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Chinatown (General)

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SeenThat
SeenThat
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Chinatown LA

  • July 22, 2008
  • Rated 5 of 5 by SeenThat from Tel Aviv, Israel
Chinatown LA

Location

Originally, Chinatown LA was at the actual site of the Union Station. When the station was constructed the denizens were evacuated; they settled a bit north of there - on the northern side of the Pueblo de los Angeles. Following the example given by the authorities, they settled on what was until then Little Italy. The area can be reached by foot from the Union Station, or by the Golden Metro Rail line; its first station is Chinatown, the structure has been designed as a pagoda.

Timing and Combining

A visit to Chinatown LA should be combined with a visit to the adjacent "Pueblo de los Angeles" (the original downtown area of LA) and the Central Station. Both attractions are compact and can be covered in a few minutes. The Pueblo features mainly the Cathedral Nuestra Señora Reina de los Angeles, a charming and humble temple,as well as the Olvera Street. The last was the birthplace of El Pueblo de Los Angeles; the short lane includes twenty-seven historic buildings and a Mexican marketplace selling overpriced knickknacks to tourists. The best way of covering the three attractions is by foot; no vehicle would allow a comfortable visit in such a compact and packed up with attractions area.

History

The first Chinese settlers arrived at LA in 1852; in 1871, nineteen of them were murdered by a mob in one of the most serious incidents of racial violence in America; the event is known as the "Chinese Massacre of 1871."By 1890 there were more than 3000 of denizens on the area nowadays occupied by the Union Central. From that year until 1910, Chinatown flourished and covered fifteen streets; it featured a Chinese Opera, three temples, a newspaper and its own telephone center (the last was a novelty at the time).

At this point a decline began due to laws prohibiting most Chinese from citizenship and property ownership. Moreover, the Exclusion Acts limited immigration. This lead to the area's transformation into a gambling and criminal center. After years of decay, a Supreme Court ruling approved the construction of Union Station, which was inaugurated in 1939.

Only by the end of WWII, Chinatown was re-created on its modern location. However, only in the late 1950s were removed the covenants on the use and ownership of property, allowing Chinese Americans to choose their quarters freely and work at their chosen occupations.

The Streets

Broadway, Spring Street and Hill Street are the main Chinatown streets. By far, Broadway is the main tourism center in the area, especially due to the beautiful Central Plaza, an inner yard featuring many colorful traditional Chinese structures as well as a sea of red Chinese lanterns floating above it. During my visit to the Plaza, I witnessed the filming of a ninja-fight scene for a movie; I can gladly informed all the people involved survived the event with no damage. The movie Rush Hour, starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, was also filmed there.

Perpendicular to Broadway is College Street, which separates between the original Chinese buildings in the area and those built after the 1980s.

A large gate is at the intersection of Broadway and Cesar E. Chavez Avenue; two huge dragons are fighting there against each other and pose a serious distraction threat to passersby.

Diversity

The area is quite diverse, featuring mainly Cantonese and Taiwanese communities, but Cambodian, Vietnamese and Thai shops exist as well. Despite the diversity, the architecture is distinctively Chinese.

Most shops in the area sell Asian food, prepared or the raw ingredients; dim sum, roasted duck, Sichuan and Cantonese dishes, noodle soup and ginseng provide an endless feast to the hungry visitor. Other shops sell curios to the many tourists visiting the area; most products in display originate in Asia. Some shops use pictures of their owners in the company of visiting Hollywood stars as advertisements.

Little Italy

The Little Joe's Italian American Restaurant, was inaugurated in 1908 at the corner of Broadway and College Street; it is not active nowadays. This is the only reminder of Little Italy, the predecessor to Chinatown.

From journal A Second in LA

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