As an amateur historian and tour guide, I gathered a lot of interesting bits of information about San Francisco Chinatown that most people are not generally aware of. I use them occasionally on my tour guide job. Here they are, in no particular order: San Francisco Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in the US (but not the Largest) San Francisco Chinatown was dubbed Chinatown by the local press in 1853 . Before then, it was known as little Canton. However, its growth is limited due to its size: only 24 square blocks, less than 1/8th of a square mile. Officially, the population is 35000 as per 2000 census, but the actual number is believed to be 100000. By population and area, the Chinatown in Manhattan, New York, is larger : 40 square blocks, with about 150000 residents. The Chinatown You See Today is a Rebranding Effort in 1906 After 1906 Earthquake and fire, the city asked Chinatown to undergo what we today would consider a "rebranding", to a more family-friendly versi...
An exploration of San Francisco Chinatown typically NOT covered by tours