Did you know that Salem had a Chinatown? In the mid- to late-1800s, Chinese immigrants came to the Willamette Valley. Records show they had businesses, homes, and a school. By 1903, Salem’s Chinatown was a half block of rundown buildings, and the Salem City Council ordered the entire area burned to the ground.

A Chinese Shrine in Salem Pioneer Cemetery may be the last remnant of Chinese American’s presence in Salem. Identifying and interpreting this historic place is an important part of preserving Salem’s history. A Chinese Shrine Advisory Committee composed of stakeholders and others interested in this project has been established.

Project Goals

As a Certified Local Government (CLG), Salem has access to grant money to fund research and preservation activities.

• Survey and map the cemetery
  • Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)
  • Magnetometer
• Excavate
  • Locate remainder of shrine
  • Recover associated artifacts
• Develop interpretation on the site

Project Team

The project team includes representatives from Willamette University, the Chinese Benevolent Association, the Friends of the Salem Pioneer Cemetery, and other interested parties. Other project contacts include:

• Project Manager: Kimberli Fitzgerald, City of Salem Historic Preservation Officer
• Project Archaeological Permit Holder: Jamie French, Oregon SHPO Archaeologist
• Project GPR and Student Archaeologist Field Manager: Dr. Scott Pike, Willamette University
• Research Assistant: Kirsten Straus, City of Salem Historic Planning Intern
• Project Staff Assistant: Sally Long, City of Salem Planning Division

Project Committee Documents

No documents available at this time.

Background

Chinese Americans along with African Americans and Native Americans are considered underrepresented communities. One of the priorities identified by the National Historic Preservation Act is to identify and interpret historic places associated with these communities.

Timeline

• 1841—Earliest burial in Salem Pioneer Cemetery
• 1903—Salem Chinatown burned to ground
• 1952—Capital Journal news article references a Chinese altar
• 1963—A Statesman-Journal article links the shrine to a 1916 flu epidemic
• 1985—City of Salem took ownership of the cemetery
• 2013—Salem Pioneer Cemetery listed on the National Register of Historic Places by Elisabeth Potter

Qingming Festival - April 2018

View more photos in our Qingming Festival Facebook album.

Open House and Excavation - November 2017

View more open house photos in our Open House and Excavation Facebook album.