National Bank of Whittier Building
Also known as: Bank of America Building
Why it's listed
Rising six stories at a Whittier street corner, this reinforced concrete bank and office building was completed in 1923 to designs by the Los Angeles firm of John and Donald Parkinson. Its terra cotta facades are richly ornamented in a Second Renaissance Revival manner, with a granite base, pilasters, leaded-glass transoms, scroll stringcourses, urn-and-vine panels and a bracketed cornice. The exterior remains largely original, and upper floors keep features such as brass and cast iron stair railings, wood doors and a manually operated elevator. The site has held a bank since 1887, and this structure replaced an 1880s brick building at a cost of $414,000. It was the largest and tallest building in Whittier for many years. The building also housed law offices, including the firm Richard M. Nixon joined in 1937, making it the site of his first law office. These ties to architecture, local commerce and politics underlie its recognition.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the best remaining example of Second Renaissance Revival style in the greater Whittier area and was designed by the noted Los Angeles firm of John and Donald Parkinson. Its site has housed banks since 1887, contributing to local commercial development. It also held the first law office of Richard M. Nixon, later the 37th President.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 82000969, listed December 30, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 13002 E. Philadelphia St., Whittier |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | December 30, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82000969 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1923 |
| Architect / builder | John and Donald Parkinson |
| Architectural style | Second Renaissance Revival |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in commercial use; exterior virtually unchanged, interior partly modified, with the ground-floor bank lobby remodeled in the early 1960s. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 33.97886, -118.03711 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 82000969.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14683460
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.