I started on the North end of Grant Street (no real reason, except the Eastwind Bookshop was near there and they carry english language Acupuncture books).
From the North I walked down Grant from the Columbus Ave intersection - lots of Italian restaurants up this end.
I wandered in an aimless step down to Chinatown until I arrived at Jackson Street. I turned right (West) to go in an uphill direction.
Jackson Street would be where the house of Henry Li would be. I passed the Chinese Hospital and continued up - streets were lined with shops, many of which looked like renovated old movie theaters. Once I passed Powell (the cable car turns here), the buildings changed to more residential - mostly 3 story. None were particularly "gaudy" in my view, though that is subjective. Most of the homes here were a bit on the plain side - with occasional, very slight asian style decorative work. Henry's house would have been along here somewhere - the hill continued on up for many blocks. His house would have been American style with "bathrooms and other strange developments of what the white devil is pleased to call his civilization."
I returned down the hill via Jackson to rejoin Grant Street again. I walked on until I came to Washington Street. I passed many buildings that housed "associations". Would any of these be where the Tongs met?
On Washington I turned up-hill once again (West) for about one block and came to the entrance of Waverly Place. This 2 block street was narrower and the shop fronts seemed closer to the street. Somewhere along here Kee Lim lived. The buildings were also more decorative in stylized "chinese" style without all the pushing out of merchandise on the streets. It did not appear "gloomy" at this time of day - though it was not bustling with people like Grant, Jackson or Washington had been.
I walked along the two blocks of Waverly place which ended at the Clarion Music store. Businesses lined this street along with an "association". Across Waverly from the Clarion shop was a Baptist church. The Clarion Music store clerk said people lived upstairs over the businesses.
So if I was to walk in the order of the book.
(I'm guessing here) Chan would start at the intersection of Grant and Columbus - maybe Chan had something to eat around here.
Then Chan would walk the shop-lined Grant
street south about 3 blocks to the intersction of Washington Street. Here Chan turned Right.
Chan would continue uphill on Washington for 1 block and then turn left (south) into the gloomy 2 block street of Waverly Place. Somewhere along here would be the home of Kee Lim. Here they spoke of the Tong house and a cousin (Henry Li) living in the Oriental Apartments of Jackson St.
Chan would then take Waverly Place back north to Washington which he could take either left (west) to Powell or right (east) to Stockton to connect with Jackson. Powell would be the more direct route since he would be going left (west) on Jackson to get to Henry Li's apartment.
After leaving Li's apartment, Chan went to a drug store (probably took Jackson back down the hill (East) to Stockton for this) and then went to the Kirk Building. If he started on the North end of Grant, that would mean he would return there by heading North (or turning left form Jackson) and up to the bungalow.
I must admit I'm a bit confused by the reference to "the Kirk Building". Does Kirk have the building named after him and is the bungalow part of the building?
Anyways - there you are folks. I followed in the footsteps of the master detective. It was good weather to do so AND I ended up with a box load of great Acupuncture books from Eastwind books - whose store is directly in front of a Muni Bus stop for 30, 45 9 buses.
Excellent recounting of your journey that took you through Chinatown where the footfalls of Charlie Chan can still be heard by those who listen closely enough. Now, whenever we watch a film that has a Chinatown component, or even an image taken from Chinatown as a part of the title card art 9as we see in a number of Monogram Chan films, you will have first-hand experience!
Very good, again, and I know that the memories of your walk, combined with your shopping finds, will remain richly adorned in your storehouse of recollections.
