Exhibit focuses on Chinese role in Virginia City
Deathways of the Comstock Chinese is the latest exhibit at the Comstock History Center.
The exhibit, which highlights the death and burial practices of the Chinese, features artifacts, photographs, video and an accurately reproduced, life-sized Chinese gravesite.
The free exhibit opens Aug. 14 at 11a.m.
The historic Chinese graveyard in Virginia City is no longer intact, so visitors will have an opportunity to see a replica Chinese burial site, complete with ornate decorations, reconstructed within the exhibit. The display illustrates the complex and symbolic death rituals that were part of China’s ancient, sophisticated culture.
The Comstock History Center is located at 20 N. E St. in Virginia City. It is open Thursday through Sunday from 11am-4pm.
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The role of the Chinese in Virginia City is a sad story indeed. I have no way to verify If this is true, but this is what I heard as a kid.
Many were “shang- haied” and brought here against their will. They worked under brutal conditions digging the mines for little if any pay, basicaly slave labor. Then when the silver mines were finshed in construction the Chinese workers were loaded on to the train or oxen pulled wagons and hauled up to Tahoe. Arriving at Glenbrook they were shackled together and put on a barge towed by one of the steamers that plyed the lake and at some point the Chinese were pushed off the barge to die,drowing in Lake Tahoe meeting their watery demise.
Is this true? I don’t know. Maybe others have heard this story and can set me straight…right or wrong.
Sayonara, OLS
OLS — Um, “sayonara” is Japanese.
I hope the story you’ve heard is untrue; I wonder how one might find out.
Know Bears, I heard that story about the chinese mine workers as a kid. Jacque Coustoue went down deep into Tahoe and said upon his return to the surface said” the world is not ready for what I’ve seen”.
So what did he see down there? We’ll probably never know. Sweet dreams and happy swimming. OLS
OLS, I believe the stories you were told, were just that, stories.
See, http://db.wingluke.org/tourblog/?p=806
The Chinese were not allowed to be miners due to strong mining unions which kept them out of the mining in the Virginia City area. They did however, open up businesses providing support services to the mining community. Now if you ever take the time to tour Jackson, you will see some serious abuses of Chinese immigrants by our forefathers. It is sad, and frankly unconscionable and immoral how the Chinese were treated throughout much of California during this period. And while I can rest assured they were seriously discriminated against in Virginia City, your childhood stories do not seem supported by the evidence.
Rick
Rick, thanks for the correction. As I said, it was just a story I heard as a kid, so hopefully it’s not true.
The connection beween Tahoe and Virginia City is very interesting. Lottsa stuff goin’ on back then. Logging here at the lake to help build the mines, logs carried by flumes, trains and ox cart, as well as the mines being dug in the Virginia City area by hand with pick shovel and lotta hard workin’folk. Must of been a hard and rough life.
Thanks for setting me straight that the chinese did not help build the mines in Virginia City. All these years I believed otherwise,that they were part of the crew that built the mines. Take care, OLS