Beyond Chinatown: Uncovering Oregon’s Rural Chinese History - 11-24-19 (11-08-38)

Presented by Chelsea Rose. This talk highlights the recent archaeological work and findings of the Oregon Chinese Diaspora Project (OCDP), a multi-agency partnership that has been excavating sites across the state in order to better understand and share the history of Oregon's early Chinese residents. With a focus on rural communities, remote mining camps, and railroad construction, this collaborative project has provided important insight into the Chinese experience and role in the settlement and development of Oregon. Chelsea Rose is a historical archaeologist who focuses on the settlement and development of the American West. She graduated with honors from the University of Oregon and received her graduate degree in Cultural Resources Management from Sonoma State University. Rose’s recent work has included research in the Jacksonville Chinese Quarter, the homestead of frontier photographer Peter Britt, the native Hawaiian mining camp of Kanaka Flat, and the Historic Applegate Trail. Rose has been working with state and federal agencies to create a research partnership that focuses on Oregon’s Chinese migrant history and regularly works with the media, students, and community volunteers in an effort to promote archaeological awareness and encourage historical stewardship. About the Oregon Chinese Diaspora Project The Oregon Chinese Diaspora Project is a collaborative multi-agency partnership dedicated to research and education on Oregon's early Chinese population. The project is currently working on sites from across the state, within investigations focusing on Chinese railroad workers associated with the Oregon and California Railroad and its early attempts to cross the Siskiyou mountains (1883-1884), gold mining in the Blue Mountains (1860-1910), and rural Chinese communities. The archaeological field school, public volunteer opportunities, and outreach events planned for the summer of 2019 make the project and its findings accessible to Oregonians with an interest in the underrepresented history of our state. Experience Oregon Series Please join us for free public lectures and discussions that dive deeper into significant themes from the vast history introduced in Experience Oregon. Through these talks, academic and community scholars will offer audiences new ways of understanding the people, places, and events that have shaped Oregon. All programs will be recorded and made available on ohs.org and on our YouTube channel. About History Pub Join us for beer and history, sponsored by the Oregon Historical Society and McMenamins, in which you'll hear lively local or regional history while you enjoy a frosty pint or two of handcrafted ale.