China Town in New York

Founded in the 1870s, Chinatown New York City is one of the largest Chinatowns in the United States. (Both it and San Francisco's Chinatown claim to be the largest). Several popular tourist attractions are: · Chatham Square: This is the location of the Kim Lau Memorial Arch that was built in 1962 to honor the memory of Chinese Americans who died in the Second World War. It is also the location of the statue of Lin Zexu, a 19th century anti-drug hero. · Columbus Park: Chinatown's largest park filled each morning with people doing Tai Chi, relaxing with their caged birds or playing table games. It was created in the 1890s and is now a major recreational facilty for outdoor events, sports and festivals. · Five Points: Named as it is because it's the intersection of five streets that meet at the south end of what is now called Columbus Park. It was the site of some of the city's first buildings that were made for the many German and Irish immigrants. It was made famous by the movie, “Gangs of New York,” by Martin Scorcese. · Museum of Chinese in the Americas: One of the most important archives of Chinese history in America. · Church of the Transfiguration: A church on the corner of Mott Street and Pell Street that has been around since 1801. It originally served the Irish and Italian communities, and now serves the Chinese communities. · Mahayana Buddhist Temple: The largest Buddhist temple in Chinatown and home to perhaps the largest golden Buddha in New York. · First Shearith Israel Cemetery: The oldest Jewish cemetery in New York City. It was built in 1683 · Edward Mooney House: Built in 1785, it's the oldest townhouse in NYC. It became a tavern in the 1820s and a hotel in the early 20th century. It was also a pool parlor, a restaurant, and a Chinese pub. Today it is a bank.