[California]. [Chinese Americana]

Chinese Joss House -- Weaverville, Cal. [caption title]

[Weaverville, Ca. ca. 1910]. Large photograph, about 10 x 14 inches. A bit of scuffing at lower right edge and one small area of top edge. Otherwise, a nice image with good contrast, captioned in negative. Very good plus. Item #6166

This original large photograph captures the historic Chinese-American Joss House temple in Weaverville, California, following its third rebuild after a fire in 1905. The Yun Lin Miao "Temple Amongst the Forest Beneath the Clouds" is one of three surviving early Chinese temples in Northern California, and is considered the oldest continually operating Chinese temple in the United States. The temple itself features an uncommon roof with stepped vertical gables in contrast to the upswept eaves of most traditional Chinese temples; however, the façade, beams, and walls still preserve the hallmarks of tradition Chinese construction. The building is believed to have been originally founded as early as 1850 during the initial California Gold Rush, and survived three different fires in 1861, 1873, and 1905, as well as a burglary in 1934. The temple was opened as a California State Park in 1957 after it was turned over to the state by its final Chinese-American caretaker, Moon Lim Kee, the year prior. Surviving original photographs are uncommon, and typically appear in smaller formats.

Price: $850.00