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Volume 056-2 - April 2002 (8 pages)
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Page: of 8
NCHS Bulletin April 2002
Wong Mun Moon (left) was the older brother of Wong Lung Moon (right), who operated the Chung Kee Co. general
store in Kentsville (1881-1896) and the Tai Yang store at North San Juan. Wong Lung Moon, who was born in 1849,
became an interpreter for the Superior Court in Nevada City. His family says he was tutored in English by Bret
Harte’s mother—according to Gladys Porter Sherman both men were taught to read and write English by Adeline
and Adelaide Hothersall, Nevada City’s first twin girls. Perhaps both versions are true. (Searls Library photo)
month until this time next year. There was a great
scramble for the much-coveted prize, but not as much
rivairy as in former years. Chinese bands discoursed
“sweet” (?) all afternoon and the event was a success.
In 1902 the Transcript of February 5 reported the beginning of the Chinese New Year and said that the City Board
of Trustees had given permission for the use of fireworks
“providing that care must be taken not to scare horses or to
injure anyone in any way. The committee agreed to do so as
far as possible and after 12 o’clock tonight, the din and
noise will begin.”
In planning the 1902 Fourth of July parade, the planning
committee reported, “There will be no Chinese parade this
year for the reason that there are not enough Celestials now
in town to successfully carry out this feature.”
In 1904 the Transcript described the Bomb Day celebration which took place on February 27:
The Mongolians in their mad rush for the ring this afternoon at New Chinatown entertained a large crowd of
Caucasians, who were in groups in and around the
Chinese settlement.
A delegation from the Chinese colony at Grass Valley
arrived in old Chinatown here at noon and shortly afterwards amid the din and noise the “parade” set out for the
bomb firing grounds. All of the residents of the local
quarter on Commercial Street kept “open houses” where
friends jabbered over the long (tobacco) pipes, drank tea
and ate dainty confections.
During the following years the Chinese population in
Nevada County diminished rapidly. Restrictive laws promoted the rapid decline in the Chinese population. In 1880
there were nearly 3000 Chinese in the county. By 1900 the
population was about 300.
In 1907 the Morning Union reported: “(CHINESE NEW YEAR
Is SLOW—Few Chinamen and less money this year.” In
1908, “Chinese New Year will be celebrated, but ceremonies will be less elaborate.” 1909, “Few Chinamen remain
... then too, many of them are so Americanized that they
have been weaned away from the belief and traditions of
their ancestors. while the Chinese colony is yearly growing
smaller, there are still several here who will appear in their
best rags.”