Around 1884, Boston’s Chinatown coalesced as a neighborhood and community, especially on Harrison Avenue. Only seven years later, the first attempt to eradicate Chinatown arose, fueled by racism and propelled by businesses seeking to get wealthier. At this point, there were less than 1000 Chinese living in Boston, and 70% of those worked in laundries.
The endeavor to eliminate Chinatown centered on a proposal to widen Harrison Avenue, the section between Essex and Beach Streets. The Boston Globe, April 14, 1891, noted that Harrison, at the intersection of Essex Street, was only 37 feet wide, and “the space left on either side of the two car tracks at this point is too narrow to allow the passage of teams.”
In addition, abuttors claimed their property values were being decreased, and there were plans to construct several large buildings, which wouldn’t go through unless the street was widened. The street commissioner had already given his official approval to this proposal, and now needed the necessary appropriation, about $250,000.
The primary idea was to make Harrison Avenue a uniform width of 60 feet, which would require taking land from both sides of the street. It was noted, “There are 11 small estates on the westerly side of the avenue and 12 on the easterly that would be cut into, but these in all probability would not be allowed to stand many years as they now are, even were the widening project abandoned.”
It was also made clear that a significant effect of this proposal would be that “…Chinatown, now an eyesore alike to pedestrians and property owners thereabout, would become a thing of the past.” Fortunately, nothing was done for nearly two years.
The Boston Globe, February 20, 1893, raised the issue once again, and made it clear the proposal was aimed at eradicating Chinatown. A council committee had been previously appointed to investigate the sanitary and general conditions of the Chinese, making “… an exhaustive investigation of the evils and the remedy of the Chinatown situation…” The committee Chairman stated there were two reasons for their investigation, “… first, from a sanitary point of view; second, from a business point of view.”
The Chairman felt that Boston’s Chinatown was overcrowded and after their investigation felt that “…Chinatown is practically one great lodging house, where…opium smoking and gambling are indulged in.” He continued, “The sanitary conditions are very poor and inadequate for such a large mass of people crowded together.” In addition, he emphasized the perils of potential fires, which could consume the entire neighborhood.
In addition, city officials were supportive of big businesses which would benefit from this proposal. As one official noted, “The section of our city popularly known as ‘Chinatown’ is fast becoming one of the most valuable pieces of real estate in Boston.” The article continued, that Chinatown is “…almost entirely surrounded by large wholesale houses. Many of these large firms have lately erected new and handsome buildings, which have greatly beautified, in fact completely changed, the character of the locality in which they have been erected.”
If Harrison Avenue was widened to 60 feet, more wholesale blocks could be erected. The chairmen also stated that, “This would add a very large revenue to the taxable property of the city, besides increasing its business interests.” The widening would also permit the addition of public transit. The price of this project had also increased to about $400,000.
As a follow-up, the Boston Daily Globe, July 1, 1893 published an article indicating that Mayor Matthews had approved the appropriation for the widening of Harrison Avenue. “It has been officially decided that Chinatown must go.” It would “…disappear forever in the official march of progress, and in its stead will rise new and statelier buildings to accommodate the already overcrowded business interests.”
The article though noted the loss this would be to the city. “In consequence Chinatown, the scene of many startling innovations, the home of not a few of the city’s wealthiest residents, the joy and delight of the light-hearted and harmless celestial is seriously disturbed.” It was believed that the Chinese might move from Harrison to Oxford Place, to try to maintain their community.
At a public hearing on October 5, 1893, there were numerous complaints about the project, mainly by property owners, none of whom were Chinese. They worryied that their property values would decline as the city would only take part of their land. They wanted the city to purchase their entire property, and not just a piece. In November, the board of street commissioners reached a settlement with the property owners, which totaled $298,870.
April 1, 1894, was the deadline for the Chinese inhabitants of Harrison Avenue to move. Some moved to Oxford Street and Oxford Place while others simply moved 6-10 feet back from the original border of Harrison Avenue, beyond where the street would be widened. The Chinese vowed that Chinatown would not be destroyed.
The Boston Post, April 2, 1894, stated that this proposal had the effect of “banding the colony more firmly together than ever, and they do not propose to be banished or annihilated.” Some of the Chinese were also to “…receive a share of the damages which will accrue as a result of widening the street.”
The widening of Harrison Avenue was finished by July 1894, and fortunately Chinatown survived. The Boston Daily Globe, July 13, 1894, reported that the Chinese returned to Harrison, and there was now much beauty to be seen there as the various merchants invested money to beautify their businesses. “The houses are almost entirely new on both the outside and inside, and are in no small measure responsible for improvements in the condition of things, not only along Harrison av, but also along the entire district under rule of the six Chinese companies.”
This project didn’t cause Chinatown to vanish, but rather it helped to make their neighborhood more modern and beautiful, quite the opposite of the original intent to eradicate this neighborhood. Long live Chinatown!
For more information, you may read Richard Auffrey’s lengthier article on the history of Chinatown at https://passionatefoodie.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-first-restaurants-in-bostons.html
