Oregon Chinese Diaspora Project

I have become fascinated by the Oregon Chinese Diaspora Project and all their research and education of Oregon’s early Chinese residents.

Chinese Immigrants and Chinese Americans helped established the infrastructure and economies of Oregon. Living in Southern Oregon, the history is prevalent with impact if Chinese workers on the railroads and mining.

The Buck Rock Tunnel Project is the historical context of the Buck Rock Tunnel as an interpretive undertaking designed to reconstruct the social, economic, and technical history of the Oregon & California Railroad's (O & C RR) Siskiyou Line, particularly as it is revealed in the story of the Buck Rock Tunnel.

While the completion of Hurlbert’s Buck Rock Tunnel route may have led to a more sustainable Siskiyou Line, its abandonment has provided other opportunities. This mountainside archaeological site remains complicated to access, and this has further ensured its preservation. The tunnel itself is a time capsule of the exact day the O&C went bust. The spoils from the last blast remain, the grade is frozen mid-construction, and ephemeral traces of the Chinese railroad workers who once worked the site have been found across the landscape.

A pair of near-perfect rubber boots were recovered from outside a tent site. These boots were manufactured by the Union India Rubber Company, and reflect the sturdy work wear available to the men in 1884.

Unearthing Oregon History Images:

Oregon Historical Society Research Library: ba018120.jpg, bb007429.jpg, bb016650.jpg, G4241_P3_1880_O73.pdf, Mss1113_B4F9, OrgLot311_B5F30_202007_001.jpg, OrHi50082, 0226S102.jpg, 0230S125.jpg, 0301P083.jpg, 0305P020.jpg

Here’s a video of history of the Oregon California railroad and the Buck Rock Tunnel

https://youtu.be/46Uf0s7q1lg?si=CPdJixUpNrBjOAaF