Day 210: Chinatown, Helena, Montana
📌APIA Every Day (210) - Following the 1864 gold strike in Last Chance Gulch, Chinese immigrants began arriving in Helena, Montana. Their numbers grew rapidly, and by the 1870s, they comprised approximately 10% of Montana's territorial population. A distinct Chinatown district emerged, stretching five blocks below Reeder's Alley between South Main and lower State Streets.
Chinese residents in Helena contributed significantly to the local economy through various activities. Many worked on constructing the Northern Pacific railroad across Montana in the 1880s, while others engaged in laundry work, restaurant operation, domestic service, and merchant trading. The Yee Wau brothers exemplified this entrepreneurial spirit, dealing in Chinese merchandise and groceries from 1876 to 1886 in the Yee Wah house, one of the few structures from this period that still stands today.
The Chinese community in Helena persisted into the 20th century, maintaining long-standing businesses such as the Yat Son restaurant. However, discriminatory legislation like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 took its toll. By the late 1890s, the population began to decline and became predominantly male. Urban renewal efforts in the 1970s erased much of the original Chinatown, though some Chinese-owned businesses continued operating into the 21st century. The Yat Son restaurant, for instance, relocated to East Helena in 2003. Today, archaeological investigations of the former Chinatown site provide valuable insights into the daily lives of these early Chinese residents, preserving their legacy in Helena's rich history.
LEARN MORE:
Great Falls Tribune: 3 ways to rediscover Montana's forgotten Chinese history
Historic Montana: Yee Wau Cabin Helena Historic District
National Catalog Archives: Montana SP Helena Historic District (Boundary Increase)
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