Identifier	post_00072
Title	Plaza in China City, Los Angeles, California
Creator	unknown
Date Published	circa 1940
Subject (Topic)	Chinese Restaurants--California--Los Angeles; Decoration and ornament, Architectural--California--Los Angeles; Rickshaw men--California--Los Angeles;
Subject (Place)	Chinatown (Los Angeles, Calif.);
Type	image
Form/Genre	postcards
Physical Description	1 postcard : Color ; 9 x 14 cm.
Institution	Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University
Country of Creation	US
Copyright Status	public domain
Copyright Statement	http://library.lmu.edu/collections/digitallibraryprogram/copyrightandreproductionpolicy/
Publisher	Western Publishing & Novelty Co.
Place of Publication	Los Angeles, Calif.
Language	eng
Description	Steps leading down to sunken courtyard; restaurants and gifts shops; woman in Western clothing is getting a rickshaw ride; people sitting and strolling, wearing Western and Chinese clothing; trees; women holding sun umbrellas; sign on restaurant reads: Chinese Dinners; overhead awnings; chinese lanterns.
Historical Background	When the original Chinatown was demolished to make way for Union Terminal, two projects replaced it. One, China City, was the brainchild of Christine Sterling, founder of Olvera Street. She promoted the recreation of an old-style walled Chinese street that would help relocate displaced Chinese shops while serving as an exotic tourist destination, complete with rickshaw rides. Filmmaker Cecil B. De Mille donated settings, costumes, and property from the 1937 film, The Good Earth. Bounded by Ord, N. Spring, Macy, and North Main, China City opened in June, 1938. Much of the original was destroyed by fire. Together with New Chinatown, the China City area ultimately became part of the larger neighborhood of Chinatown.
Additional Printed Matter	On back:"Interesting shops displaying everything from genuine Chinese art to curios and firecrackers, and numerous restaurants serving delicately flavored Chinese food, attract throngs of visitors to China City, in Los Angeles."
Publisher's Identifier	Publisher's serial number: OB-H2593; Series number: LA-66
Additional Notes	Printed on linen textured paper.
Contributors	Whittington, Dick
Source	Werner von Boltenstern Postcard Collection