History of Chinatown Honolulu

Information about the history of the Chinatown Distrit of Honolulu on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.

in 1800's about 755 of Chinese on Oahu lived in Chinatown

Originated in 1800's as Chinese settlers community

Grew throughout 1800's as more chinese immigrants arrived as contract laborers to work on sugar and other plantations

First chinese arrived in Hawaii in 1789. They began arriving in large numbers in the 1805's to work the sugar plantations. The name "Chinatown" was first used in about 1870.

by 1882 chinese population reached 5000 and chinese were 49% of total plantation work force

1886 fire destroyed 8 blocks of chinatown

1900 bubonic plague fire burned chinatown again

few buldings survived the 1900 fire

Chinatown was rebuilt

During WWII bars and sex shops thrived here and crime rose

neighborgood got seedier and seedier in 1950's and 1960's

in 1973 Chinatown was declared historic destrict

that set in motion a series of urban renewal programs

Some residents were upset when Aloha hotel was torn down

those protecsts gained national attention

in 1973 Cesar Chavez vistied CT and spoke to crowd

For manty years it was "sin city"

in early 2000's it began to be revitalized as an arty area

A History of Change

Arrival of the Chinese The arrival of the Chinese in Honolulu can be traced to two ships, the Felice and Iphigenia, which set sail from southern China in 1788, and arrived in Hawaii December 6, 1788, and departed March 15, 1789. In the three months these ships were in Hawaii, it is assumed that all crewmen came ashore at one time or another. It is this period, 1789, which Hawaii Chinese historians commemorate as the official arrival of the first Chinese in Hawaii.In the 1800s, Chinatown became a community of family stores where the Chinese sold their wares. First Contract Laborers It wasn’t until 1852 that the Chinese became the first contract laborers to arrive in the islands. With the growth of the sugar industry, the need for plantation laborers became imperative, and China was selected as the best source of immediate cheap labor due to proximity and the interest of the Chinese in coming to Hawaii to work. Captain John Cass of the British ship Thetis brought 293 Chinese men under contract for five years at $3.00 per month to work in the plantations. Working conditions on the plantations would undoubtedly be considered harsh by today’s standards, but for many were better than what they had known in their home villages in China. Between 1852 and 1876, 3,908 Chinese were imported as contract laborers, compared with only 148 Japanese and 223 South Sea Islanders. Around 1882, the Chinese in Hawaii formed nearly 49% of the total plantation working force, and for a time outnumbered Caucasians in the islands. By 1884, the Chinese population in Honolulu reached 5,000, and the number of Chinese doing plantation work declined. The Chinese were very enterprising, and preferred to become self-employed. As a group they became very important in business in Hawaii, and 75% of them were concentrated in the 25 acres of downtown called Chinatown where they built their clubhouses, herb shops, restaurants, temples and retail stores. In 1896, there were 153 Chinese stores in Honolulu, of which 72 were in Chinatown. Chinatown Fires In 1886, calamity struck Chinatown when a fire raged out of control and destroyed the homes of 7,000 Chinese and 350 Native Hawaiians and most of Chinatown. The fire lasted three days and destroyed over eight blocks of Chinatown. The Legislative Assembly enacted laws to regulate the re-building of Chinatown in accordance with fire precautions, but many new buildings were put up in violation of government rules. This contributed to the even larger conflagration of 1900 which came about as a result of deliberate fires set by the Board of Health in an effort to wipe out the bubonic plague which was spreading through Chinatown. The Chinese Store – A Slice of Old Chinatown Life The Chinese store was an important social institution to the immigrants. The storekeepers loaned money, acted as a bank and post office, and wrote and read letters for the illiterate immigrants. The Chinese store also offered a place to stay and a meal, usually for people who came from the same village back home. The stores operated this way even into the 1930s. In less than 10 years after the arrival of the first large group of Chinese laborers, 60% of the wholesale and retail establishments of the islands were operated by Chinese. By 1880, they held 24% of the wholesale, 62% of the retail and 85% of the restaurant licenses issued.

Renaissance

A few years ago, much of Chinatown was unsightly, and crime was a serious problem. Many of the buildings were in need of repairs and falling down; a large segment of our population wouldn’t even go near the place. Today, there’s a renaissance in progress. Local merchants and immigrant merchants from many Pacific and Southeast Asian countries are bringing new life to the community while also contributing rich ethnic diversity. A blossoming of culture and the arts in Chinatown began a few years ago with the restoration of the popular Hawaii Theatre Center. Trendy art galleries and specialty shops have opened as well as the elegant Indigo Restaurant, next door to the Theatre in Chinatown Gateway Park. The Honolulu community enjoys frequent entertainment at block parties, and parades and celebrations for Chinese New Year, Double Ten and Night In Chinatown parades. The community-based Downtown Chinatown Task Force Committee is instrumental in the Chinatown clean up, and the City & County of Honolulu has been a revitalization leader, constructing new residential buildings and commercial space in Chinatown. The rejuvenation was long overdue. Now that it is well under way, Hawaii and its people as well as the visitor industry are rediscovering what once was a cherished part of our island heritage. This colorful legacy was lost for many years, but through hard work and dedicated vision, this cultural gem is being returned.

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About the Chinatown District of Honolulu

City of Honolulu Visitor's Guidee

Oahu Island Travel Guide

Hawaii for Visitors

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