Chinatown in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Gateway to Old Chinatown
Doyers at Bowery
In the 1890s, this Bowery at Doyers Street corner was a gateway to the tiny but thriving Chinatown, even then a famed tourist destination. Squeezed between Bowery, Mott, Pell and Doyers Streets and dominated by Chinese shops and residents, it was also a multi-ethnic enclave, like the nearby Five Points.
The local funeral parlor served both Irish and Chinese, and Chinese restaurants – unlike places uptown – welcomed African-American diners.
Nicknamed the ‘Bloody Angle’, Doyers St was sometimes the scene of gangland battles, but primarily it was a place of culture and commerce, with famed artist Wong Kai Kee’s art store at 1 Doyers and the elegant Chinese-American Tuxedo restaurant on the corner at 2 Bowery. The Chinese Theatre at 5-7 Doyers, which presented Chinese opera, was popular with locals and a must-see stop on Bowery/Chinatown “slumming tours.”
Noticeably absent were Chinese women. The discriminatory Chinese Exclusion Acts (1882-1943) severely restricted Chinese immigration and harshly limited the entry of Chinese women.
Thus, Chinatown’s kinship associations became the center of Chinese American community life during these years. The Chinese Masonic Building at 22 Mott Street was where Dr. Sun Yat-sen raised funds for the 1911 overthrow of China’s imperial government.
-Amy Chin, Arts Consultant
Erected 2016 by Bowery Alliance of Neighbors.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Asian Americans. A significant historical year for this entry is 1911.
Location. 40° 42.844′ N, 73° 59.865′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in Chinatown. Marker is on Broadway near Doyers Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: New York NY 10038, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Barnum's First Big Bamboozle (within shouting distance of this marker); Birthplace of Modern Tattooing! (within shouting distance of this marker); NYC’s Oldest Brick House (within shouting distance of this marker); Americans of Chinese Ancestry (within shouting distance of this marker); Kimlau Square (within shouting distance of this marker); Lin Ze Xu (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Windows On The Bowery (about 300 feet away); Roll of Honor (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.
More about this marker. One of more than sixty entries in the “Windows on the Bowery” series.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 9, 2019, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 275 times since then and 40 times this year. Last updated on April 17, 2019, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on April 9, 2019, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 7, 8, 9. submitted on April 10, 2019, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.