The makai boundary of the district expresses the importance of Chinatown's connection with the harbor and its historic ties to the waterfront, a factor of great importance in its origin and evolution. "The major reason for its [Chinatown's] early development and continuous history as a commercial area was due to the close proximity to Honolulu Harbor" (Riconda 1973, National Register Nomination form for Chinatown Historic District, SHPD files). The district is also considered significant as traditional cultural property, according to the National Register Bulletin on that topic. It is recognized as a place of cultural importance to the city's Asian community, which retains its distinctive cultural surroundings and architectural character. In the Chinatown Historic District, buildings from the early 20th century are combined with later, mid-century construction (often in International Style) to yield a significant concentration of buildings that are united historically and aesthetically by physical development.
Chinatown Historic District
- Built 1900-1968
- Will be Adversely Affected by Rail Transit
Photos and text dervived from Study of Potential Effects to Historic Properties prepared by Mason Architects for the Honolulu Rapid Transit Corridor Project, City and County of Honolulu, 2008
View Historic Sites Adversely Effected by Honolulu's Future Rail in a larger map
Historic Sites to be Adversely Affected by the Honolulu Rail Project
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