When La Mirada was founded, it was covered with olive and citrus trees. Now, Biola’s is the last standing olive grove in La Mirada, making it a “historic landmark.” | Hannah Caprara/THE CHIMES

The push to preserve the olive trees of La Mirada began even before it became an incorporated city on Dec. 15, 1960. In the late 1800s Andrew McNally, of Scotland, bought hundreds of acres of land in what is now the Whittier and La Mirada area, and is credited as the founder of La Mirada.

One of the reasons McNally loved this area was its abundance of olive and citrus trees, according to Ken Bascom, senior director of facilities planning and construction.

The groves provided a thriving olive and olive oil business up until the 1940s. As people began to build homes, McNally requested that they each plant an olive tree in their yard, Bascom explained.

Within the bounds of Biola’s campus, there were originally two large olive groves: one where Hart Hall now stands and the other still remaining along La Mirada Boulevard. That grove is now the last standing grove in all of La Mirada.

“It is a historic landmark,” Bascom said.

Carrying on the legacy, even the lampposts that light the walkways around campus are called “olive lights” as the glass dome is shaped like an olive. Bascom saw that these be put in to show that not only do they carry historical legacy, but biblical value as well.

“Olive lamps and lights were used for the tabernacle and for Hanukkah,” Bascom said. “The oil is also seen as the Holy Spirit in the new covenant.”