Day 311: Historic Chinatown, Anchorage, Alaska

📌 APIA Every Day (311) - The history of Chinese immigration to Alaska dates back to the late 19th century, when Chinese laborers first arrived in the region during the gold rush and salmon cannery industry. The Chinese were part of a larger wave of immigrants who came to the U.S. in search of economic opportunities, driven by the promise of prosperity in booming industries. Many Chinese immigrants initially found work as railroad laborers, miners, and in various service industries. Over time, they became an integral part of the growing economy of Alaska, contributing not only through labor but also by establishing businesses that catered to the needs of a rapidly developing region. As with other parts of the U.S., Chinese immigrants in Alaska faced racial discrimination and exclusionary policies, but they built resilient communities despite these challenges.

In the early 20th century, the establishment of a "Chinatown" in Anchorage was directly tied to the labor needs of the burgeoning cannery industry. Chinese immigrants played a critical role in the canning operations that flourished along Alaska's coast, particularly in the fishing industry. These workers, many of whom were employed in the canneries and salmon processing plants, created tight-knit communities where they could maintain their cultural traditions while contributing to the local economy. Anchorage, as a central hub for these industries, became home to a small but vibrant Chinatown, where Chinese immigrants and their families lived, worked, and conducted business. Despite the lack of large-scale infrastructure for the Chinatown in the traditional sense, the area was marked by Chinese-owned shops, restaurants, and small businesses that served both the local population and the labor force at the canneries.

Preserving the history of Anchorage's "Chinatown" has been an important effort in recent years, as the community's contributions to the city’s development have often been overlooked in broader narratives of Alaskan history. Academics and community organizations began working to document and memorialize the stories of Chinese immigrants in Anchorage, focusing on the cultural and social legacy of the Chinatown district. Given that historic preservation efforts have been largely public history-based, how might current historic preservation practices preserve this small, but rich ethnic enclave that once existed and contributed significantly to the Alaskan salmon industry?

Written by Billy Zeng

LEARN MORE:

Chinese - Alaska Historical Society 

Organizing Asian American Labor: The Pacific Coast Canned-Salmon Industry, 1870-1942

National Park Service: Asians In the Salmon Canning Industry

Alaska Public Media: Cannery workers document the Chinese history of Alaska's fishing industry 

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