Day 117: Moore Gulch Chinese Mining Site, Pierce, Idaho
📌APIA Every Day (117) - The Moore Gulch Chinese Mining Site in Idaho's Clearwater National Forest is a crucial historical landmark, providing insights into the experiences of Chinese laborers from 1870 to 1900. This site is part of the Pierce Mining District, which originated with E.D. Pierce's discovery of gold on September 30, 1860. This discovery ignited the North Idaho gold rush, drawing thousands of miners and rapidly creating boom towns.
As richer gold deposits were found in Elk City, Florence, and Warrens, many miners left Pierce. This opened opportunities for Chinese miners, who began arriving around 1864 to work the less profitable claims left behind. Despite significant resistance and formal prohibitions, by 1870, Pierce had 461 Chinese residents compared to 136 whites and Hawaiian natives, and one Black person. By 1880, the Chinese population had grown to 708, making up the majority of Shoshone County's population.
The presence of Chinese miners was not without conflict. The Pierce Chinese Massacre on September 18, 1885, triggered by mercantile rivalry and worsening racial tensions led to a diplomatic investigation in 1886 after Emperor Kuang-hsu of China protested the treatment of his citizens. Despite this tragic event, the Chinese community in Pierce played a vital role in the local economy. The Moore Gulch site, with its mining infrastructure, living quarters, and discarded materials, offers valuable insights into their daily lives and economic interactions. By examining artifacts and their origins, researchers can trace the complex economic networks that sustained the Chinese miners and linked them to the broader American economy.
The Moore Gulch Chinese Mining Site is a significant historical resource, helping us understand the contributions and hardships of Chinese laborers in Idaho's mining history. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 and was recommended as National Historic Landmark by the NPS AAPI National Historic Landmark Theme Study.
LEARN MORE:
#apiaeveryday #chinese #chineseamerican #mooregulchchineseminingsite #clearwaternationalforest #idaho #nationalregisterofhistoricplaces #aanhpiheritagemonth #historicpreservationmonth #potentialnhl
