Not really Bill's thing, he is a trooper going with me to both the small interpretive center and the site itself. It is just the two (and Tessa) of us for the 11 AM tour and our guide, Haley, is knowledgeable and personable.
Sad and inspiring, the story of this place is like much of the history of our treatment of immigrants. In this case it is that of the Chinese who came here to work the gold mines. The inspiration comes from the two men, a doctor and a businessman who built a safe haven for the Chinese community just outside the limits of John Day.
Within the small building was an apothecary, a doctor's "office", a general store, several altars, boarding house, and the home of two incredible Chinese men who lived and worked there for over 30 years. They never returned to the wives and children they left behind in China.
What makes the place so incredible is the preservation of everything found when the building was reopened in the 1960's. Nothing has been added, nor taken away. The unopened boxes of herbs, the jar of peanut butter, the fork left on the wall - all are today as they were when the door was closed back then.
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| General store |
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| Herbs and animal parts as they were found |
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| 25 cents got a man a safe place to sleep, a meal, and usually a card game - 16 slept on these four bunks |
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| The small kitchen fed up to 25 men each night |
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| All was preserved as found, |
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| including the two snakes in a jar |
This country is full of history and the little bit taught in school is so small and skewed in comparison to what really happened. History is about life as it happens. What a great way to learn about the life and struggles of everyday folks who lived so many years ago.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad that there are no Chinese-Americans involved in the preservation or the interpretive center, but those who are have done an amazing job of not sugar-coating the reality of the discrimination.
DeleteWe would really enjoy visiting this place. How very interesting! What a thrill it must have been to open that door and realize nothing had changed over time. Of course, I don't understand how a building can just sit there and be "forgotten" as it said. Thanks so much for sharing! What a cool ending:)
ReplyDeleteApparently there were small signs of vandalism but remarkably there was little damage. Perhaps the multiple altars kept it protected until the right people opened the door :-))))) I was blown away about the nephew!
DeleteWhat a fascinating site! You got great shots of this little time capsule.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa! Having the tour to ourselves gave us really good access to every piece of it.
DeleteI've seen this spot in another blog several years ago and was amazed then and again now. Thanks for reminding me that I really do want to see this and John Day. Time capsule is it exactly. I am so glad to hear that our historical sites are at least beginning to tell the whole truth not just the truth of those who win or are most powerful. That has happened in Shenandoah National Park as well. I do feel sorry for the wives and children of these men though. The word abandoned comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteSo many of the men came here for a temporary means of making money to return home with, and ended up never returning themselves. I don't know if they were able to send anything home for their families either. There were only two women documented as living in this community at the time. There are a couple exhibits that show the strong prejudice against the Chinese, including not being able to own firearms - when everyone else was always armed :-(
DeleteWe visited Kam Wah Chung a couple of years ago and like you, were fascinated by the site and the history. You captured the story wonderfully with your photos, Jodee. It was so amazing to be able walk through the door and step back in time. I didn't know that Dr. Hay's great-grandnephew is the current president of the American Medical Association -- somehow I missed that. Very cool!
ReplyDeleteThere was a small section in the interpretive center that had the information on the nephew - his father and grandfather were also doctors! - and it wasn't mentioned on the tour which I thought was too bad. For me it was the ultimate legacy for a man who wasn't allowed to be a "real" doctor during his time, but who took care of so many of his people for decades.
DeleteAbsolutely ridiculous. I can't believe I'm four days behind in reading blogs. So, this is just to let you know that I'm catching up been here, done this.
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