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At the last HALSNCC meeting on August 16, Ellen Johnck proposed to lead a HALSNCC
landscape survey and documentation project for the historical Chinese shrimp-fishing
village, China Camp, in San Rafael, Marin County. Over 500 Chinese immigrants from
Canton, China settled here in 1880s after the gold rush and railroad construction. They
chose this site as it reminded them of their home in the Pearl River delta. The site is
composed mainly of a pier, 1870s buildings including a small museum, a beach and paths
that are serenely and aesthetically nestled on the neck of San Francisco bay as it leads into
San Pablo Bay. The site and surrounding 1,640 acres were purchased by the Calif. State
Parks Foundation in 1976. It is now operated as one of four state parks in Marin County, all
of which are scheduled to be closed soon due to state budget cuts. The site is notable for its
historic context and the impact of the Chinese Exclusion Act and other discriminatory laws.
Ellen and her team will be conducting an inventory to acquire information for a strong
context and significance statement. Documentation may include some and/or all of the
following: photographs, physical documentation with drawings, and written descriptions
and written and oral histories. This notice is a call for a few volunteers to form a HALS
survey and documentation team. Ellen went to China Camp Heritage Day on Aug. 27 on a
reconnaissance and spent an inspiring day talking with the state archaeologists. They have
established an archive for the site and are very happy to help with a HALS project.
If any HALS member would like to join Ellen on the team, please e-mail Ellen at ellen_johnck AT yahoo DOT com.
We are grateful to Chris Pattillo who first recognized the cultural landscape value of
the site, and completed a HALSCC short form report in 2008. Because of the landscape's
compelling story, quintessential natural setting and threatened status due to the state park
closure, Ellen recommends that HALSNCC expand on Chris's previous short form into a more
detailed documentation project.
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