Description
Salem's Willamette Heritage Center has brought back a piece of forgotten history. The "Finding Salem's Chinatown" exhibit shows the lives and impacts of the Chinese people from Salem's earlier times.
Exhibit contributor Myron Lee is the son of Chinese immigrants.
"Many of them came in to work in the mines and railroads to Oregon, cleared a lot of the land in the area," Lee said. "They worked in the hop farms."
The Center’s Curator Kylie Pine has researched and gathered many photos and memorabilia.
"About 2 to 3 percent of Salem's population was of Chinese heritage," he said.
The Chinese population made a positive impact on Salem until the 1920s. Prevented from owning property, Chinese immigrants began to leave the area.
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