The little village of Locke is a forgotten piece of California history. Chinese men came to the US during the 1849 California Gold Rush. They worked building the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s. They built levees and canals to drain the Sacramento Delta, When white mobs burned and plundered Chinese communities in the west during the 1890s the Chinese found a relatively safe haven working in the fields of the delta. Chinese immigrants were not allowed to become citizens or own land but they leased 10 acres of land from George Locke and built a community. During growing and harvesting season the town’s population could reach 1500. By the 1940s and 50s the young people began moving to bigger cities. Most of the residents today are white and many of the commercial buildings on Main Street are not inhabited.
The town is a National Historic Landmark. There are four museums – the Boarding House, the Chinese Association Museum, the Dai Loy Museum, and the Chinese School. Businesses include a bar, restaurant, and galleries.
The Boarding House has been completely renovated. The first floor has exhibits about the town. Most of the small rooms on the second floor are furnished to portray different eras and include personal items that the tenants may have owned. A ramp and elevator provide access. The exhibits are accessible.
The Chinese Association was a social center and is still used as such even though it’s also a museum. It’s accessible.
The Dai Loy Museum was a gambling house. It’s a cool old building with uneven sloping floors and various types of gambling tables and lottery equipment. The entrance has high threshold and some of the doorways into the smaller rooms are too narrow for wheelchair access.
The school is not accessible and we did not visit it.
Parking is very limited. Small RVs will fit in the lot by backing up over the grass or by parking across the spaces. There isn’t room for large RVs to be parked or turned around in the lot.
Locke 38.25131, -121.50938
Forgotten history? I've never heard of Locke, which isn't surprising, as it's small and tucked into the greater Sacramento metropolis. One of these days, we'll get a round tuit!
ReplyDeleteIt's a very interesting place. I think you'll enjoy visiting it.
Delete