Chicago Chinatown Celebrates its Centennial

One of our favorite parts about the Sloop is its proximity to Chinatown. It's quite fun to soak in the buzz on a summer day by wandering around Wentworth and Cermak. Sometimes it truly feels like you're in a different world. Anyway, the Daily Herald recently had a nice piece about Chinatown and it's 100th year in Chicago:

2012 brings the Year of the Dragon, and Chinatown is gearing up for a major celebration.

Of the 12 symbols in the Chinese zodiac, the dragon is the most powerful, representing wisdom, strength and superiority. That's fitting, as this year marks the 100th anniversary of Chicago's Chinatown, with the community to celebrate key achievements of the past century.

“It's significant that our centennial year is falling on a dragon year,” said Chi Can To, executive director of the Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce.

Chicago's Chinatown is a busy 30-block commercial area centered on and around Wentworth Avenue and Cermak Road in the South Side Armour Square neighborhood. Home to more than 10,000 residents and about 400 businesses and local institutions, Chinatown is considered one of the country's largest and most vibrant ethnic communities.