the entire building as per existing codes. Entire house, inside and out, has been cleaned and repainted. With the exceptions of patching cracked plaster areas on ceilings and painting of woodwork, and the roofed balcony and side porch, the house retains original materials and character.

In 1928, the house was sold to Lee and Lassie Whitaker who remained, as residents until 1979.

In the 1973 Whittier Greenleaf Redevelopment study the house was potentially endangered, until purchase was made by Vita Garrett in 1979•

The house will be occupied by the Developmentally Handicapped of the Whittier area. Their organization is applying for a federal grant-in-aid to acquire the property and have entered into a long-term lease June 1, 1980,

Orin Jordan Family Background;
Orin Leland Jordan was born near Hollowell, Maine, July 20, 1847. From Maine the family moved to Iowa where Orin met Eliza Kratzer (born November 11, 1849). On November 22, I870 the two were married and soon after put all possessions in a covered wagon and moved on to Kansas where Orin had filed on a land claim in Greenwood County. Here the family, which would grow with six children, lived for 18 years on the land used for wheat farming. Jordan learned of the new townsite of Whittier from his brother-in-law, William Briggs. After making a trip to the area he returned home, sold the farm and in 1888 rented a freight car for the trip to Whittier. Family lived in the freight car along with their possessions and two milk cows.

A seventh child was born to the Jordans in Whittier.
(Walter Wood, listed in Major Bibliographical References, is a grandson of the Jordans).