50 plus DC- Chinatown

Chinatown Gate, Grant Avenue

Grant Avenue has two claims to fame. It was here that San Francisco’s predecessor Yerba Buena was founded and it is also the main thoroughfare of Chinatown. The entrance to Chinatown is marked at Bush Street by the Chinatown Gate, constructed from materials that were donated by the Republic of China (Taiwan) in 1969. The gateway was completed in 1970, and carries a quote by Dr. Sun Yat-sen saying, “All under heaven is for the good of the people”.

Grant Avenue, Chinatown

Walking along Grant Avenueyou could easily image the you were in China but for the large American cars and SUVs parked in the street. You will hear the locals speaking English only when they are talking to tourists, otherwise they speak Chinese. Finding a good restaurant is easy - if it is packed full of Chinese then it is bound to serve good food, if most of the customers look like tourists then beware.

Grace Cathedral

Further up Nob Hill on Taylor Street and California Street stands Grace Cathedral. Although it looks like a traditional French cathedral with similarities to Notre Dame in Paris, Grace Cathedral is a product of the 20th century with construction commenced in 1928 and completed in 1964. It is the third largest Episcopal cathedral in the USA, renowned for its mix of medieval and contemporary furnishings, stained glass windows and two labyrinths.

Chinatown

In the mid 1800’s volatile conditions in China encouraged many Chinese to leave their home country. Many headed for the United States, often to work as labourers on the railroad system, while some became miners drawn by the lure of Californian gold. At the time, the waterfront was at modern day Montgomery Street, so where Chinatown stands today on the slopes of Nob Hill was the port of entry for the bulk of those immigrants. Although the USA likes to think of itself as the land of the free, it has a history of racial discrimination against some ethnic groups. Laws were passed in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s to bring Chinese immigration to a virtual halt and these laws remained in force until the 1950’s and 1960’s. Despite the lengthy ban on immigration, San Francisco’s Chinatown is the largest outside of Asia.

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Old Shanghai store, Grant Avenue

You won’t find too many traditional Chinese shops in Grant Avenue, but there are plenty of shops selling Chinese goods to tourists. The Old Shanghai store is typical, crammed from wall to wall and floor to ceiling with souvenirs all with a Chinese flavour.

- The best Chinatown in the USA.

- Some parts of it and some of the restaurants are a little too orientated towards tourists.

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