Chinese immigrants first came to the Pacific Northwest in the 1850s, and by the 1860s, some had settled in Seattle.

The first Chinese quarters were near Yesler’s Mill on the waterfront. According to Chinese oral history, the waterfront was the first Chinatown, where the Chinese dock workers lived. In 1886 whites drove out most of Seattle’s Chinese population. However, some took shelter with Native Americans on the reservations while others came under the protection of white employers and a judge. The Great Seattle Fire of 1889 further hindered the community. Eventually, the Chinese re-established new quarters farther inland, along Washington St. and Second Avenue South. This was the second Chinatown. Land values rose, especially with impending construction of the Smith Tower, and the people of Chinatown moved again, to the present and third location along King Street. Only the Hop Sing Tong managed to retain its building on 2nd and Washington. It sold this building about 2006 in order to purchase the former China Gate building in the current Chinatown.

Near the end of the 19th century, Japanese immigrants also began arriving, settling on the south side of the district on the other side of the railroad tracks. Part of present-day Dearborn Street, between 8th and 12th avenues, was known as Mikado Street, after the Japanese word for “emperor.” Japanese Americans developed Nihonmachi, or Japantown, on Main Street, two blocks north of King Street. By the mid-1920s, Nihonmachi extended from 4th Avenue along Main to 7th Avenue, with clusters of businesses along Jackson, King, Weller, Lane, and Dearborn streets.

Tinman loves to visit areas of Culinary Delight and stopped in a quaint little Tea Shoppe to examine the wares and speak to the delightful proprietor..

He inquired as to where she and her friends would dine for luncheon in the Chinatown District….without hesitation, she replied….”The Purple Dot!!”

Hmmmm, Purple Dot, thought the Tin Man….wonder how authentic this is ……….hmmmmm

AHHHHHH…..Dim Sum……YUMMY……and the tables were packed with local Asians only….a good sign…

Beautiful Table Setting…….here come the carts filled with steaming baskets of Dim Sum….

Pure Delights………Tin Man has not had Chicken Feet since he went to visit Dorothy in Kansas….

The food and service were so delightful, Tin Man went back two days in a row…….

Walking through Chinatown is like riding a Culinary Roller Coaster…

Dragons Adorned the Lamp Posts….

Seattle’s Chinatown is a most delightful small Chinatown, filled with marvelous people and amazing Culinary Delights…