Thursday, September 17, 2009

Chicago's Chinatown

Chicago's Chinatown



Chinese are the largest Asian group in the United States and Chicago has the 4th largest Chinatown in the United States.

The Chinatown in Manhatten is known for having the highest concentration of Chinese people outside of Asia. San Francisco's Chinatown is the oldest and the second largest in the US. Boston's Chinatown is third largest. Chicago's Chinatown is fourth lagest in the US.


Places of interest in Chicago's Chinatown


 
Chinatown Gate


Chinatown Gate
Address: Built across Wentworth at its junction with Cermak
Installed: 1975
Architect: Peter Fung
Conceived by civic promoter George Cheung ..


Pui Tak Center Building


Pui Tak Center Building..
formerly known as the On Leong Merchants Association Building ..
Completed: 1928
Architects: Christian S. Michaelsen and Sigurd A. Rognstad .
Designated a Chicago Landmark on December 1, 1993..
Pui tak means to cultivate and enhance virtues..


The Nine Dragon Wall


The Nine Dragon Wall
A shortened version of a famous glazed tile wall in Beijing's Forbidden City, sponsored by the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce. Although meant as a focus of community pride and as a tourist attraction, the wall serves as a protective influence with nine imperial dragons.



The Cermak-Wentworth Pavilion


The Cermak-Wentworth Pavilion
It is next to the Nine Dragon Wall
Installed in the 1990's 
Built with funds from the Taiwan government and local sources 
The land, at the northeast corner of Cermak and Wentworth Avenues, was donated by the Chinatown Parking Corporation.


Chinatown Square Plaza


Chinatown Square Plaza 
The plaza is in the southern central part of Chinatown ..
The plaza has twelve statues, one for every animal in the Chinese zodiac calendar ..
There are also two pagodas..





Mural "Chinese in America"
Part of Chinatown Square
Artists: Zhou Ping and Yan Dong
Description: 8-ft high X 38-ft wide
This mosaic was finished at the same time as the rest of the square in 1993. 100,000 individually cut pieces of hand-painted glass were cut and painted in China specifically to be used in the construction of this mural here in Chicago. The mural depicts the history of Chinese immigrants in the U.S.





Chinatown Square Zodiacs





Ping Tom Memorial Park





Chinese Christian Union Church


Chinese Christian Union Church [CCUC]
Address: 2301 S. Wentworth Avenue
It serves both as a church and an elementary school.
CCUC owns the Pui Tak Center and uses the facility to conduct classes for Sunday school, immigration orientation center, and other social services.




St. Theresa Church


St. Therese Church
Address: 218 West Alexander Street just west of Wentworth Avenue..
In the 1950s the church began to attract more and more Chinese Catholic worshipers while the Italian congregation declined in numbers. In 1963 the building was passed on to St. Therese Chinese Mission, founded in 1940 and at first based in a rented store on Wentworth Avenue...



For more on.. [click on the link]..
# Chinatown Gateway..
# Nine Dragon Wall..
# Pui Tak Bldg. [formerly On Leong Bldg.]..
# Chinese Christian Union Church..
# Chinatown Square..
# Mural "Chinese in America"..
# Chinatown Square Zodiacs..
# Ping Tom Memorial Park..
# Sculptures of animals in Chinese zodiac signs..
# St. Therese Church ..

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