People in Whittier shouldn’t have any trouble orienting themselves when a new signage and branding campaign is revealed down the line.
The debate that led to a redesign of proposed signage wasn’t exactly about where, but when.
A group of residents, including members of the historical society and Whittier College’s president, protested the use of the year 1898 when the city was incorporated, instead of 1887, the year the first Quaker settlement was established in Whittier.
The citywide branding and signage project was launched last year. The city is working with RSM Design on a city logo, Greenleaf/Uptown branding, merchandise concepts, and signage designs for park and street signs and entry monuments.
The City Council approved the updated design concepts presented at a special meeting on Nov. 19, including the use of shades of green to denote trees and other natural elements and a font reminiscent of John Greenleaf Whittier’s, first published work in 1857.
Mayor Joe Vinatieri said the colors used in the rebrand are elegant, and the font was stately and reserved.
“It is not in your face, and I believe it sets us off in a way that’s very different from other communities,” he said.
The group’s second consideration brought objections to the use of the year of incorporation from audience members, who said the use of the year 1898 erases the first 11 years of Whittier’s history.
“Please respect the wishes of people in this community who care about history and use the year that has meaning to us,” said Tracy Whitman, vice president of the Whittier Historical Society.
Whitman, who is also a longtime docent at Bailey House, noted people celebrate Founders Day in Whittier and not Incorporation Day, a determination echoed by Nicholas Edmeier, curator of the Whittier Museum.
“Whittier was established in 1887 by our original Quakers and it’s this history that has been recorded through oral histories and newspapers,” Edmeier said. “This is the founding year that has been preserved and should be continued to be respected to this current day.”
Christine Dillon, president of Whittier College, said she wanted to go on record that the college preferred using the year 1887, the same founding date it shares with the city.
“Whittier College and the City of Whittier have both traditionally acknowledged 1887 as our founding dates, and we at the College are proud of this shared and intertwined history,: she said.
The City Council directed staff to incorporate both years in a redesign. Shannon DeLong, assistant city manager, said she anticipates bringing options back to the City Council early next year.
“I think the Council’s decision to show both the founding date (1887) and the date of incorporation (1898) in their new branding is the perfect path forward,” Dillon said.
The overhaul, with a budget of $326,200, also includes a new tagline — “Charm. Culture. Community” — that will be used on print and digital materials. The idea is to underline what drives people to stay in Whittier and become part of its community, said Steve Luoma, associate designer at RSM Design, when he made a presentation to the City Council last year.