Special Feature :
Mtn . View ’ s Chinese History
By Pamela Baird MVHA President
Although the history of Chinese people in the Mountain View area is not well documented , we still can learn a small portion of the early story through newspaper accounts , publications and documents .
The early Chinese immigrants to California worked in mining in the Sierras and then building railroads across the state . Almost all immigrants came from poor Cantonese speaking areas of southeast China . One of these areas is named Taishan , which calls itself the “ First Home of the Overseas Chinese ”. An estimated half a million Chinese Americans are of Taishanese descent .
Photo of Yuen Lung
Many settled in San Francisco , where a vibrant “ Chinatown ” developed . Lesser known is a series of “ Chinatowns ” that were established in San Jose . The lush Santa Clara County drew Chinese workers to labor in the fields and orchards .
One such traveler was Yuen Lung , who arrived in Mountain View in 1879 at the age of 26 . He was a farm laborer , who probably had heard that growing strawberries in Santa Clara County was a profitable endeavor for Chinese workers .
Above : Yuen Lung Store on the corner of Villa and View streets in Mountain View ’ s Chinatown
By 1884 , Yuen was growing strawberries here , but needed to borrow money until the crop was harvested . He approached Jacob Mockbee , a local banker and businessman , for a loan of $ 150 . Yuen repaid the loan ( at a high interest rate ) and thus started a long relationship between the two men .
With additional help from Mr . Mockbee , Yuen opened a merchandise store at the corner of View and Villa streets , at the center of what would be called “ Chinatown ” ( even though several Japanese owned businesses were locate in the same small area ). Yuen acted as a labor broker , store owner and fruit seller . Even though he suffered financial setbacks later in life , Yuen was a well-respected member of the entire community .
The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act impacted the lives of the Chinese in Santa Clara County by prohibiting new immigrants and later further restricting their ability to travel , have access to legal rights and other limitations . Decades later the number of Chinese people had significantly dwindled to a tiny portion of the overall population .
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