Skip to content
Travel Portland logo

The Official Guide to Portland

  • Attractions
    • women dances with large fans outside on a city street surrounded by people in colorful dragon costumesView All Attractions
    • Museums
    • Parks & Gardens
    • Family Friendly
    • Shopping
    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • people dining at picnic tables in front of a food cartView All Culture
    • Arts
    • Beer
    • Biking
    • Cannabis
    • Cultural Communities
    • Craft Spirits
    • Food
    • Makers
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Outdoors
    • Sports
    • Weird
    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
  • Neighborhoods
    • aerial view of downtown area with buildings and roadways, bridges crossing a river to a smaller set of buildings that expand into the distanceView All Neighborhoods
    • Alberta Arts District
    • Belmont
    • Central Eastside
    • Division/Clinton
    • Downtown
    • Hawthorne
    • Lloyd
    • Mississippi
    • Northwest / Nob Hill
    • Old Town Chinatown
    • Pearl District
    • St. Johns
    • Sellwood-Moreland
    • Williams
    • ALL NEIGHBORHOODS
  • Region
    • RegionView All Region
    • Near the City
    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
    • Oregon Coast
    • Willamette Valley
    • ALL REGIONS
  • Plan
    • Light rail train car driving past people shopping at an outdoor marketView All Plan
    • Portland Maps
    • Portland Visitor Center
    • Where to Stay
    • Tours & Itineraries
    • Transportation
    • When to Visit
    • Accessible Portland
    • Portland Weather
    • COVID-19 FAQ
    • Safety in Portland
    • Plan a Meeting
  • Events
  • Search
Primary Menu 31 Events Near Me content loading animation Search
  • Attractions
    • women dances with large fans outside on a city street surrounded by people in colorful dragon costumesView All Attractions
    • Museums
    • Parks & Gardens
    • Family Friendly
    • Shopping
    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • people dining at picnic tables in front of a food cartView All Culture
    • Arts
    • Beer
    • Biking
    • Cannabis
    • Cultural Communities
    • Craft Spirits
    • Food
    • Makers
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Outdoors
    • Sports
    • Weird
    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
  • Neighborhoods
    • aerial view of downtown area with buildings and roadways, bridges crossing a river to a smaller set of buildings that expand into the distanceView All Neighborhoods
    • Alberta Arts District
    • Belmont
    • Central Eastside
    • Division/Clinton
    • Downtown
    • Hawthorne
    • Lloyd
    • Mississippi
    • Northwest / Nob Hill
    • Old Town Chinatown
    • Pearl District
    • St. Johns
    • Sellwood-Moreland
    • Williams
    • ALL NEIGHBORHOODS
  • Region
    • RegionView All Region
    • Near the City
    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
    • Oregon Coast
    • Willamette Valley
    • ALL REGIONS
  • Plan
    • Light rail train car driving past people shopping at an outdoor marketView All Plan
    • Portland Maps
    • Portland Visitor Center
    • Where to Stay
    • Tours & Itineraries
    • Transportation
    • When to Visit
    • Accessible Portland
    • Portland Weather
    • COVID-19 FAQ
    • Safety in Portland
    • Plan a Meeting
  • Events
  • Search
a tall, ornate Chinese-style gate a tall, ornate Chinese-style gate
i
Start a day in Old Town Chinatown by crossing through the neighborhood’s iconic gate.
Culture / Cultural Communities / Chinese American Community

Chinese American History

Learn more about the Rose City's strong Chinese American legacy.

Updated Mar. 12, 2022 2 min read

This article was produced in collaboration with The Portland Chinese Times, a locally published, weekly Chinese-language newspaper that is an important resource for the community.

In the 1850s, the California Gold Rush attracted emigrants from Southern China to the American West, including Oregon. They fled the hardships of their homeland in search of a better life in the United States, mainly working in gold mines, coastal fisheries and railroads. The men who emigrated from China were not allowed to bring their families, due to strict American immigration laws, and were subjected to extreme racism and discrimination. The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) was set up to protect these immigrants.

After the great flood in 1894, Portland was rebuilt, and many Chinese people moved from what had been Chinatown, at Southwest Second Avenue and Oak Street, north side of Burnside, where today’s Old Town Chinatown is located.

Chinese American Culture

Experience Portland's Chinese American culture, community and heritage through art, attractions, shopping and more.

Read more

More About Chinese American History in Portland

When did the first Chinese immigrants come to Oregon?

The California Gold Rush in the 1850s attracted emigrants from Southern China to the American West, including Oregon. Once in the United States, these men mainly worked in gold mines, coastal fisheries and railroads. Immigration laws at the time prevented them from bringing their families.

Where can I learn more about Chinese American history in Portland?

This article is a great place to start! Beyond visiting the links and reading through the related articles here, you can learn more about Chinese American history in Portland through the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA), the Oregon Historical Society, and the Multnomah County Library.

Where can I experience Chinese American culture in Portland?

There are a lot of great places to experience Chinese American culture in Portland, but we recommend checking out the Lan Su Chinese Garden, Jade District, Old Town Chinatown, and some of these recommended attractions.

By the 1900s, Portland had the second-largest Chinatown on the West Coast, and 12 percent of the entire city’s population was Chinese. The buildings housed restaurants, Chinese opera theaters, grocers and herbal shops that catered to the Chinese population. Today, Portland’s Chinatown is a tourist destination rather than a Chinese enclave.

In the past decade, Chinese immigration to Portland has grown rapidly. The newer generations of immigrants come over as families, are more educated, and have economic power. Many live and work in the Jade District and areas between Southeast Powell Boulevard and Division Street around 82nd Avenue, which is considered the “New Chinatown.”

Jade District

This Southeast Portland neighborhood is a bustling cultural hub, home to a population largely composed of immigrants and people of color. Eat and explore in one of the city's most diverse communities.

Go To Jade District

Another important piece of Chinese history in Portland is Block 14 of Southeast Portland’s Lone Fir Cemetery, which was specifically set aside for Chinese immigrants. In the 1900s, this was the final resting place for many of the Chinese laborers who helped to build Portland. In keeping with Chinese custom, immigrants were buried in the cemetery for a time, until their bones could be dug up and returned to China to be reunited with relatives.

This tradition carried on for many years until the county decided to reclaim Block 14. In 1948, it was excavated with a bulldozer, the remains found were returned to China, and a building was erected on the site. In 2004, when Multnomah County planned to sell the property, Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery notified the Chinese community, and with the help of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and the Oregon Historical Society’s records, an archaeological investigation was undertaken. In 2005, a team of archaeologists found two completely intact burials, which halted the county’s plan to sell the building. Multnomah County now plans to build a memorial garden on that spot to honor the Chinese immigrants who helped build Portland.

Cultural Communities

Lan Su Chinese Garden

This year-round wonder houses an authentic Ming Dynasty-style garden built by Suzhou artisans, offering a peaceful escape in Portland's historic Chinatown.

Read more

Was this page helpful?

Visitor Information

visitorinfo@travelportland.com
1-888-503-3291 (toll free)
503-427-1372
Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Portland Visitor Center

1132 SW Harvey Milk St #104,
Portland, OR 97205

Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

guide cover with images of sights around Portland; the white stag sign, the Tilikum Crossing, and food.

Map & Guide

Pocket-sized brochure guide and map.

Get the guide

Screenshot of hand holding mobile phone with Near Me Now Map on the screen

Near Me Now App

An app to explore the best of Portland.




Newsletter Signup

Get your guide to Portland's events, attractions and news.

Follow Us

  • TikTok
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn

Information For

Local Businesses
Media
Meeting Planners
Travel Industry Professionals
Event Organizers

Brought to you by

Travel Portland Logo

We are a promoter and steward of this evolving city and its progressive values, which have the power to transform the travelers who visit us.

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Jobs
  • Español
  • Français
  • Deutsch
  • 日本語
  • 汉语
  • 漢語
  • 한국어
Copyright © 2023 Travel Portland
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Copyright Policy
Visit The USA Logo