Pittsburgh Chinatown
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Founded in the 1870s, it was one of the first in the eastern U.S. Chinese immigrants started civic organizations and owned businesses to serve their neighborhood. De-spite displacement initiated by the 1920s Blvd. of the Allies, Chinese ethnic identity continued in the region.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Founded in the 1870s, Pittsburgh's Chinatown was among the first Chinese enclaves in the eastern United States, built by immigrants who opened businesses and formed civic organizations to sustain their community. In the 1920s, construction of the Boulevard of the Allies displaced much of the neighborhood, a common fate for immigrant districts in the age of urban expansion. Yet Chinese ethnic identity persisted and endured across the region despite the loss of its geographic heart.
Why it matters
The rise and displacement of Pittsburgh's Chinatown reflects both the immigrant contribution to American cities and the toll that urban development took on ethnic communities.
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Themes & tags
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