Newark Chinatown | |
|---|---|
Neighborhood of Newark | |
 Interactive map of Newark Chinatown | |
| Coordinates:40°44′05″N74°10′05″W / 40.734771°N 74.168100°W /40.734771; -74.168100 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Essex County |
| City | Newark |
| ZIP Code | 07102 |
| Area code | 973 |
Chinatown was a neighborhood in the city ofNewark inEssex County, in theU.S. state ofNew Jersey. It was anethnic enclave with a large percentage ofChinese immigrants, centered along Mulberry Street from 1875 and remaining on some scale for nearly one hundred years.
The center of the neighborhood was directly east of theGovernment Center neighborhood, in the area of Mulberry Street between Elm and Lafayette. The first Chinese in Newark came from the community in neighboringBelleville, home of the East Coast's first Chinese community.[1] The first Chinese businesses appeared in Newark in the second half of the 19th century and in the early part of the 20th century. By the 1920s, the small area had a Chinese population of over 3000.[2]
In 1910, a small lane with housing and shopping was built calledMulberry Arcade, connecting Mulberry Street and Columbia Street between Lafayette and Green Streets. In the 1920s, recurring federalopium raids[3] disrupted the community, causing many to move to more peaceful places.
Gang leaderSai Wing Mock was shot in an attempt on his life in front of his establishment on Mulberry.[4]
Despite an attempt to revive the neighborhood decades later, the Mulberry Arcade (the center of Chinatown) was removed in the 1950s. A 21st century project in the area is calledMulberry Commons.
Today, there is barely any sign that a Chinatown existed in the neighborhood, and only a small Chinese population remains.
40°44′05″N74°10′05″W / 40.734771°N 74.168100°W /40.734771; -74.168100
