Information AboutAsia District |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT ASIA DISTRICT | |
| chinatowns | |
| neighborhoods in oklahoma city | |
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Oklahoma City's Asia District is the centre of Asian culture and International cuisine and commerce for the state of Oklahoma . It contains the largest population of Asian Americans and descendants from Asia in the state. Anchored by the Gold Dome on North West 23rd Street, the Chinatown district runs along Classen Boulevard and surrounding Avenues in central Oklahoma City from roughly North 22nd Street up to North 30th Street. Scores of restaurants, travel outlets, international video, retail boutiques, nightclubs, supermarkets, and asian oriented service outlets appeal to Oklahoma City's large Asian populous and tourists alike. HISTORY "Little Saigon," tucked in the heart of barbecue and cowboy country, was born in 1975 when hundreds of Vietnamese refugees came to Oklahoma City after the fall of Saigon. The Vietnamese population has continued to grow since the first wave of immigrants were dropped just across the state line in Fort Chaffee, Ark. Relatives and friends have followed as stories of success reached their homeland. The original refugees made Oklahoma City their home thanks to a handful of activists who brought hundreds out of the camp. Each refugee had to have an American sponsor before leaving the Arkansas barracks. The first refugees, most of whom did not speak English, left professional and military careers in Vietnam to become laborers -- brick makers, builders and warehouse workers. In time, they became lawyers, doctors and engineers, sent their children to American colleges and started businesses. They opened dental and chiropractor offices, nail salons and insurance agencies. They also created the Vietnamese-American Association and the Vietnamese Buddhist Association, which is breaking ground on a new temple next month. TODAY In the last 25 years the Vietnamese have transformed the strip along N.W. 23rd Street and Classen Boulevard. The 2000 data counted over 20,000 Vietnamese-Americans residing in Asia District, almost double the population of the second-largest group in the district, Chinese-Americans. These numbers allegedly undercount Asians in the district who (like Hispanics in Oklahoma City) are said to be afraid of the government and thus don't actively participate in census counts. In 1975 there were just three Asian restaurants and no Vietnamese markets as the first refugees arrived after the fall of Saigon. Today there are multitudes of restaurants, nightclubs, shops, asian markets and grocery stores; egg roll wrappers and rice noodles or Dim Sum brunch and Bubble Tea are no longer hard to find as they predominate the area. EXTERNAL LINKS
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