Chinatown is one of L.A.'s most popular tourist destinations, located in Downtown L.A. near the city's civic and cultural center. Travelers may be confused by the "New Chinatown" mural that marks the neighborhood's Central Plaza, but there's a story behind that. L.A.'s first Chinatown was located where Union Station is now. In the early 1930s, the old enclave was razed in favor of L.A.'s major train terminal, and in June 1938 a new Chinatown celebrated its grand opening not far from where the original neighborhood stood. New Chinatown became a significant part of both local and national history - it's the first such neighborhood in the U.S. that was actually owned by Chinese residents.