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Ventura in Ventura County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
 

San Buenaventura China Alley Memorial

 
 
San Buenaventura China Alley Memorial image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, March 4, 2019
1. San Buenaventura China Alley Memorial
Inscription.  
Nestled on this block, between the sea and the San Buenaventura Mission, a Chinese community was established in the early 1870s. Here merchants, laborers, farmers, cooks, laundrymen, gardeners, and servants conducted businesses and lived in small homes. On this block, Chinese settlers would buy and sell goods, get a haircut, dine on traditional fare, write letters to the homeland, worship, find employment, and commune with their countrymen. These early pioneers maintained their language, traditional customs, rituals and found security in this small enclave. The famed and important Chinese Fire Company was established in the late 1870s and provided services to the Chinese community as well as the town of San Buenaventura. Families began to join the community in the 1880s and childrén dressed in embroidered silk clothing could be seen walking along Figueroa Street with their proud parents.

The population of the Chinese community began to decline in the early years of the twentieth century. Many settlers returned to China, partly due to the rise of anti-Chinese sentiments and exclusionary immigration laws and others moved
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to Oxnard where employment opportunities became available. During this period the block was modernized by the city and most of the buildings occupied by the Chinese community were removed: Four buildings, owned by Ung Hing, remained on the west side of Figueroa Street until 1921.

The early Chinese pioneers in San Buenaventura made a great contribution to the growth of this city and the burgeoning nineteenth century agricultural industry. It is with great pride that this memorial honors the lives and history of these courageous settlers. This memorial was jointly funded by the City of San Buenaventura and the Ventura County Chinese American Historícal Society.

San Buenaventura 唐人街紀念壁畫

十九世紀的七十年代,位於 San Buenaventura Mission和海岸之間的這塊土地上,一群華裔移民,開始在此聚居。 他們通過當商賈、勞工、農夫、廚役、洗衣匠、園丁和佣僕,就在這塊方圓之地,一步步地生存下來, 並且建起他們簡樸的家園。同時,他們自身日常必需的採買、理髮、飲食、家書、祭祀、謀職和交誼, 也都在此一併打理了。然而,雖是身在異邦,這批拓荒的移民,仍是執著的保留著自己的語言、習俗和傳統。 而且,漸漸地,在這個小天地中,他們開始自在的適應了下來。其中,頗負盛名的華人消防隊,就是在十九世紀七十年代成立。 這支華人消防隊不但服務自己社區,並且也應急搶救了
San Buenaventura China Alley Memorial - wide view image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, March 4, 2019
2. San Buenaventura China Alley Memorial - wide view
San Buenaventura 市多次的火災。慢慢地, 這些華人移民也開始與鄰近社區交往。身著繡花絲質衣服小孩 ,跟隨著父母,行走在Figueroa街頭的景象,就時有所見。 然而,本區華人人口,在二十世紀初期,開始遞減。其中原因,一部份是當時的反華風潮和不公平的移民法規 致使很多華人回返中國,一部份是為就業方便而遷去Oxnard市。與此同時,市政府開始對本區整建,舊有的華人房舍、 建築,大部份因而被拆除。 其中,伍興(Ung
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Hing) 在Figueroa西側所擁有的四棟建築物,也只能維持到一九二一年而終被拆除。 這批華裔的拓荒者,對 San Buenaventura 市的早期開發,及十九世紀農業的萌芽,有著不可磨滅的貢獻。 現今 San Buenaventura 市政府及范都拉郡華美歷史學會,共同贊助,特立此碑。旨向當年曾經在此胼手胝足, 協同開發本區的華裔移民及其堅毅勇敢的事跡,致上最高敬意。
 
Erected 2004 by City of San Buenaventura, Ventura County Chinese American Historical Society.
 
Topics. This historical marker and memorial is listed in these topic lists: Asian AmericansSettlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1870.
 
Location. 34° 16.798′ N, 119° 17.858′ W. Marker is in Ventura, California, in Ventura County. Marker is on Figueroa Street Mall south of Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Ventura CA 93001, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Peirano Market (within shouting distance of this marker); Lavanderia (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Ada McCoskey Love House (about 300 feet away); Mission San Buenaventura (about 400 feet away); Elwell House (about 400 feet away); San Buenaventura Mission Aqueduct (about 500 feet away); Chumash Hutash Fiesta (about 800 feet away); El Caballo (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ventura.
 
More about this memorial. The marker is located on the Figueroa Street Mall, in front of the mural honoring the Chinese settlement in Ventura.
 
Also see . . .  Chinese pioneers of Ventura County subjects of new museum exhibit. VC Star website entry (2012) (Submitted on December 5, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.) 
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on December 5, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 30, 2019, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 308 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on December 30, 2019, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.

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May. 8, 2024