Rocklin Chinatwon Commemoration Project

Did you know that there was once a Chinatown in Old Rocklin?

Chinatowns served as a safe haven and second home for Chinese immigrants. It offered a place to shop for familiar food, to worship in a traditional temple, or to catch up on the news from the old country. The Chinese, who have made major contributions to the Transcontinental Railroad, have been largely ignored by history.

Thanke to the work of the Rocklin Historical Society, we are able to learn a little more about the Chinese community in Old Rocklin. The Rocklin History Series is an educational feature on the Rocklin Historical Society’s website and the content is provided by Gary Day and Jean Day. For a fascinating article on the Chinese community, click here.

We are raising funds to support efforts to commemorate the small but thriving Chinese community that once occupied this part of Placer County. Discussion and ideas include educational signage, a plaque and ambitiously, the eventual build of a replica Joss House. The spiritual temple would look like the one pictured above (located in Weaverville, CA).

If you are interested in donating to AAPI Placer County’s Rocklin Chinatown Commemoration Project, please use our Venmo [AAPI-Placer-County] and put ‘Rocklin Chinatown’ in the memo.