Christine Sterling was born Chastina Rix in Oakland, 1881.
She briefly attended Mills College before she married (twice) and moved to Los
Angeles. She and her husband had two children before he died and left her a
widow.
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| Portrait of Christine Sterling, order# 00037035 |
Olvera Street was established when Los Angeles was first settled in the late 18th
century. However, by the 1920s, the site of
the original settlement had become a dirty, rundown area with a shady
reputation. As Ms. Sterling explored the historic area, she was taken aback by
the filth and neglect, especially since she had been drawn to the city in part
by promises of “old Missions, rambling adobes – the ‘strumming of guitars and
the click of castanets.” She thought it important that the roots of the city be
recognized, and saw the potential in this “birthplace of Los Angeles.” In a 1933 booklet, Sterling wrote, “I closed
my eyes and thought of the Plaza as a Spanish-American social and commercial
center, a spot of beauty as a gesture of appreciation to México and Spain for
our historical past.”
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| Olvera Street before improvement (Avila Adobe second building on left), order# 00008510 |
Ms. Sterling became especially interested in the Avila
Adobe, the oldest existing residence in Los Angeles. The building was
established by Don Francisco Avila, the 1810-1811 mayor of Los Angeles, but was
set to be demolished. In 1928, after a final condemnation notice had been
posted on the door of the adobe, Ms. Sterling posted her own sign in front of
the adobe which ended with a call to action: “Let the people of Los Angeles show honor and respect to the history
of their city by making sacred and inviolate the last of the old landmarks and
that spot where the city of Los Angeles was born."
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| Avila Adobe as it looked in 1890, order# 00078892 |
Although Christine Sterling initially had difficulty
drumming up support, the increase of media coverage brought her struggle to the
attention of influential people. Sterling turned to Harry Chandler,
publisher of the Los Angeles Times, for help. In her diary, she praised his
willingness to “talk Idealism and Sentiment," and noted that it
was “a privilege to have talked to him.” Chandler became interested in her
cause and helped her gain financial support from prominent businessmen. All the
materials necessary to repair the house itself were donated. In addition, the
Los Angeles County Sheriff promised to have prisoners perform the labor
required to repave the street and repair surrounding buildings.
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| Portrait of Harry Chandler, order# 00040899 |
In September of 1929, the street was closed to vehicles, and
work began on November 7. In addition to repaving and repairs, reconstruction
involved lowering the level of the street and building stalls, or puestos,
which would be given to families from Mexico for use as shops. On April 19,
1930, Olvera Street opened to the public. Ms. Sterling dubbed the street “El
Paseo de Los Angeles,” thrilled that her dreams
of celebrating the city’s roots had come to fruition. Not only had she created
a thriving Mexican marketplace, which currently attracts over two million
visitors every year, she had brought attention to the historic neighborhood,
and ensured the preservation of many historic buildings.
Christine Sterling, however, was far from finished. Not only
was she the “Mother of Olvera Street,” she also headed another
neighborhood reconstruction project, China City. In the early 1930s, the
construction of a new Union Station in the midst of Old Chinatown caused the
dislocation of thousands of Chinese residents. Sterling attempted to
recreate her Olvera Street success with China City. She envisioned a small town
with an “exotic” atmosphere, something that would cater to the public’s
romantic idea of Chinese culture. China City was competing with Peter SooHoo’s
plan for “New Chinatown,” but was the first community to open. Bounded by Ord,
N. Spring, Macy (now Cesar E Chavez Ave.), and North Main Streets, China City opened on
June 7 1938.
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| Gateway to China City in 1938, order# 00057486 |
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| Chinese vendor in China City, ca. 1940, order# 00073248 |
However, in 1939, a large fire caused extensive damage to
China City. Christine Sterling decided to rebuild the damaged areas, and China
City was soon reopened.
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| China City after the fire, 1939, order# 00057491 |
China City remained a fixture of the community for almost
ten years, serving as a center of business and tourism as well as a place to
gather and celebrate festivals such as Chinese New Year and the Moon Festival.
However, in 1948, China City would again succumb to a devastating fire, and
would never be rebuilt. Although China City succeeded in attracting visitors
and creating a Chinese community, it ultimately did not succeed in the way that
Christine Sterling’s previous project, Olvera Street, did.
Despite the success of Olvera Street (and the short-lived
success of China City), Christine Sterling’s vision was not without problems.
She has been criticized for romanticizing Mexican and Chinese cultures and
exploiting stereotypes. While Olvera Street was received well and has become a
much-loved Los Angeles landmark, many Chinese resented China City for its
artifice, instead supporting Peter SooHoo’s New Chinatown plan. As
Chinese-American author Lisa See said to the Los Angeles Times, "China City was supposed to be an 'authentic' Chinese city, but was pure fantasy and stereotype."
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| Pagoda Gift Shop in China City, order# 00057495 |
This fantasy can be seen in Sterling’s writings on Olvera
Street:
“Life in Los Angeles before the Americans came was an almost ideal
existence. People lived to love, to be kind, tolerant, and contented. Money of
which there was plenty was just for necessities. The men owned and rode
magnificent horses. The women were flower-like in silk and laces. There were
picnics into the hills dancing at night, moonlight serenades, romance and real
happiness.”
Christine Sterling kept this romantic vision in mind as she worked
to bring these golden days to life. She was ultimately satisfied with the
result, writing in her diary, “The surface of the old street felt again the
touch of dainty slippers and polished boots. Romance sings the love songs of
yesterday.”
Flawed though they were, Christine Sterling’s visions
demonstrate her passion for Los Angeles and its history, her shrewd mind for
business, and her determination to effect change where she saw a need.
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| Christine Sterling in 1963, order# 00037036 |
Sources:
Cheng,
Suellen and Munson Kwok. “The Golden Years of Los Angeles Chinatown: The Beginning.” Old Chinatown Los Angeles. Chinese Historical Society
of Southern California.
Gow,
William. “Christine Sterling and the Residents of China City, 1938-1948.” Gum
Saan Journal 32.1. 2010.
Poole,
Jean Bruce. “Christine Sterling.” The Historical Society of Southern
California.
Rasmussen,
Cecilia. “How ‘The Mother of Olvera St.' Got Her Moniker.” Los Angeles Times.
17 Apr. 2005.
See,
Lisa. “For Lisa See, Los Angeles’ Chinatown was always like stepping into her past.” Los Angeles Times. 31 May 2009.
Sterling, Christine. “Olvera Street: Its History
and Restoration.” Los Angeles: Adobe Studios, 1933. Print.
All photos from the Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection http://photos.lapl.org/
