By David R. Chan
With Los Angeles celebrating its 200th birthday in 1981, much attention will be focused on the city’s long and colorful history. The Chinese have been part of the Los Angeles scene for over 125 years and have played a vital role that has, for the most part, gone unnoticed and unpublicized.
A chronology of significant events follows, presenting an overview of Chinese participation in southern California.
1850
Census, lists first two Chinese residents in Los .Angeles, both of whom were
houseservants.
1860
First noteworthy Chinese New Year’s celebration in Los Angeles is recorded.
(The Chinese population of the city at that time was fourteen persons.)
1869
Chinese laborers come to San Fernando Valley to work on road construction
project.
1870
Los Angeles City Marshal is killed in duel with one of his deputies in a dispute arising over the reward for capturing and returning a Chinese slave girl to her Chinese owners.
1871
Infamous Chinese Massacre. Mob of 500 to 1,000 white and Mexican Angelenos (including several police officers) descend on the Chinese quarter, killing 19 innocent Chinese. Massacre is sparked when a rancher is accidentally killed by a stray bullet fired during a battle between two warring Chinese companies. As a result of the massacre, Los Angeles receives its first nationwide publicity. The Chinese Massacre is considered by many as one of the lowest points in Los Angeles history.
1876
Southern Pacific rail link connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles is completed. Chinese labor is instrumental in completing the perilous 7 ,000-foot San Fernando Tunnel. Hundreds of Chinese railroad workers move to Los Angeles on completion of the rail line, fueling increased anti-Chinese sentiment in Los Angeles.
1879
Attempt to drive Chinese out of Los Angeles through various taxing measures fails. Chinese vegetable peddlers, source of most of the city’s produce, go on strike in protest. Chinese eventually are successful in court challenge of levies.
1886
Construction of San Gabriel Railroad results in clashes between Chinese and
white railroad workers; white railroad workers attack and bum Chinese laundry in Pasadena.
1887
Original Chinese quarter (located on present-day North Los Angeles Street) is burned by arsonists. Buildings quickly replaced by new construction near the Plaza.
1891
Chinese gardeners and farmers summoned in Huntington Beach after previous attempts to raise celery in the area end in failure. Chinese are harassed and attacked by local residents, but, under protection of armed guards are successful in getting to grow. Some local residents see their land increase from $15 an acre to $400 an acre almost overnight, as celery growing quickly becomes a million-dollar business in the area.
1893
Los Angeles labor unions initiate first proceedings in the country under the
newly enacted Geary Act, which ordered Chinese laborers to register with the Federal government (and to provide proof of lawful presence in country) or face deportation. Wong Dep Ken, Los Angeles cigar maker, is first Chinese to be deported from the United States under this act.
1893
Chinese are expelled from Cahuenga Valley (now Hollywood) by local citizens. Similar expulsions occur in Norwalk, Burbank, Vernon and Pasadena.
1894
Los Angeles holds first “Fiesta de las Flores,” early-day Los Angeles’ answer to the Mardi Gras, featuring parades and festivities lasting a full week. Chinese community is invited to participate (and literally steals the show) with their gold and silver decorated float. Chinese are familiar sight in subsequent Fiestas and other civic occasions
1901
Many Chinatown youths cut off queues to symbolize their opposition to the Manchu dynasty. Chinese cadet corps of over 100 members is formed shortly thereafter. Cadets drill nightly in Chinatown, and go on training maneuvers in places like the Malibu Mountains, Hollywood Hills and Laguna Beach. Many cadets are said to have gone to China to aid in the revolution
1905
Dr. Sun Yat Sen visits Los Angeles and is honored at a Chinatown banquet on September 30. Local legend says much of the Chinese revolution was plotted in a building at Marchessault and Alameda Streets in Los Angeles Chinatown, but this is not corroborated by other historical accounts.
1908
Perhaps the most serious outbreak of tong violence in Los Angeles occurs as four tong members are killed on the streets of Los Angeles Chinatown in a dispute revolving around “Helen, Queen of Chinatown”.
1909
Louie Quan builds the City Market wholesale produce terminal. The City Market is to become a vital element in the economy of the Los Angeles Chinese community, and also becomes the focal point of a separate Chinese commercial and residential community apart from Chinatown.
1914
A large portion of Los Angeles Chinatown is sold preparatory to the construction of a railway terminal on the site. Plan to build terminal, however, is stopped by litigation.
1924
Chinatown merchants invite citizens of Los Angeles to attend Chinese New Year celebration. Invitation extended to show Angelenos that the unfavorable image given to the Chinatown area is not warranted.
1933
Los Angeles Chinatown (“Old Chinatown”) east of Alameda Street is condemned and razed to make way for the new Union Station.
1934
New Chinese Village planned to replace razed Old Chinatown. Chinese Village, to be built along New High Street, never comes to fruition, as plans prove too costly to implement.
1935
Christine Sterling, founder of Olvera Street, formulates plans for development of “China City” on North Spring Street.
1937
Chinese businessmen form corporation to develop New Chinatown on North Broadway.
1938
China City and New Chinatown open in the month of June within three weeks of each other.
1948
United States Supreme Court rules real estate deed restrictions prohibiting sale of property to racial minorities to be unconstitutional. Way is opened for Los Angeles Chinese, previously confined to certain residential areas in Central Los Angeles, to disperse throughout the city.
1949
Second disastrous fire in ten years destroys China City.
1950
Last remaining portions of Old Chinatown (west of Alameda portion) are
demolished.
1950
Addition to New Chinatown constructed on the west side of Castelar (now Hill) Street.
1965
United States abolishes system of immigration quotas based on national
origins, opening the doors to increased Chinese immigration into the United States. Subsequent immigration leads to new vitalization of the New Chinatown area.
1972
Construction of Mandarin Plaza on North Broadway, representing the first
significant development in Chinatown in over twenty years, and heralding new era of commercial expansion in Chinatown.