Baker City in Baker County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)

Chinese Shrine

1890

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 29, 2017

1. Chinese Shrine Marker

Inscription. This Chinese prayer house was used to honor the departing spirits by burning incense and prayer papers. The prayer papers were brown paper with some million little pinholes & pushed through the alter window. In traditional Chinese religion the many holes are believed to deter evil spirits who must pass through all the holes. By the time they have done so the deceased spirit safely escapes to the after life avoiding being a wandering spirit. Each spring Chinese visited the shrine during Ching Ming Festival to burn incense & put food offerings on the grave as a wandering spirit let undesirable things happen. The festival date is determined by the Lunar calender (sic) & usually occurs during the first of April. Marjorie Fong of Baker City furnished this Chinese History.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Asian Americans • Cemeteries & Burial Sites. A significant historical year for this entry is 1890.

Location. 44° 46.921′ N, 117° 48.463′ W. Marker is in Baker City, Oregon, in Baker County. It is on Windmill Road near Campbell Street, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is

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in this post office area: Baker City OR 97814, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Eastern Oregon.

It is also in the American Mountain West

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Pacific Rim,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Baker City Chinese History (within shouting distance of this marker); Baker (approx. ¼ mile away); The Oregon Trail (approx. ¼ mile away); McCord House and Shop (approx. 1.1 miles away); Gwilliam Brothers Bakery (approx. 1.1 miles away); Bishop Building (approx. 1.1 miles away); The Masonic Temple (approx. 1.1 miles away); Geiser Grand Hotel (approx. 1.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Baker City.

More about this marker. The marker is located at the Baker City Chinese Cemetery.

Chinese Shrine and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 29, 2017

2. Chinese Shrine and Marker

Chinese Cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 29, 2017

3. Chinese Cemetery

Grave Depressions Where Bones Removed for Reburial in China image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 29, 2017

4. Grave Depressions Where Bones Removed for Reburial in China

Cenotaph in the Baker City Chinese Cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 29, 2017

5. Cenotaph in the Baker City Chinese Cemetery

Credits. This page was last revised on June 28, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 10, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 674 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 10, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.