{"id":236611,"date":"2026-05-26T21:00:36","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T01:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/?p=236611"},"modified":"2026-05-29T12:27:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T16:27:19","slug":"bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/","title":{"rendered":"This Jersey Shore Town Was Once Known as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"custom_featured_image\" style=\"display:none;\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town-800x533.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town-800x533.png 800w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town-768x511.png 768w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town-585x390.png 585w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town-263x175.png 263w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/div><div id=\"custom_category\" style=\"display:none;\">history <\/div><p>The Jersey Shore has been a popular vacation spot for millions over the last 150 years. Bradley Beach is well known for being the first place to issue <a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-beach-badges-history\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">beach badges<\/a> in the world, but many are unfamiliar with the shore&#8217;s popularity as a vacation spot amongst Manhattan\u2019s Chinatown. Starting in 1923, Chinese families began venturing down the shore, leaving a legacy that is still remembered a century later. <strong>This Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, read on to learn about Chinatown-by-the-Sea and the Chinese community in Bradley Beach.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-236642\" src=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town-800x533.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town-800x533.png 800w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town-768x511.png 768w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town-585x390.png 585w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town-263x175.png 263w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Bradley Beach, the Beginning Years<\/h2>\n<p>Bradley Beach was developed by James A. Bradley, its namesake. In 1871, he acquired 54 acres of land, and the area was informally known as Ocean Park. In 1893, residents appealed to the state legislature and incorporated their community as Bradley Beach. In 1929, Bradley Beach became the first place in the United States to charge people for beach access.<\/p>\n<h2>Chinatown-by-the-Sea<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bradleybeachnj.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Chinatown-by-the-Sea-Proclamation.pdf\">Starting in 1923<\/a>, Bradley Beach became a popular destination for Chinese families from Manhattan&#8217;s Chinatown, drawn by a collaboration between the Church of All Nations and the nonprofit<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/asian-america\/chinatown-sea-celebrated-escape-tenement-life-early-nyc-chinese-famili-rcna104441\"> Fresh Air Fund<\/a>. These two organizations sought to provide those in Manhattan with an escape from the cramped streets of the city, allowing them to explore and enjoy the outdoors at the Jersey Shore. Each summer, the church sent ethnic communities, including Italians, Poles, Slovaks, Armenians, Japanese, and Chinese, for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.atlasobscura.com\/articles\/chinese-bradley-beach-new-jersey\">two to three weeks<\/a> each to Cliff Villa, a home located at 110 Cliff Avenue in Bradley Beach and owned by the Church of All Nations.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>Read More:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-beach-badges-history\/\">Bradley Beach Was the First to Introduce Beach Badges: Here\u2019s How It Changed Shore Access<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.atlasobscura.com\/articles\/chinese-bradley-beach-new-jersey\">Summers at Bradley Beach<\/a> offered a world apart from the tenements of Chinatown. Chinese and Chinese-Americans made the journey to escape the tight quarters of apartment living. Staying in a house, swimming in the ocean, and enjoying the open space to ride bicycles was something new. The men typically dropped the women and children off for the summer, then returned to their jobs in the city, commuting on Mondays after the Sunday rush in Chinatown had ended. The women would sew and play mahjong, while the men played cards, fished, or headed to nearby Asbury Park Casino. The children would eat pizza and ice cream at Virgil&#8217;s on Newark Avenue, fish at Fletcher Lake, or make their way to Asbury Park for arcade games and carnival rides.<\/p>\n<p>In 1943, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bradleybeachnj.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Chinatown-by-the-Sea-Proclamation.pdf\">Lee Ng Shee<\/a> purchased a home in Bradley Beach at 104 Newark Avenue for $2,000, becoming the first Chinese homeowner in Bradley Beach. Her husband, Lee B. Lok, owned a general store called Quong Yuen Shing &amp; Co. on Mott Street in Manhattan&#8217;s Chinatown. Four of the couple&#8217;s six children went on to purchase homes on Newark Avenue, strengthening the family&#8217;s deep roots in the community. After Lee and Lee made their way to the Jersey Shore, more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.themontclairgirl.com\/chinese-history-belleville-nj\/\">Chinese families<\/a> became property owners in Bradley Beach, rather than just tourists. Today, their grandson, John Mok, is a permanent resident on the same street as his grandparents, spending his time year-round down the shore.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-236612\" src=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/ap-1-800x800.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/ap-1-800x800.png 800w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/ap-1-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/ap-1-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/ap-1-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/ap-1-585x585.png 585w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/ap-1.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Cliff Villa, where the story began, burned down in 1965. Church of All Nations, which made the summer vacations possible in the first place, was demolished in 2005, but the Chinese community maintained its connection to Bradley Beach and kept the story alive.<\/p>\n<h2>Modern Times<\/h2>\n<p>On August 26, 2023, the<a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-beach-badges-history\/\"> Bradley Beach<\/a> Historical Society, in collaboration with the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) and the Mei Hua Society, hosted a Chinatown-by-the-Sea reunion. A century after the first visit, generations of families reunited in the shore town that brought so many memories. The event drew about 200 people, and a few families of the original homeowners, like John, still frequent Bradley Beach during the summer. Attendees shared memories and old photos, reminiscing about times past.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-236613\" src=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/mott-800x800.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/mott-800x800.png 800w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/mott-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/mott-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/mott-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/mott-585x585.png 585w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/mott.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Bradley Beach Mayor Larry Fox proclaimed in honor of the Chinese community\u2019s impact on Bradley Beach. \u201cNow, therefore be it here proclaimed, that the Mayor and Council of Bradley Beach do recognize as part of the 130th anniversary of the Borough\u2019s founding, the designation of \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d to encompass Newark Avenue, Cliff Avenue, and neighboring streets that generations of Chinese Americans have called home,\u201d part of the statement reads.<\/p>\n<p>Author Ava Chin, author of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/563929\/mott-street-by-ava-chin\/\"><em>Mott Street: A Chinese American Family\u2019s Story of Exclusion and Homecoming<\/em><\/a>, described to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/asian-america\/chinatown-sea-celebrated-escape-tenement-life-early-nyc-chinese-famili-rcna104441\">NBC<\/a> News why the summers in Bradley Beach were so meaningful to the Chinese American community at the time. \u201cThe Jersey Shore really offered Chinese Americans this opportunity to have a summer that was this incredible American experience. For some of them, it was the first time that they ate American food,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>See More:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/food-drink\/best-specialty-coffee-roasters-new-jersey\">A Guide to Specialty Coffee Roasters at the Jersey Shore<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Follow @thejerseyshoregirl_ on<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thejerseyshoregirl_\/?hl=en\"><span class=\"s1\">&nbsp;Instagram<\/span><\/a>&nbsp;for the latest Jersey Shore updates,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/twilight-lion-90332.myflodesk.com\/jrf4qhj7qk\"><span class=\"s1\">sign up for our weekly newsletter here<\/span><\/a>&nbsp;that shares everything you missed each week, and check out our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/events\/\"><span class=\"s1\">events calendar<\/span><\/a>, which has over 40+ events weekly to peruse.<\/p>\n<div class=\"categories\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"button\" href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/lifestyle\/ \" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lifestyle<\/a><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>history The Jersey Shore has been a popular vacation spot for millions over the last 150 years. Bradley Beach is well known&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":383,"featured_media":236642,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[9653,8833,7997,7998,9640,9593],"tags":[9680,9694,9662,9673,9702,9757,9755],"class_list":["post-236611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bradley-beach","category-culture","category-lifestyle","category-people","category-jersey-shore-towns","category-local-girl-rss-feed","tag-beach-life","tag-coastal-living","tag-history","tag-jersey-shore","tag-lifestyle","tag-people","tag-tlg"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.6 (Yoast SEO v27.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>This Jersey Shore Town Was Once Known as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d - The Jersey Shore Girl<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"During AAPI Heritage Month, we\u2019re looking back at Bradley Beach\u2019s history as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d and the community that shaped it.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"This Jersey Shore Town Was Once Known as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"During AAPI Heritage Month, we\u2019re looking back at Bradley Beach\u2019s history as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d and the community that shaped it.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Jersey Shore Girl\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-27T01:00:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-29T16:27:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"666\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Olivia Fisher\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Olivia Fisher\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Olivia Fisher\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c16c131340375dbd9f484a9f474508c1\"},\"headline\":\"This Jersey Shore Town Was Once Known as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-27T01:00:36+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-29T16:27:19+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":852,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Beach Life\",\"Coastal Living\",\"History\",\"Jersey Shore\",\"Lifestyle\",\"People\",\"The Local Girl\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Bradley Beach\",\"Culture\",\"Lifestyle\",\"People\",\"Shore Towns\",\"The Local Girl\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\\\/\",\"name\":\"This Jersey Shore Town Was Once Known as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d - The Jersey Shore Girl\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-27T01:00:36+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-29T16:27:19+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c16c131340375dbd9f484a9f474508c1\"},\"description\":\"During AAPI Heritage Month, we\u2019re looking back at Bradley Beach\u2019s history as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d and the community that shaped it.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town.png\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":666},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"This Jersey Shore Town Was Once Known as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Jersey Shore Girl\",\"description\":\"A lifestyle site dedicated to all things Local \u2014 with a Jersey Shore twist.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c16c131340375dbd9f484a9f474508c1\",\"name\":\"Olivia Fisher\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/OliviaF-256-96x96.jpg\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/OliviaF-256-96x96.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/OliviaF-256-96x96.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Olivia Fisher\"},\"description\":\"Olivia grew up in New Jersey and has a B.A. and M.A. from The George Washington University in DC. As a history nerd, she is interested in local history, especially in North Jersey. When she's not writing, you can find Olivia exploring all the food, museums, and spots North Jersey has to offer.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/thelocalgirl.com\\\/jerseyshore\\\/author\\\/oliviaf\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"This Jersey Shore Town Was Once Known as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d - The Jersey Shore Girl","description":"During AAPI Heritage Month, we\u2019re looking back at Bradley Beach\u2019s history as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d and the community that shaped it.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"This Jersey Shore Town Was Once Known as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d","og_description":"During AAPI Heritage Month, we\u2019re looking back at Bradley Beach\u2019s history as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d and the community that shaped it.","og_url":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/","og_site_name":"The Jersey Shore Girl","article_published_time":"2026-05-27T01:00:36+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-05-29T16:27:19+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":666,"url":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Olivia Fisher","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Olivia Fisher","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/"},"author":{"name":"Olivia Fisher","@id":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/#\/schema\/person\/c16c131340375dbd9f484a9f474508c1"},"headline":"This Jersey Shore Town Was Once Known as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d","datePublished":"2026-05-27T01:00:36+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-29T16:27:19+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/"},"wordCount":852,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town.png","keywords":["Beach Life","Coastal Living","History","Jersey Shore","Lifestyle","People","The Local Girl"],"articleSection":["Bradley Beach","Culture","Lifestyle","People","Shore Towns","The Local Girl"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/","url":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/","name":"This Jersey Shore Town Was Once Known as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d - The Jersey Shore Girl","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town.png","datePublished":"2026-05-27T01:00:36+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-29T16:27:19+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/#\/schema\/person\/c16c131340375dbd9f484a9f474508c1"},"description":"During AAPI Heritage Month, we\u2019re looking back at Bradley Beach\u2019s history as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d and the community that shaped it.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/bradley-beach-fi-china-town.png","width":1000,"height":666},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-chinatown-history\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"This Jersey Shore Town Was Once Known as \u201cChinatown by the Sea\u201d"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/#website","url":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/","name":"The Jersey Shore Girl","description":"A lifestyle site dedicated to all things Local \u2014 with a Jersey Shore twist.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/#\/schema\/person\/c16c131340375dbd9f484a9f474508c1","name":"Olivia Fisher","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OliviaF-256-96x96.jpg","url":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OliviaF-256-96x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OliviaF-256-96x96.jpg","caption":"Olivia Fisher"},"description":"Olivia grew up in New Jersey and has a B.A. and M.A. from The George Washington University in DC. As a history nerd, she is interested in local history, especially in North Jersey. When she's not writing, you can find Olivia exploring all the food, museums, and spots North Jersey has to offer.","url":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/author\/oliviaf\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/383"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=236611"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236611\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/236642"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=236611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=236611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=236611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}