The Garden Gate

The bronze doors of The Garden Gate sculpture invites viewers to pass through history and experience the stories and accomplishments of the women of Whittier. Upon entering the portal the viewer discovers the histories of the women of Whittier inscribed in bronze on the interior of each door. Sculptural roses create a garden surrounding the images. The image on the left door is of Harriet Strong and her four children among the pampas grass. The right door depicts Florence Maple Thornburgh peering from behind hollyhocks. Both images are sculpted in bas-relief and they are larger than life at approximately seven feet in height. A child is standing in the opening of the gate inviting the viewer to enter and is gazing upwards reading the histories of the women of Whittier. This figure could represent Lou Henry Hoover or a contemporary child gaining inspiration from the many accomplishments of the women of Whittier. The bronze gate is 9 feet high, 3 to 4 inches thick and the whole sculpture is approximately 6 feet wide.

	THE GARDEN GATE 10839 Beverly Blvd. People Place and Meaning (Back of Right Door) Through time these hills have witnessed people of various cultures, all have left their impression upon its soil. The Gabrielano/Tongva people were perhaps the earliest. They journeyed through this site upon a footpath that extended from the Pacific Ocean to the San Gabriel Mountains and beyond. Spanish and Mexican travelers also utilized this ancient trail. It was known as North Walk. One of Whittier’s earliest settlers recognized the potential of this garden setting. Harriet Williams Russell Strong, with her husband Charles, purchased 220 acres from Pio Pico, California’s last Mexican Governor. The Strong Ranch, known as Rancho Del Fuerte, thrived with the harvest of citrus and fruit trees. These trees provided a vehicle by which individuals were transported and transformed into a community. North Walk eventually became Norwalk Boulevard. Through time footprints became a path and the footpath became a boulevard. The bas-relief images of the Garden Gate were researched through the generosity of the Whittier Museum and the Whittier Historical Society. The left door of this gateway represents Harriet Williams Russell Strong (1844-1926) with her four daughters, Harriet Russell, Mary Lyman Russell, Georgina Pierpont Russell and Nelle de Luce Russell. The right door represents Florence Maple Thornburgh (1887-1994). The Garden Gate celebrates the accomplishments of the women of Whittier past, present and future. Women of Whittier (Back of Left Door) Herstory may be found pressed within the pages of history where contributions extend to virtually every field of the arts and sciences. Their impression on this earth is found through the seeds they nourished, the lives they touched and the fabric of the community in which they lived. Herstories are like fallen leaves that nourish and inform the ground we walk upon. Within the garden, living things in their abundance and diversity symbolize and inspire aspects of the human condition. The garden reflects a space of experience, a space of opportunity and a space of infinite possibilities. The Garden Gate signifies the garden within each individual, and celebrates the collective spirit in the community of Whittier today. From established roots they continue to grow, Reaching skyward, beyond themselves, they speak to us of our past and inspire our future. Guy A. Wilson Sculptor October 9 2004

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