After four separate
appeals to the state over 12 years, Pittsburgh’s historic Chinatown
was officially recognized Saturday as a Pennsylvania historical
landmark with the unveiling of a plaque commemorating the Chinese
immigrants who established the neighborhood more than 120 years ago.
The one-block area sandwiched between the Boulevard of the Allies
and Third Avenue, Downtown, was granted official status in March
2021 but events to mark the occasion?were put on hold due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. Saturday’s unveiling finally marked the
achievement while commemorating the original Chinatown and its
people.
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Maybe 100 people gathered under umbrellas and pulled up their hoods
in cold, damp weather to watch Pan-Asian performances and speakers
organized by the Organization of Chinese Americans Pittsburgh. The
performances included a steel lion dance, kung fu?demonstrations,
pipa music and more before the celebration ended with a concert
featuring?Jason Chu, Alan Z and MC Tingbudong.
Earlier, a walking tour of the district was led by Shirley Yee,
daughter of the last “mayor” of Chinatown(Pictures)
Sierra Yot, the granddaughter of William Hing Yot, the unofficial
first mayor of Chinatown, said she was moved by the celebration.?
“To me, it’s exciting, and to see that this finally made a historic
moment, I’ve got chills,” she said.“It’s absolutely wonderful.”
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The plaque acknowledging the Chinese identity of the district is in
front of what is often cited as Pittsburgh’s oldest Chinese
restaurant, the Chinatown Inn. Located on Third Avenue, the
restaurant’s pagoda-style front is the only remnant left of historic
Chinatown, serving as a reminder of what used to be a bustling
community.
The area’s Asian identity began taking root when it was a
stop for Chinese immigrants on the way to California during the1849
Gold Rush. Additionally, according to OCA Pittsburgh President
Marian Lien, the first Chinese residents came from Beaver Falls,
where they were treated poorly at a cutlery factory.
In the early 1900s, Asian groceries, gift shops, hand laundry
businesses and restaurants appeared on Second and Third avenues,
between Ross and Grant streets, taking up two blocks. There was even
a small park where Chinese families would gather and socialize, Ms.
Lien said, adding that there were believed to be more than 1,000
Chinatown residents in its heyday.
The beginning of the end came with the construction in 1921 of the
Boulevard of the Allies, which basically split the community.
Continued urban projects and the building of parking lots followed
the highway, further displacing the Chinese residents.
In the early 1930s, thePost-Gazettereported that the “old Chinatown
is rapidly vanishing ... A walk through the changing district is
disillusioning with signs of swift Americanization.”
“Why do we do this,?” Ms. Lien asked the crowd on Saturday. “They
tell us, ‘You have to know your past to know your future.’ You’re
seeing it here now, this is your future.
“Legacy isn’t just brick and mortar. Yes, of course, we wish the
Chinatown was still thriving. Unfortunately, because of urban
renewal, that Boulevard of the Allies ... we only have these two
buildings left, but it’s more than brick and mortar, isn’t it It’s
the legacy of our young people. It’s their perseverance, it’s their
tenacity. It’s the resilience of us.”
Saturday’s events also included remarks by politicians, other
community leaders and Lydia Ott, a former resident of Chinatown.
There were also arts and crafts activities for children, vendors for
those who wanted to shop, and food provided by the Chinatown Inn and
other Asian organizations.
First Published April 16, 2022, 8:41pm
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