Stories of Salinas Chinatown – Asian Cultural Experience

Left: Geia Benson & her father. Right: Harvey House Board members Jeannie Hori-Garcia and Carlos Mariscal.

On May 3rd, we held the official opening for our Stories of Chinatown exhibit at the Historic Harvey House education center (at the Salinas Train Station) in Salinas. We had a wonderful time chatting with guests about Chinatown’s history. The exhibit will be open every Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and every First Friday of each month through May, June, and July, 5 to 8 p.m. We will be open this Saturday, May 18, for Salinas Founders Day, and our docents will be available to discuss the exhibit with visitors.

Front door of the Harvey House about a week before Opening Day.

This ACE exhibit was created in partnership with the Historic Harvey House Education Center, CSUMB Service Learning Institute, and CSUMB’s Archaeology program of the School of Social, Behavioral, & Global Studies, and The Community Foundation for Monterey County. We thank Deborah Silguero for her curation of this process, Larry Smith for both his historical and practical knowledge, and Harvey House Board members for their support.

ACE members emeriti Wally Ahtye, Wellington Lee, and Al Baguio contributed their historical knowledge, memories, and many historical images, along with the ACE project team, consisting of both Board and regular members. Alex Fabros, Jr. (a FANHS member) also contributed text and photographs. Organizations such as the Chinese Association of Salinas, the Buddhist Temple of Salinas, the local branch of the Filipino American National Historical Society, and the Filipino Community Center of Salinas Valley also contributed to the project.

Part of the ACE Project Team, in the early planning process. L. to R: Jean Vengua, Deborah Silguero, Larry Hirahara, Al Baguio, and Cathy Chavez-Miller.

Wellington Lee and Deborah Silguero talk during the planning phase.

Guests chatting in front of the Filipino exhibit.

In the Harvey House mansion; Cheese, fruit, and bread from Star Market; cheese board selection by M.A. Fink. Pastries from Carolina Groyon-Cattani.

Rocamora Family with Jean Vengua and Henry Gong.

CSUMB students Izabella Edwards and Geia Benson contributed their ideas and creative skills to the exhibit.

Profs. Ruben Mendoza and Jennifer Lucido and their students contributed greatly to the archaeological exhibit. Service Learning Institute students contributed their creative ideas and artistic skills to various parts of the exhibit.

ACE Co-chair Cathy Chavez-Miller created the panel on Latino businesses in Chinatown.

Upper photo: Amanda Duncan with Jean Vengua. Amanda created an artful display of shards from the archaeological dig and presented it on a panel that simulated the cement environment where they were found.

Mr. Roland Teraji was happy to find his grandparents represented in the Japanese part of the exhibit. ACE Treasurer Larry Hirahara created the Japanese Panels.

“Stories of Chinatown” gave us a chance to tell the larger story of Salinas Chinatown–actually two Chinatowns, the first founded in 1872, and the second in 1893–and to incorporate first-person narratives from residents and business owners in Chinatown.

It was great to have calligrapher Mihoko Dreyer participate on Opening Day, sharing her calligraphy skills with the public. Thank you!

ACE Board member Herb Wong at the front door, next to our Thank You panel.

A photo from the production period: Deborah Silguero (foreground) working with the texts, Geia Benson painting the ACE logo, and Larry Smith checking out the wall for mounting the Chinese panels.

Just as important, we were able to create curriculum materials and hands-on experiences for the 3rd- to 5th-grade primary school students who often tour the Harvey House with their classes. (Thanks to Kathleen Cata Fitzgerald for translating our curriculum materials into Spanish!) The exhibit also encouraged students to think about their own family histories and journeys. We will be posting more photos of the exhibit and its visitors, and hope you will come and visit Stories of Salinas Chinatown!