The Chinese Historical Society of Southern California was founded in 1975, dedicated to the discovery and sharing of Chinese American history. In 1995, the Society purchased and moved into two Victorian houses at 411 & 415 Bernard Street. Built in 1886 &1888 by Philip Fritz, an emigrant from Alsace (German/French border region), the houses are located in the northern section of Los Angeles Chinatown, and they now serve as headquarters for CHSSC. To read more about the Fritz family history, click here.

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The Chinatown Heritage Center is the premier source of information pertaining to the history of the Chinese in Southern California. On display are artifacts from the archaeological dig performed during excavations for the Metro Red line at Union Station (the original location of Los Angeles’ Chinatown). CHSSC offers a free self-guided tour map and conducts private and public tours of Chinatown.

Research Center & Library

Our library features an extensive collection of historical and cultural books. The bookstore stocks volumes on local and national Chinese-American history. The CHSSC research collection includes manuscripts, photographs, artifacts, as well as tapes and transcripts from the Chinatown oral history project. The center offers information that is unavailable anywhere else, invaluable to the researcher, historian or simply the inquisitive.

Tours of New Chinatown

Chinatown was relocated in 1938 to its present location from the area where Union Station is now. The Chinese Historical Society of Southern California has actively promoted community history through an ongoing Walking Tour of the New Chinatown Program begun in 1981. Thousands of people have taken our educational tours, guided by well-trained docents.

A tour can be anywhere from 1 hour to 4 hours. It is dependent on the availability of our volunteer docents. An $8 donation requested from each individual being given a tour. There is a minimum of 10 people required in a group tour. Please call our office for an appointment, (323) 222-0856.

If you prefer to go on a self guided tour you can pick up a self-guided walking historic trail brochure from our office at 411 Bernard Street, Los Angeles, California. We are located between Hill and Broadway by the entrance to freeway 110 North.

To book a walking tour, contact us at info@chssc.org.