48°25′46″N 123°22′04″W / 48.429364°N 123.367909°W
Chinatown | |
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Neighbourhood | |
![]() Chinatown, with the Gate of Harmonious Interest in the background | |
Country | ![]() |
Province | ![]() |
City | Victoria |
Official name | Victoria's Chinatown National Historic Site of Canada |
Designated | 1995 |
The Chinatown in Victoria, British Columbia is the oldest Chinatown in Canada and the second oldest in North America after San Francisco. Victoria's Chinatown had its beginnings in the mid-nineteenth century in the mass influx of miners from California to what is now British Columbia in 1858. It remains an actively inhabited place and continues to be popular with residents and visitors, many of whom are Chinese-Canadians. Victoria's Chinatown is now surrounded by cultural, entertainment venues as well as being a venue itself. Chinatown is now conveniently just minutes away from other sites of interests such as the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, Bay Centre, Empress Hotel, Market Square, and others.
The Royal British Columbia Museum states that it "was known for its maze of alleyways and courtyards, containing everything from movie theaters and restaurants to gambling dens."[1]