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Changing Face of Southern California

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New Chinatown, Los Angeles, California

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Identifier	post_00067
Title	New Chinatown, Los Angeles, California
Creator	unknown
Date Published	circa 1940
Subject (Topic)	Wishing wells--California--Los Angeles; Outdoor sculpture--California--Los Angeles;
Subject (Name)	Liu, Hong K.; Seven Star Cavern;
Subject (Place)	Chinatown (Los Angeles, Calif.); Seven Star Cavern;
Type	image
Form/Genre	postcards
Physical Description	1 postcard : b&w ; 9 x 14 cm.
Institution	Department of Archives and Special Collections, Loyola Marymount University Library.
Country of Creation	US
Copyright Status	public domain
Copyright Statement	http://library.lmu.edu/dlp/copyright.htm
Publisher	Longshaw Card Co.
Place of Publication	Los Angeles
Language	eng
Description	Within a low brick wall lies a pool of water surrounded by a small hill constructed of foliage and moss. Scattered bridges, pools, and statues decorate winding paths which lead to a summit; a sign close to top reads:"Wishing Well" other signs read:"Success; lucky; always happy"
Historical Background	The original Los Angeles Chinatown began in the late 1800s as a small settlement on Calle De Los Negros, between El Pueblo Plaza and Old Arcadia Street, and expanded east across Alameda Street. Suffering from absentee landlords and a lack of municipal services and code enforcement, the area was in decline when the city forced residents out and demolished it to make way for the new Union Station Terminal. Two new Chinatowns were created: China City, a tourist attraction, complete with rickshaw rides, brainchild of Christine Sterling, founder of Olvera Street; and New Chinatown, a business and residential neighborhood created and funded by the Chinese community under the leadership of Peter Soo Hoo. Both opened to great fanfare in 1938. Located near the West Gate on Gin Ling Way in New Chinatown, the Wishing Well and Miniature Mountain were created by artist Lim Hong Kay who modeled them after the Sacred Seven Star Caverns in Canton, China. In the pool is a miniature hill covered with small statues of the Chinese Eight Immortals. At the summit a blue figure of the goddess Quan Yin stands beneath the arch of a shrine, guarded by blue lions. Behind the well stands the stump of a willow tree, which was planted by the late Chinese American actress, Anna May Wong, whose name means frosted yellow willow.
Additional Printed Matter	On back:"In a setting of Old China, with shrines, lily pools, and courts, the Chinese have gathered the art treasures of the Orient. Here is offered silks, antiques, jewelry, and thousands of beautiful souvenirs. The delicacies prepared in the fine Chinese restaurants are fit for a Mandarin, and delight the palate as well as the eye."
Metacollection Identifier	http://digitalcollections.lmu.edu
Source	Werner Von Boltenstern Postcard Collection