West Gate

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People walk through the West Gate, which marks the Castelar (Hill Street) entrance to New Chinatown. This gate is partially made of 150-year-old camphor wood and the four Chinese characters of poetry across the top of the gate, composed by T.K. Chang, translate as "Cooperate to Achieve." Businesses from left to right include: Tin Hing Co. jewelers (491 Gin Ling Way), Hop Key Co. makers of prepared food (487 Gin Ling Way) and Man Jen Low (475 Gin Ling Way). The first Chinese on record arrived in Los Angeles in 1852, but by 1910, Old Chinatown had grown to cover approximately 15 streets. In 1931, a California Supreme Court decision was upheld, approving land condemnations and the construction of the new Union Station upon the site of Old Chinatown. The Los Angeles Chinatown Project Association was formed in 1937 and by February the following year the first tenants were moving to New Chinatown. The dedication ceremony took place on June 25, 1938.