Kimlau Square

Much of Chinatown extends south of Canal Street to the Manhattan Bridge. Over the years, this area has been growing slowly but steadily, but its heart is without a doubt Kimlau Square. This is named after a Chinese American lieutenant who was a hero in World War II and helped to establish this neighborhood for New York's Chinese community. Before Kimlau's intervention, there were no streetlights, recreational areas, paved roads or bilingual schools. The Kimlau Foundation not only solved all these problems but also helped to preserve the memory of all the Chinese who had served the nation, going back to the Chinese workers who helped build the railroads that cross the country.