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Changing Face of Southern California

Wishing Well, Chinatown, Los Angeles

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Wishing Well, Chinatown, Los Angeles

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Identifier	post_00087
Title	Wishing Well, Chinatown, Los Angeles
Creator	unknown
Date Published	circa 1960
Subject (Topic)	Wishing wells--California--Los Angeles; Outdoor sculpture--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/generalinformation/departments/digitallibraryprogram/copyrightandreproductionpolicy/
Publisher	Mitlock & Sons
Place of Publication	North Hollywood, Calif.
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:"Colorful view of the famous and picturesque Wishing Well in the beautiful Chinese Gardens of this magnificent attraction in the 'City of the Angels'"
Publisher's Identifier	Publisher's serial number: P35864
Additional Notes	Printed using the Plastichrome process by Colourpicture, Boston, Mass.
Contributors	Distributed by Mitock & Sons, North Hollywood, California
Source	Werner von Boltenstern Postcard Collection