John Day in Grant County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)

Welcome to Kam Wah Chung

Photographed by Don Hann, August 19, 2017

1. Welcome to Kam Wah Chung Marker

Inscription. Welcome to Kam Wah Chung In 1890 you would be standing in the middle of a bustling Chinatown.Businesses and homes all around you, the temple in front, and Kam Wah Chung- the core of the community- would be to your left. Why is it the only building remaining? Why did Doc Hay and Lung On stay when the rest of the community left? Come and let us tell you the story!

The Golden Flower of Prosperity Imagine journeying to a distant, strange land where you are a minority; you don't speak the language, and hostility is common. That was reality for Chinese immigrants to Oregon in the 1800s. To those who reached John Day, Kam Wah Chung---the Golden Flower of Posterity---was a lifeline, linking them to loved ones and to the lives they once lived.

The Golden Mountain Beckons Would You Leave Home?
No food, no work and little hope in war-torn China. Across the Pacific, the Golden Mountain (California) beckons. The catch? Perhaps never again seeing your wife, children or home.

The Way to John Day
In the late 1800s, massive hydraulic mining operations based in nearby Canyon City needed cheap labor. Word spread and the Chinese

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came by the thousands. By 1885, almost everyone in Canyon City employed a Chinese laborer. When their homes and businesses burned later that year, many Chinese moved to the thriving Chinatown, centered at Kam Wah Chung.

Pulses, Plants & Persistence Around the turn of the 20th century, the gold played out and the once bustling Chinese community melted away. But by now Doc Hay and Lung On---"Leon" as he was known to the townspeople---were valued members of the community, so they stayed on, and Kam Wah Chung and Co. persisted.

Erected by Oregon State Parks.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Asian Americans • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Chinese Heritage Sites of the American West series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1870.

Location. 44° 25.133′ N, 118° 57.342′ W. Marker is in John Day, Oregon, in Grant County. It is on NW Canton Street when traveling north. The markers are located in the parking area at the end of Canton Street right in front of the historic Kam Wah Chung building. Touch for map. Marker is

The Golden Flower of Posperity image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Hann, August 19, 2017

2. The Golden Flower of Posperity

Second marker in the series

in this post office area: John Day OR 97845, 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 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Kam Wah Chung Company Building (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Civilian Conservation Corps (approx. 0.2 miles away); John Day / Canyon City (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Advent Christian Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Adventist Christian Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); As told by an old timer (approx. 2 miles away); Welcome To Canyon City (approx. 2.1 miles away); Canyon City Mural (approx. 2.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in John Day.

More about this marker. There are four markers at this location telling the story of Kam Wah Chung and the John Day Chinatown.

Regarding Welcome to Kam Wah Chung. If visiting during open season be sure

The Golden Mountain Beckons image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Hann, August 19, 2017

3. The Golden Mountain Beckons

Third in series of markers

to stop at the visitor center to go through their exhibits and get a ticket for the free tour inside the building.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Pulses, Plants & Persistence image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Hann, August 17, 2017

4. Pulses, Plants & Persistence

Fourth in the series of markers

The Welcome to Kam Wah Chung Series of Markers image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Hann, August 19, 2017

5. The Welcome to Kam Wah Chung Series of Markers

Overview of markers from the parking lot at the end of Canton Street

The Kam Wah Chung Building image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Hann

6. The Kam Wah Chung Building

Credits. This page was last revised on May 2, 2020. It was originally submitted on August 20, 2017, by Don Hann of Canyon City, Oregon. This page has been viewed 393 times since then and 23 times this year. Last updated on January 17, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on August 20, 2017, by Don Hann of Canyon City, Oregon. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.