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Heritage Museum: The Chinese in Astoria (museum exhibits) [1]

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Date: 2023-12-11  

Astoria, Oregon, situated at the mouth of the Columbia River within a few miles of the Pacific Ocean, began as a trading post known as Fort Astoria, named after John Jacob Astor, the New York financier who sent fur traders into the area. While Native Americans, such as the Clatsops, had inhabited the region for thousands of years, the founding of Astoria brought in immigrant labor from around the world. Beginning in the 1870s, the fish canneries that lined Astoria’s waterfront were using Chinese workers and by the 1880s one-third of the area’s population was of Chinese descent. Many of the Chinese immigrants maintained small gardens—known as Chinese Gardens—on the undesirable marshlands where they raised produce that was sold in small stores and carts. Astoria’s Heritage Museum has several exhibits with artifacts showing Astoria’s Chinese heritage.

Shown above is a dragon carving by Lee Sing.

Shown above are a pair of Chinese woman’s shoes.

Shown above is a Chinese storage pot circa 1880-1890.

Shown above is a Chinese flute.

Shown above is a soy sauce jar.

According to the Museum:

“This style of stoneware jar was used for soy sauce, imported from China to the United States and providing a taste of home for early Chinese immigrants.”

Shown above are ceramic bowls sold by the Kwang Tai Wa Company which operated in northern California from 1871-1883. The bowls were mass produced in eastern Guangdong Province in China.

Another view of the bowls.

Shown above is an abacus used to perform mathematical calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Another view of the abacus.

Shown above is a Tiger Whiskey Bottle. These bottles were used for wine, medicinal liquor, and other alcoholic beverages.

Chinese Altar

Shown below is a 1904 altar located in the Bow On Tong Hall. The altar honors Kwan Tai who is renowned for honesty, power, and trustworthiness. According to the Museum:

“Worship was typically done individually by lighting candles and ‘joss’ sticks and with food offerings. The worshipper would take one of the bamboo cups from the table and shake out a fortune stick with numbers that they would later look up in a fortune book.”

More museum exhibits

Museums 101: Mai Wah, the Chinese Experience in Butte, Montana (Photo Diary)

Museums 101: The Wah Chong Tai Mercantile (Photo Diary

Historic Archaeology: Digging Butte's Chinatown (Photo Diary)

Museums 101: The Nevada City China Town (Photo Diary)

Museums 101: The Dalles Chinatown (Photo Diary)

Ancient China: Early Chinese Art (Photo Diary)

Qing Dynasty Chinese Art (Photo Diary)

Museums 101: Japanese internment camp art (photo diary)

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