Doesn’t sound like much now does it? Just a ward in the Hai Bà Trưng district of Hanoi. But Phường Quỳnh Mai is more than that. It is a tapestry woven with threads of industrial ambition and resilience.
Let’s step back to the late 1950s. The State envisioned a large-scale textile factory in Hanoi. From 1959 to 1960, construction began on Nhà máy Dệt 8/3. This translates to the 8th of March Textile Factory. Simultaneously, a residential area emerged for the factory workers. This was on land that once comprised fields and ponds of the ancient Quỳnh Lôi and Mai Động villages.
Initially, the housing consisted of basic communal houses. Simple dormitories were built using tranh tre which is bamboo. The framework was also made using nứa lá. Finally the houses were covered with giay dau paper.
Amidst the challenging years of the American air war against the North, Nhà máy Dệt 8/3 expanded. A series of four to five-story buildings arose. These were allocated to the factory’s cadres and workers. By the 1970s and early 80s, more prefabricated houses sprung up. They spread north of phố Quỳnh Mai. These housed cadres and workers from textile enterprises. Employees of factories and agencies of the Central government and the City also lived here.
In 1974, government directives led to the establishment of administrative units. These replaced the urban blocks of inner Hanoi. Tiểu khu 8/3 which means Sub-district 8/3 was founded. In January 1979, it was renamed Tiểu khu Quỳnh Mai. Many cadres from Nhà máy Dệt 8/3 were assigned to manage the sub-district. They oversaw the Nhà máy Dệt 8/3 collective area. They also managed collective houses north of phố Quỳnh Mai. This extended to phố Thanh Nhàn. The emergence of Tiểu khu 8/3 paved the way for the founding of Phường Quỳnh Mai in February 1981.
Phường Quỳnh Mai lacks ancient monuments. But its development is rich with historical traces. President Hồ Chí Minh visited here. On March 8, 1965, Bác visited the collective area. He spoke to the workers. He encouraged them to consider this place their home.
Today, Phường Quỳnh Mai covers a small area. It comprises 43 old-style collective housing areas. These account for 90% of the ward’s area. Internal roads have transformed into interconnected alleyways. This creates a unique transportation system. Amidst the housing areas are playgrounds and community houses. There are also sports grounds. These spaces host many activities that enrich the local life. Each street name reflects historical landmarks. They serve as witnesses to bygone eras.
Phường Quỳnh Mai is located in the southeast of Hai Bà Trưng district. It borders the Kim Ngưu River to the east. To the north it borders Thanh Nhàn ward. To the west it borders Quỳnh Lôi ward. Minh Khai ward lies to the south. The population density is high. In 2022, it was 69,941 people per square kilometer.
The People’s Committee of the ward is located at 1 phố Quỳnh Mai. Most residents live in old high-rise apartments. These are part of the 8/3 Collective Area. Many are retired workers from Dệt 8/3 with low incomes.