The only real "China Town" in the U.S.

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Looking for an interesting place to exercise your Leica in California? Try Locke, CA in the Sacramento River Delta area.

California history is rich with the contributions of Chinese immigrants. Although not treated well at the time, Chinese laborers formed the foundation of much of the development of the state in the 1800s. Their contributions to the mining and rail industries are legend. Dating back to 1915, when much of the work for Chinese laborers was farm-oriented, Locke, California has the distinction of being the only town in the U.S. built exclusively by and for Chinese. Its construction was initiated by a group of Chinese merchants, headed by Lee Bing, when the Chinese enclave in nearby Walnut Grove was destroyed by fire. Located in the Sacramento River Delta area, Locke now has a population of around 90 people, with only 10 or so being Chinese - a far cry from the town's hayday in the 1940s when the population was closer to 900 residents.

I've added a few shots from a visit there earlier this week to my "Places" page in the Leica Galleries. Comments or criticisms are welcomed, but suggestions to sell my Leica gear are not. ;-)

I am not, by the way, a member of the Locke Chamber of Commerce, nor did they pay me for this promotion. (lol) It is, however, a delightful little town with considerable character, and definitely worth the trip.

-- Ralph Barker (rbarker@pacbell.net), March 30, 2002

Answers

In the late 70s I spent quite a bit of time in the Delta taking pictures and just feeling the place. It really is a special place. I have a lot of tri-x negatives somewhere of Locke, Cortland and Walnut Grove as well as the levees, fields and pear orchards. At that time there was a guy, a Leica photographer, whose name I can't remember, living in Locke and documenting the area. If I remember correctly he was a member of Jeraboam, a local San Francisco co-op and stock agency at the time. Also worth looking at is the medium format book done on the area titled Delta Country. Cheers!

-- Don (wgpinc@yahoo.com), March 30, 2002.

Thank You Very Much Mr. Ralph Barker,

I'm Chinese American (first generation), and I appreciate your comments and post.

I'll put it on my list whan I visit my uncle's family in Marin County.

BTW, the first US immigration laws were directed at/because of the Chinese (?). I guess they were sending too much money back "home" (?).

-- chris chen (chrischen@msn.com), March 30, 2002.


While there, eat lunch at "Joe's" (full name not respectful to those of Italian origin) for a bit of local color. It's fun...enjoy!

-- George L. Doolittle (geodoolitt@aol.com), March 30, 2002.

A new theory put forth by a British historian that Admiral Zheng He of Ming Dynasty reached America 72 years before Christopher Colombus and circled the world almost one century earlier than Vasco de Gama.

Zheng He's huge treasure ship was 440 feet long leading a team of hundred ships, with nearly 28,000 crews. Columbus's St Maria was only 85 feet long

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), March 30, 2002.


The relation of Chinese and America may date back to the beginning of 15 century, according to historian Gavin Menzies who presented a paper to Royal Georgraphy Society in London on the result of his 14 year long research on pre Columbus Voyages-- he put forth a theory that Eunuch Admiral Zheng Ho of Ming Dyasty(during the reign of Emperor Zhu Di ) discovered America 72 years earlier than Columbus. He is writing a book on the details of his new theory, which if proven true may rewrite history books.

Or at least add an interesting prolog to history of Chinese in America.

Emperor Zhu Di was one of the greatest emperor in Chinese history. He initiated the great Zheng Ho Voyages in history, reached as far as east cost of Africa, also built the Imperial Palace at Beijing, and the Ming Tomb.

There is book by National Geographic writer Louise Levathes: "When China Ruled the Seas", ( Simon and Shuster ) detailed the 7 voyages of Admiral Zheng He. Although not including Menzies's enw theory, but well written, well illustrated.



-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), March 31, 2002.



Cha-Ching!

Just got added to my favorites list, and that doesn't happen very often.

Thanks Again Ralph!

-- chris chen (chrischen@msn.com), March 31, 2002.


Martin

Interesting. The really interesting thing is why the "west" instantly wanted to exploit and settle the new country whereas the Chinese did not. Of course we know why in a trivial sense, but the difference in what it says about the societies is very intriguing. As you probably know, Jared Diamond discussed this stuff in his Pulitzer prize winning book.

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), April 01, 2002.


There is an interesting website Chinese soldiers serving in American Civil War

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), May 04, 2002.

First Chinatown in L.A. Sonoratown was established in 1781

Time Lines of Asia Americans

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), May 04, 2002.


Thanks for the additional information, Martin. I noticed the timeline site didn't have any reference to Locke, and sent the curator of that site a note.

-- Ralph Barker (rbarker@pacbell.net), May 04, 2002.


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