29 Essex Street

While Chinatown in Manhattan isn't even the largest Chinatown in NYC (That one is in Flushing Queens) it's the neighborhood you think of when someone mentions New York street markets and great dining. With a fascinating history and a ton of cultural institutions, Chinatown is truly a neighborhood that's not to be missed.

Chinatown began when one Cantonese immigrant, Ah Ken, came to the neighborhood that was known as Five Points and opened a cigar shop in the 1850's. This shop became wildly successful and Ah Ken wrote back to his family and friends to brag about his success. He then purchased many of the buildings surrounding his shop and let other Chinese immigrants live there for very cheap.

In the late 1800's, the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed, and immigrating to the US became very difficult. Men outnumbered women in the area by a large amount until the Act was repealed in 1943. While immigration was still difficult, the number began to…

Chinatown Apartments