Chinatown Presentation

1. Chinatown in Chicago
By: Haley, Ian, and Christian

2. Where is Chinatown?
• South Side
• Just South of the
Loop
• Cermak and
Wentworth

3. Getting to Chinatown
• Red Line
• Cermak/Chinatown Stop
• Walk West

4. Demographics 1
• Median Income
• Physical Demographics
Median Income Under
25
$24,481
Median Income 25-44 $48,434
Median Income 45-64 $56,494
Median Income Over
65
$30,889
Median Household
Income
$43,721
Area: 0.454 square miles
Population: 7,391

5. Demographics 2
• Population Characteristics
Percent Change
Since 2000
2.4 %
Percent Change
Since 2010
0.2 %
Median Age 36.24
Percentage of foreign born residents: 45.2%
Percentage of people that speak
English not well or not at all:
54.2%

6. Ian’s Reflection
Exploring Chinatown offers an experience that is often
overlooked by people visiting the city of Chicago. Most people
think only to visit the Loop, Grant Park, or one of the more
popular neighborhoods to visit. Chinatown, I realize, offers a
unique perspective on the flow of world culture into Chicago.
Seeing traditional Chinese customs and culture become
infused with the Chicago lifestyle is fascinating. Nothing
captures this idea more than standing in Chinatown and
seeing a sunset through a paifang with the Willis Tower in the
background. There truly is so much to see in Chinatown, from
the beautiful architecture to the quaint shops, that I would
say a visit to Chinatown is necessary for a wholesome Chicago
experience.

7. History of Chinatown
• Founded in 1870 by chinese immigrants looking for stability
• Increases in the population affect the stability because there
wasn’t enough space to fit everyone
• Increasing in the leasing and house rent made people move to
other towns which leads to have a spread Chinese population
• There are two types of Chinatown (Old Chinatown – Wentworth
and Cermark. New Chinatown – Chinatown Square)

8. Christian’s Reflection
• I come from a different country, so ever since I
got to Loyola, I have seen first hand the culture
difference. When I went to Chinatown the thing
that impressed me the most was their food;
supermarkets are similar to ours but the things is
that where we have meat and chicken, they have
live animals like lobsters, crabs, fish etc. I come
from an island so I’m used to eat a lot of seafood
but I had never seen someone take the animal
and prepare it in front of my eyes. For them is a
common thing to see while for me was a little bit
shocking.

9. Chinatown Landmarks
• The Nine Dragon Wall
– The number 9 and dragons are sacred in Chinese
culture
– Modeled after a similar wall in BeiHai Park in
Beijing
– Over 500 red, gold, and
blue dragons
– Reflects Chinese emphasis
on good fortune

10. Chinatown Landmarks
• Chinatown Mural
– Finished in 1993
– Made of 100k pieces of glass shipped from China to
Chicago
– Shows history of Chinese immigrants in the US
– Reflects important Chinese beliefs and customs

11. Chinatown Landmarks
• Chinatown Square
– Contains the Nine Dragon Wall
– Surrounded by 12 zodiac animal statues
– Outdoor shopping center with restuataunts and
stores
– Plaza is a hub for performances

12. Haley’s Reflection
• Things I learned from our trip to Chinatown
– The Red Line is not as confusing or scary as I
thought it would be, which makes travelling seem
much more accessible.
– Chicago is really diverse, and there’s something to
suit everyone’s interests.
– I can “travel the world” while still staying close to
home, so there’s no excuse not to go out and
learn about other cultures.

14. Citations
• Sources
– "Chinatown Demographics & Statistics — Employment, Education, Income Averages, Crime In
Chinatown — Point2 Homes". Point2homes.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.
– "Chinatown Neighborhood In Chicago, Illinois (IL), 60616 Subdivision Profile - Real Estate,
Apartments, Condos, Homes, Community, Population, Jobs, Income, Streets". City-data.com.
N.p., 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.
– “Places to See in Chinatown.” Chicago Chinatown. Web. 28 Mar. 2016.
– “Landmarks & Tourism.” Chicago Chinatown Chamber. 10 July 2013. Web. 28 Mar. 2016.
– “Chinatown History.” Chicago Chinatown. Web. 28 Mar. 2016.
• Image Credit
– https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinatown,_Chicago#/media/File:Chinatown_map.png
– https://www.google.com/maps/place/Chinatown,+Chicago,+IL/
– https://www.google.com/search?q=chinatown+chicago&espv=2&biw=1241&bih=718&source
=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwil19bbnOTLAhULv4MKHaMMDjUQ_AUIBygC&dpr=0.9#
imgrc=4I6fRxlta3UM0M%3A