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Recently renovated, the Garnier Building
(second building from the right) and the building to the far right
are now the home of the Chinese American Museum
Photo courtesy of Chinese American Museum |
The Garnier Building is the oldest surviving Chinese building in Southern
California. As the original buildings in San Francisco's Chinatown were
destroyed by the 1906 earthquake, the Garnier Building is also the oldest
and most significant Chinese building associated with the Chinese community
in any of the State's metropolitan areas. Built in 1890 by Philippe Garnier,
a French settler and prominent businessman, this building is the single-most
important building relating to the Chinese community and the original
Chinatown of Los Angeles. Just prior to the completion of the building,
Garnier leased it to Chinese American merchants and the building remained
in their care for several decades.
Chinese Moon Festival in front of the Garnier Building in
1938
Photo courtesy of Chinese Historical Society of Southern California,
Photographer: Billy Soo Hoo
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The Garnier Building was once regarded as the unofficial "city hall" of
Los Angeles's Chinese community. While commercial customers were located
on the ground floor and mezzanine levels, Chinatown's leading fraternal
and social organizations, schools and religious institutions occupied
the second floor. According to Chinese tradition, the upper floors of
the building are closer to heaven and to the gods and thus more appropriate
for locating temples, schools or organizations that exert authority. These
institutions helped to resolve the differences between Chinese organizations
and individuals, care for the elderly and needy and act as liaison with
the dominant American society. They were greatly needed because of strong
prejudicial attitudes expressed against the Chinese in Southern California
as a result of the Chinese Massacre of 1871 and the Chinese Exclusion
Acts of 1882-1943. Among the most important groups located in the building
were: the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (Chung Wah), which
served as an umbrella organization for the community, fought anti-Chinese
legislation and mediated disputes; the Sun Wing Wo Company (1891-1948),
a popular general merchandise store which also served as a social center
for Chinatown residents; the Chinese American Citizen's Alliance (1895-present),
who were active in opposing discrimination and in registering Chinese
American citizens to vote; the Wong Ha Christian Chinese Missions School
(1897-1905); the Chinese Mission (1901); the Chinese Chamber of Commerce
(1912-present); the China Empire Reform Association (1913); the Chinese
English School (1913); and the Chinese Laundrymen's Association. Many
of the Chinese business establishments and voluntary organizations formerly
located in the Garnier building are still active today. The building was
also used for dances and theatrical performances.
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Garnier Block (423 N. Los Angeles St.)
and 425 N. Los Angeles St. (the two building to the right of the
photo). Note balcony on Garnier north bay and metal awning. View
is looking southwest on Los Angeles Street, 1942.
Photo courtesy of Huntington Library |
The State of California took over the Garnier Building in the late 1940s.
In 1972, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places as
part of the Los Angeles Plaza Historic District. In December 2003, the
Chinese American Museum celebrated its grand opening, appropriately located
in the newly renovated Garnier Building (423 N. Los Angeles St.) and an
adjacent building (425 N. Los Angeles St.), also historically used by
the Chinese community. Both buildings are part of El Pueblo Monument,
a 44-acre public park located at the city's “birthplace” in downtown Los
Angeles. The Chinese American Museum is the first such museum in Southern
California dedicated to the Chinese American experience and history in
this region. The Museum is jointly developed and operated by the Friends
of the Chinese American Museum (FCAM) and El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical
Monument (El Pueblo), a department of the City of Los Angeles. For further
information, visit the Chinese
American Museum website.
Garnier Building (Chinese American
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Images for top banner from NPS Historic Photograph
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C. Gray, [HPC-001345]) and the Palau Historic Preservation Office.
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