Old Armenian Town: A living culture
By Dave ChildersIt’s one of Fresno’s most historic and majestic sights.
The Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church dominates the corner of Ventura and M streets, its red brick and white trim signifying the presence and history of an entire culture.
Even after 93 years, there is hardly a blemish on the beloved church. But there is a piece of very used bubble gum affixed to the plaque that signifies the church is on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s a sobering reminder that Fresno’s Old Armenian Town, the area surrounding the church, is no longer as safe and welcoming as it once was.
“It used to be a nice, very decent area,” says Leon Eskijian, who manages the Yeraz restaurant inside the Armenian Community Center near the church. “Nowadays, it’s a very bad neighborhood. We can’t even keep our front door unlocked.”
Change, though, may finally be in the works. After years of planning, legal wrangling and debate, full-scale redevelopment may finally be making its way to Old Armenian Town.
A new courthouse is open on Ventura and O streets, just across the street from the current site of the Armenian Community Center and Yeraz. But, as part of a redevelopment plan for the area, the center and restaurant are preparing to move one block west — which Eskijian and others hope can mark the latest renaissance for the area and the city’s Armenian population.
“At one time they say that every door you knocked on in this neighborhood, you would find Armenians,” says Raffi Santikian, a community activist. “We are joyful that [Fresno] is preserving the image of Old Armenian Town.” In exchange for the move, the center will expand its square footage and its already considerable impact within the Armenian community.
“We need more space. We need more places to meet for all of our organizations that we house here,” says Edward Megerdichian, who has been chairman of the committee that oversees the redevelopment. “We have Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, athletic teams — anything we can use to keep our kids away from all of the mischievous things and bad habits.”
One new addition expected in Old Armenian Town will be a full-fledged historical museum. It will highlight Fresno’s connection to the Armenian people, and vice versa. It will sit just paces from where the first Armenian newspaper — Asbarez — was started, the church where author William Saroyan once worshipped, and Yeraz, where he used to lunch on a regular basis.
“We Armenians are a very proud people,” says Santikian, “proud of our culture and proud of our citizenship in this country. And because of that pride, we want to preserve these traditions.”
But it isn’t all about tradition. Megerdichian says the Armenian community is equally excited about the improvements and advancements that will come when the project is completed.
“We are the legitimate heirs of this location, and we are carrying on this culture ourselves,” says Megerdichian. “And it is not a dead culture. We are the living culture.”