San Leandro in Alameda County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Yem-Po: Chinese Labor Camp
Lake Chabot Historical Walk
Soy pots and stoneware rice bowls spoke of familiar foods. Remnants of imported turtle and perhaps wild cat disclosed the use of traditional medicines for vitality. Opium bowls and paraphernalia pointed to the enjoyment of an ancient pastime. Rusting pieces of metal tools communicated the similarity of tasks performed by many in the gold mines of the Sierra and railways.
The excavators named the historic work camp “Yema-po,” Cantonese for “wild-horse slope.” This acknowledges the role of the Chinese laborers in running horses across the dam to compact the soil during its construction, one of their many contributions. Just as the name “Yema Po” preserves their cultural heritage, we too can preserve their memory in the stories in of the dam.
Did you know that of the 20,000 animal bones found at Yema-po, 70% were pig, revealing a diet much heavier in pork than their Euro-American counterparts? Also found were the remnants of cuttlefish, duck, turtle, and rare fish like the puffer fish.
Erected 2012 by East Bay Regional Park District.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Asian Americans. A significant historical year for this entry is 1979.
Location. 37° 43.793′ N, 122° 7.423′ W. Marker is in San Leandro, California, in Alameda County. Marker can be reached from Estudillo Avenue. The one mile Lake Chabot Historical Walk begins at the parking lot at the end of Estudillo Avenue. This marker is about ¾ mile from the beginning of the trail. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1799 Estudillo Avenue, San Leandro CA 94577, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Tunnel No. 1 Control Shaft (within shouting distance of this marker); A Zoo, a Monkey, and a Mansion Here Too! (within shouting distance of this marker); Taming the Waters’ Flow (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Of Fins and Flippers (about 600 feet away); Chabot Dam (approx. 0.2 miles away); Transporting the Water (approx. 0.2 miles away); To Build a Dam (approx. 0.2 miles away); Filtration Basins (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Leandro.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 1, 2020. It was originally submitted on February 12, 2014, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 866 times since then and 72 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 12, 2014, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.