The Short Story
Chinatown is on the near South Side (located in Armour Square),
centered on and around Cermak and Wentworth Avenues, and is an
example of an American Chinatown, or ethnic-Chinese
neighborhood.
The Longer Story :)
Mr. T C. Moy arrived in Chicago in 1878 was always considered to
be the first Chinese pioneer in the city. When he found the
Chicagoan more agreeable to Chinese than the people on the Pacific
Coast, he settled down and wrote to his friends and relatives,
urging them to join him. they responded positively and over 80
joined him in just one year, 1878. And although Chinese in Chicago
suffered the same restricted immigration laws and had the same man
and woman ratio (100:1) as in other parts of America in 1870-1920,
the Chinese population in Chicago grew steadily. By 1890, there
were 567 Chinese in the city. They took up unobtrusive occupations,
mainly opening laundry and restaurants. In 1900, there were 430
laundry and 167 restaurants, all operated by Chinese.
The largest influx of Chinese came in 1950s and 1960s, a time
when communist took over mainland China in 1948 and when more
lenient immigration law was practiced. Improved Chinese - American
relation helped spur this immigration surge also. During these two
decades the Chinese population in Chicago doubled itself from 7,000
to 14,000. By 1970, Chicago ranked fourth in Chinese population in
America.
The 40 remaining restaurants and a few Chinese grocery stores,
food processing factories offer the major job opportunities for
many Chinese immigrants. But there are not enough jobs provided in
Chinatown itself so many people are transported by vans or cars to
work in restaurants in the suburbs.
For long-time Chinese Americans, Chinatown is a cultural
identification and heritage. They will come for Chinese groceries,
Chinese food and Chinese publications.
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Dedication:
To the caching crew of JustUsTwo and tishman and lucy92979.
There isn't a group that has more fun in northern Illinois.
I just can't wait to hear of their adventures with this series.
:)
Have fun you'se guys!