Two Boston Chinatown Historical Sites

I wanted to write this post about two historical sites in Boston's Chinatown so let's get started!

There's a building in Chinatown that is called the Chinese Merchant's Building not too far from the Chinatown Gate at the end of Beach St. This building is also known as the Million Dollar Building because that was the cost of it when it was first built. This building was cut to build part of the Central Artery so it can be said that it cut the artery of Chinatown itself. So what's left of the building is actually just two thirds of it. It has a pagoda on the top of the building too. I have heard that first graders use to dance in the building and my friend who happens to be one of them says that it is a bit odd inside. I wonder if it's because of the fact that it's known to be bad luck it something is cut. For example, people who get a divorce are supposed to cut a pear because the pronunciation of 梨(pear) is similar to the word for divorce. The building was only a few years old when it was cut. But I am glad I know something about this. :)

The other site I wanted to talk about is the Original Josiah Quincy School on 90 Tyler St. It is present day Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of New England but it houses many community organizations like Woo Ching White Crane School, Boston Chinese Dance Troupe, a chapter of the International Qi Pao Dance Group, Chung Wah Academy of New England, and much much more. But in the good old days, it used to be a public elementary school. It was the first school in America to have separate classrooms for each grade and separate desks for each student. It had four floors but the top floor, which was the auditorium, was blown off by a hurricane. There was also a fire in the building which resulted in a new replacement of stairs.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading about these two sites!