Day 361: Little Saigon, Orange County, California
📌APIA Every Day (361) - Little Saigon, primarily encompassing the cities of Westminster, Fountain Valley, and Garden Grove in Orange County, first emerged in the 1970s following the Fall of Saigon in 1975. The heart of the district is centered along Bolsa Avenue in Westminster, home to over 700 Vietnamese-owned businesses, including the landmark Asian Garden Mall (APIA Every Day 274). Today, Orange County’s Little Saigon is home to the largest Vietnamese American enclave in the United States.
In 1975, approximately 50,000 Vietnamese refugees arrived in Southern California and were temporarily housed at Camp Pendleton, a Marine Corps base. Eventually, the community began to disperse and settle in cities around Orange County, seeking employment in the computer, electronics, and defense industries. Back then, the semi-developed city of Westminster became a particularly attractive destination for refugees because of its affordability. By the late-1970s, early Vietnamese entrepreneurs began establishing businesses along Bolsa Avenue, creating a thriving economic corridor that helped revitalize the area. Some of these notable first establishments included Danh’s Pharmacy, Que Huong Grocery, Hoa Binh Market, and Thanh My Restaurant.
In 1988, a year after the construction of the Asian Garden Mall, Governor George Deukmejian officially designated the business district as “Little Saigon” and directional signs bearing the name were added to local freeways. Although the community was initially centered in Westminster, it gradually expanded into neighboring cities like Garden Grove, Fountain Valley, and Santa Ana. By 2000, Vietnamese Americans made up 4.8% of Orange County’s population; by 2022, this had increased to 6.8%, with more than 100,000 Vietnamese Americans residing specifically in Little Saigon.
Now, half a century after the end of the Vietnamese war, Little Saigon continues to flourish. To commemorate the district’s 50th anniversary in 2025, a stretch of the 405 freeway between Bolsa Avenue and Bolsa Chica Street was designated the “Little Saigon Freeway,” honoring the Vietnamese American community’s resilience and enduring legacy.
Written by Avneet Dhaliwal
LEARN MORE:
Preserve Orange County: Little Saigon – A Cultural Heritage Site
Orange County Register: Here’s a look at the history of Little Saigon
Voice of Orange County: From Exodus to Emergence: Black April 50 Years After the Fall of Saigon
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