Chinatown, Los Angeles facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chinatown
Neighborhood of Los Angeles
Chinatown Gateway Monument, marking the entrance to Los Angeles' Chinatown
Map of the Chinatown neighborhood of Los Angeles, as delineated by the Los Angeles Times
Chinatown Location in Downtown Los Angeles
Elevation	94 m (308 ft)
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
Zip codes	90012
Area code(s)	213, 323

Chinatown is a lively neighborhood in Downtown Los Angeles, California. It became a main spot for Chinese and other Asian businesses in 1938. Today, you can find many restaurants, shops, and art galleries here. It's also home to about 7,800 people.

The very first Chinatown in Los Angeles started in the late 1800s. But it was taken down to build Union Station, a big train and bus center. So, a "New Chinatown" was built and opened in 1938, becoming the Chinatown we know today.

Where is Chinatown and What's the Weather Like?

Chinatown is located in Downtown Los Angeles. It's near famous places like Dodger Stadium to the north. To the south, you'll find Cesar Chavez Avenue and the historic Los Angeles Plaza.

A Look at Chinatown's History

There have been a few "Chinatowns" in Los Angeles. The first one, called Old Chinatown, was built in the 1880s. It was later taken down to make way for Union Station.

After Old Chinatown was gone, two new Chinatowns were built nearby in the late 1930s. One was called China City and the other was New Chinatown. China City was rebuilt after a fire, but another fire in 1948 closed it for good. New Chinatown is the one that still exists today.

From Little Italy to Chinatown

Before it became Chinatown, this area was known as Sonoratown and then Little Italy. In the early 1900s, many Italian immigrants moved here. They started businesses, including wineries. The Italian American Museum of Los Angeles opened in 2016 in the historic El Pueblo de Los Ángeles Historical Monument area.

Building New Chinatown

In the 1930s, a community leader named Peter Soo Hoo Sr. helped plan a new Chinatown. They wanted it to mix Chinese and American styles. This new area became a big tourist attraction. It had places like Bamboo Lane, Gin Ling Way, and Chung King Road. These names were inspired by cities in China. Even Hollywood movie set designers helped make Chinatown look exciting!

• Central Plaza
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  The dragon mural painted by Tyrus Wong and restored by Fu Ding Cheng (1984)

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  New Chinatown main plaza - Dec 2011

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  Wishing Well, 2001

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  Statue of Sun Yat-sen

In the Central Plaza, you can find a statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. He was a Chinese revolutionary leader. A 7-foot tall statue of martial artist Bruce Lee was also put up in Central Plaza in 2013.

Gateway at Southern California Teo-Chew Association (2016)

During the 1980s, many new shopping centers were built. A large Chinese gateway was added at Broadway and Cesar Chavez Avenue.

By 2000, many people moved from Chinatown to the City of Monterey Park. This city is part of a larger Chinese community.

Chinatown Today: New Growth

In the 2010s and 2020s, many new buildings with apartments and shops have been built. This has made the neighborhood more popular. Some people worry about rising rents and if long-time residents can still afford to live there. City leaders and housing groups are working to make sure there's enough affordable housing.

Who Lives in Chinatown?

In 2020, about 7,800 people lived in Chinatown. Most residents, about 68%, are Asian. About 15% are Latino, and 9% are white. The rest are black or other groups.

The average income for families in Chinatown is lower than in many other parts of Los Angeles. Most people (91%) rent their homes or apartments.

What's the Economy Like?

Shopping and Art

Small grocery stores are important for older residents. You can also find many bazaars, which are like open markets. They sell things like soap, toys, clothes, and music CDs at low prices. Many of these shops are run by ethnic Chinese people from Vietnam.

Chinatown has many restaurants, mostly serving Cantonese food. But you can also find Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Thai dishes. There are also over 20 art galleries, showing modern art from new artists.

Famous Restaurants

Philippe's sign, 2010

Little Joe's was demolished and the site was redeveloped as Blossom Plaza

Chinatown is changing, with new restaurants joining the traditional ones. It's easy to get to by public transport, which helps bring in more visitors.

Two famous restaurants show the history of this area:

• Philippe's has been on Alameda Street since 1951. It's known for creating the French Dip sandwich.
• Little Joe's was a long-standing restaurant that closed in 1998. The building was later taken down in 2014.

Parks and Fun Things to Do

• Los Angeles State Historic Park: This is a large open space, great for walking and relaxing. It's also known as the Cornfield.
• Alpine Recreation Center: This center has indoor and outdoor basketball courts, a children's play area, and volleyball courts.

What Does "Chinatown" Mean?

Chinese translation on a street sign at College Street and Broadway. This sign reads in Cantonese Dai hok gai and in Mandarin as Da xue jie (da xue means college or university).

The words Los Angeles Chinatown can be written and said in different ways in Chinese. In Cantonese, it's Loksāamgēi Tòhngyàhngāai. In Mandarin Chinese, it's Luòshānjī Zhōngguóchéng.

Exciting Events in Chinatown

Thien Hau Temple, another popular attraction in LA Chinatown.

Chinatown hosts many fun events throughout the year:

• Chinese New Year Parade: A big celebration with colorful parades.
• Lantern festival: Held at the Chinese American Museum.
• The Firecracker Run and Fun Walk.
• Mid-autumn Moon Festival.
• Miss Los Angeles Chinatown Pageant.

Every Chinese New Year's Eve, there's a special midnight firecracker show at Thien Hau Temple.

Schools in Chinatown

Chinatown Branch Library at Hill and Ord Streets

Cathedral High School, next to Dodger Stadium

About 20% of adults in Chinatown have a four-year college degree. There are three schools in the neighborhood:

• Endeavor College Preparatory Charter School (middle school)
• Castelar Street Elementary School (elementary school)
• Cathedral High School (a private Catholic high school for boys)

The Los Angeles Public Library also has a Chinatown Branch.

Getting Around Chinatown

Chinatown station on the A Line (2014)

Chinatown is served by the A Line of the city's Metro Rail train system. The Metro Rail station in Chinatown has a unique design that looks like a pagoda.

Chinatown in Movies

East Gate, 1939 (photographed in 2012)

West Gate, 1938 (photographed in 2011)

East Gate (on Broadway) in New Chinatown's Central Plaza is Historic-Cultural Monument No. 826. West Gate (on Hill Street) is No. 825.

Chinatown has been a popular place for filming Hollywood movies. Some movies filmed here include:

• Chinatown
• Rush Hour
• I Love You, Man
• Gangster Squad
• Lethal Weapon 4
• Beverly Hills Ninja
• Strange Days
• Hard to Kill
• Balls of Fury
• 15 Minutes

Famous People from Chinatown

• Helen Liu Fong (1927-2009), an architect.
• You Chung Hong (1898–1977), a community leader.
• Milton Quon, an animator and artist.
• Bruce Lee (1940 – 1973), a famous actor and martial artist. His statue is in Central Plaza.
• Yiu Hai Seto Quon (1899–1999), known as "Mama Quon," a chef.
• Lisa See, an author.
• Tyrus Wong (1910–2016), a well-known artist.
• Wilbur Woo (1915-2012), a businessman and community leader.

See also

In Spanish: Chinatown (Los Ángeles) para niños