LPC Recognizes Native American and Chinese American History with the Designation of Two Individual Landmarks

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Press Release

For Immediate Release: June 22, 2021
Contact: lpcpressoffice@lpc.nyc.gov, 212-669-7938

LPC Recognizes Native American and Chinese American History with the Designation of Two Individual Landmarks

The Aakawaxung Munahanung (Island Protected from the Wind) Archaeological Site is the first NYC landmark specifically recognizing the many generations of Indigenous peoples who lived here.

The Kimlau War Memorial is the first NYC landmark that specifically recognizes Chinese American history and culture.

Aakawaxung Munahanung Archaeological Site and Kimlau War Memorial

New York –Today, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) unanimously voted to designate the Aakawaxung Munahanung (Island Protected from the Wind) Archaeological Site on Staten Island and the Kimlau War Memorial at Kimlau Square in Chinatown. The Aakawaxung Munahanung (Island Protected from the Wind) Archaeological Site is associated with over 8,000 years of occupation by Indigenous peoples, contains the region's largest known cultural complex, and is the best-preserved known archaeological site associated with an Indigenous presence in New York City. It is the first NYC landmark specifically recognizing the many generations of Indigenous peoples who lived here. The Kimlau War Memorial is significant as a public monument dedicated to the contributions of Chinese Americans to American history, for its architecture, and its prominence as a symbolic gateway to Chinatown. While there are several New York City landmarks in Chinatown, this is the first that specifically recognizes Chinese American history and culture.

"I am proud that today the Commission designated its first landmark specifically recognizing New York City's many thousands of years of Native American history and culture, and also the first landmark recognizing the contributions of its Chinese American community," said Landmarks Preservation Commission Chair Sarah Carroll. "As part of the agency's equity framework, I am committed to advancing the designation of landmarks that better represent the city's diversity and tell the story of all New Yorkers. The recognition and celebration of the history that these two sites embody is so important, and both are within city parks and accessible for the public to enjoy."

"We thank the Landmarks Preservation Commission for recognizing the historic and cultural significance of the Aakawaxung Munahanung (Island Protected from the Wind) Archaeological Site in Conference House Park and the Kimlau War Memorial at Kimlau Square," said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. "As we work to build a more equitable park system, these landmark designations increase representation and honor the stories and contributions of both Indigenous peoples and Chinese Americans in our public spaces."

The Aakawaxung Munahanung (Island Protected from the Wind) Archaeological Site, which was calendared and heard as the "Conference House Park Archaeological Site," includes approximately 20 acres of highly significant archaeologically sensitive land located within the city's Conference House Park at the southern end of Staten Island in Tottenville. This name was identified through LPC research and in consultation with the city's Federally-recognized tribes. It is derived from the old Munsee language name for Staten Island, which historic documents suggest may have also applied to this particular site. The site still contains significant historic–era archaeological resources, including evidence from the period of contact between Indigenous peoples and European colonists and the Colonial period

Archaeology has provided information about the landmark site's long occupation by Indigenous peoples. Over 19 archaeological projects have occurred in this area uncovering Indigenous life beginning about 8,000 years ago and continuing through the Colonial period. In the Woodland period (500 BC - AD 1100), a village was likely at this site, as well as a cultural complex. The people who lived here were Lenape and spoke Munsee. They relied upon the area's abundant resources that surrounded the site, including ample oysters, fish, and game. During the Colonial period, the British enacted a series of land deeds around 1670 that took Staten Island from the Lenape, but it is not known exactly when they left the site. Soon after, Christopher Billopp received a British patent for land that included the landmark site as well as the land to the north, on which he built Conference House in 1675, a designated New York City Landmark. In 1926, Conference House Park was donated to the City of New York and today it remains under the ownership of the New York City Parks Department. The modern park includes paths, hiking and biking trails, and a Visitor's Center. Woodlands and beach comprise the remainder of the site. Designation protects the site's below-ground archaeological resources.

The Kimlau War Memorial is a granite ceremonial gateway located within Kimlau Square, which is under the care of the New York City Parks Department. The arch, sponsored by the American Legion, honors Chinese American soldiers who died while serving in the United States military. Both the arch and plaza are named after Second Lieutenant Benjamin Ralph Kimlau (1918–1944). Kimlau lived in Chinatown with his family until he enrolled at the Pennsylvania Military College, where he graduated in 1942, the only Chinese American in his class. Despite widespread discrimination against Asian Americans in the 1940s, Kimlau served as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army Field Artillery Branch. He died while attacking Japanese military installations in the South Pacific in WWII, at the age of 26.

The memorial, designed by the prominent Chinese American architect Poy Gum Lee, is a restrained modern granite ceremonial gateway with a peaked roof, flanked by two benches finished in pebbledash concrete. Poy Gum Lee's work has been cited by scholars as among the most important Chinese American architecture of its time. Many of the most recognizable buildings associated with the Chinese American community in Chinatown were Lee's designs or developed from his concepts. The arch and its pair of benches consist of a unique blend of traditional Chinese architectural forms with a streamlined mid-century modern aesthetic. Inscribed on the nearly 19-foot-high arch is a dedication in both English and Chinese to the memory of Chinese American war casualties. As part of Kimlau Square, the arch continues to serve as the site of an annual celebration to honor war veterans and remains an important tribute to Chinese American patriotism.

"The Kimlau War Memorial honors Chinese-American soldiers who, despite racism and discrimination, demonstrated unwavering commitment to defending their country," said Council Member Margaret Chin. "This arch is such a special part of Chinatown, and I'm so happy that the Landmarks Preservation Commission has voted to designate this monument as a city landmark. The memorial signifies the great sacrifices of the Chinese-American soldiers during World War II and bears the name of a young 26-year-old Second Lieutenant Benjamin Ralph Kimlau, who died while attacking Japanese strongholds in the South Pacific. Thank you to the American Legion and the New York City Parks Department for maintaining this important symbol of Chinese-American history."

"It is with great pride that we celebrate the designation of the Kimlau War Memorial Arch as a Landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in this, the 76th Anniversary of the founding of the Lt. B.R. Kimlau Chinese Memorial Post 1291 of the American Legion which was instrumental in the creation of the monument in 1962," said Commander Randall T. Eng, Lt. B.R. Kimlau Post 1291, American Legion. "For nearly 60 years it has stood as a memorial to those in the Chinese American community who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of their country, the United States of America. In light of the recent wave of anti-Asian violence and bigotry, the Arch serves as a reminder of the contributions of Asian-Americans to the defense of freedom and democracy in times of great national peril. We thank the Commission for this fitting tribute."

"We thank the Landmarks Preservation Commission for their thoughtful consideration," said Dian Dong, Lt. Benjamin Ralph Kimlau's niece. "Thousands of Chinese Americans bravely served this country in the US Armed Forces. As a NYC landmark, the Kimlau War Memorial Arch will continue as a source of pride for the Chinatown community, and can serve as a destination for students, tourists, historians, educators."

About the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC)

The Landmarks Preservation Commission is the mayoral agency responsible for protecting and preserving New York City's architecturally, historically and culturally significant buildings and sites. Since its creation in 1965, LPC has granted landmark status to more than 37,000 buildings and sites, including 1,443 individual landmarks, 120 interior landmarks, 11 scenic landmarks, and 152 historic districts and extensions in all five boroughs. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/landmarks and connect with us via www.facebook.com/NYCLandmarks and www.twitter.com/nyclandmarks.