Day 38 - Eden Center, Falls Church, Virginia

📌APIA Every Day (38) - Eden Center in Falls Church, Virginia, stands as the largest Vietnamese commercial hub on the East Coast, tracing its roots back to the post-Vietnam War era. Initially, Vietnamese refugees settled in Clarendon, a neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia, during the late 1970s, transforming it into Little Saigon and seeking new opportunities in the DC metropolitan area. Despite the challenges faced by the 1975 wave of Vietnamese immigrants, businesses such as Saigon Market and Vietnam Center not only offered authentic goods but also became integral to Arlington's evolving landscape. However, the opening of Clarendon’s metro station in 1979 led to increasing rents. By 1984, many Vietnamese business owners had relocated to Eden Center, situated six miles further west in the city of Falls Church, marking its transformation into a cultural hub that currently embodies the heart and soul of the Vietnamese American community.

Distinguished by the iconic Clock Tower and Lion Arch at the entrance, Eden Center symbolizes rich cultural diversity, providing a home away from home for Vietnamese immigrants who settled in the Washington DC metropolitan area after the Vietnam War. Hosting annual festivals like Tet and the Moon Festival, it remains a vibrant focal point for the Vietnamese American community on the East Coast. The center was nominated by students at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School in 2021 and received recognition in the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Historical Marker contest. According to the plaque, Eden Center evolved into a regional gathering spot for Vietnamese Americans, acknowledging their journey from war-torn Vietnam to Clarendon and eventually to Eden Center.

LEARN MORE:

WAMU 88.5: American University Radio: From Little Saigon to Eden Center: The story of Northern Virginia’s Vietnamese community

Learning English: Eden Center Is the Heart of Vietnamese Culture in Washington

dcist: ‘It’s A Place That Makes Me Feel Like I’m Home’: How Eden Center Became A Hub For Virginia’s Vietnamese Community

wtop news: Eden Center, Vietnamese immigrants honored with historical marker in Falls Church

Learning English: Local Activists Work With Falls Church City Council To Reinvest In Eden Center

D.C. Eater: Inside the Push to Preserve Falls Church’s Vietnamese Strip Mall Eden Center

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