Historical Chinese Herb Cabinet Returned to Truckee
Wonders never cease.
The Truckee-Donner Historical Society (“TDHS”) learned some years ago that a Chinese Herb Cabinet that once resided in the building still standing at the corner of Bridge Street and SE River Street in downtown Truckee, 10004 South East River Street, is now being donated to the Museum of Truckee History (“MoTH”). The building was formerly occupied by the Catherine Macfee Interior Design studio but is apparently now up for lease. River Street Inn is on the north side of the Truckee River across from the “Chinese Herb Shop” and as part of that Inn, the 1882 Bar & Grill on the south side of that same building.1
Fast forward to 2020 and the TDHS learned that the current keepers of the Herb Cabinet were willing to donate it to the newest museum addition celebrating Truckee’s history, the Museum of Truckee History on Donner Pass Road adjacent to the Railroad Station. Notwithstanding the coronavirus restrictions and distancing required, TDHS and MoTH accepted delivery of the cabinet from Keith McCauley who, with the assistance of his two sons, Jacob and Johann, delivered the cabinet to MoTH on September 1, 2020. The cabinet, with its 29 drawers, will be set up in the Chinese Display area of MoTH as soon as practicable given the current COVID-19 restrictions.
The Truckee-Donner Historical Society (“TDHS”) learned some years ago that a Chinese Herb Cabinet that once resided in the building still standing at the corner of Bridge Street and SE River Street in downtown Truckee, 10004 South East River Street, is now being donated to the Museum of Truckee History (“MoTH”). The building was formerly occupied by the Catherine Macfee Interior Design studio but is apparently now up for lease. River Street Inn is on the north side of the Truckee River across from the “Chinese Herb Shop” and as part of that Inn, the 1882 Bar & Grill on the south side of that same building.1
Fast forward to 2020 and the TDHS learned that the current keepers of the Herb Cabinet were willing to donate it to the newest museum addition celebrating Truckee’s history, the Museum of Truckee History on Donner Pass Road adjacent to the Railroad Station. Notwithstanding the coronavirus restrictions and distancing required, TDHS and MoTH accepted delivery of the cabinet from Keith McCauley who, with the assistance of his two sons, Jacob and Johann, delivered the cabinet to MoTH on September 1, 2020. The cabinet, with its 29 drawers, will be set up in the Chinese Display area of MoTH as soon as practicable given the current COVID-19 restrictions.
The McCauleys delivery of the Chinese Herb Cabinet to the Museum of Truckee History, September 1, 2020
To the best of our knowledge and research, the cabinet has remained in the building until such time that Mr. McCauley sold the building - but he kept the cabinet. Some years ago Keith was kind enough to take pictures of some of the Chinese character writing on some of the drawers. Barbara L. Voss, Associate Professor Department of Anthropology at Stanford University, kindly asked a student to translate some of the Chinese markings found on the cabinet. Here is a sample of those figures:
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Representative Chinese Herb Cabinet handwritten characters.
A volunteer student translated the markings on the drawers and those translations can be found here.2
We believe the cabinet was constructed sometime in the late 1870s when the Chinese moved to the South River area after a series of fires forced their relocation. The Herb Shop itself was built in 1878 and is the last remaining building in what was once Truckee’s Chinatown. From the 1890's to the 1960's, this building served as Truckee Bottling Works operated by the Englehart family who supplied soft drinks, such as Coca Cola ©, to the area. An 1898 Sanborn Insurance Company map shows this building as part of the Soda Works. Curiously, the handwriting under the building’s name, “Soda Water Wks”, says this: “Earth Abv [Above] Ceiling Und.[Under] Shingle Rf[Roof].” Why would this have been important? Because of the frequency of fires in the Truckee area in those early years, should a fire start on the roof, it would burn through and the earth dirt would be released to the floor below immediately quashing the fire. Truckee’s Old Jail Museum was similarly constructed.
We believe the cabinet was constructed sometime in the late 1870s when the Chinese moved to the South River area after a series of fires forced their relocation. The Herb Shop itself was built in 1878 and is the last remaining building in what was once Truckee’s Chinatown. From the 1890's to the 1960's, this building served as Truckee Bottling Works operated by the Englehart family who supplied soft drinks, such as Coca Cola ©, to the area. An 1898 Sanborn Insurance Company map shows this building as part of the Soda Works. Curiously, the handwriting under the building’s name, “Soda Water Wks”, says this: “Earth Abv [Above] Ceiling Und.[Under] Shingle Rf[Roof].” Why would this have been important? Because of the frequency of fires in the Truckee area in those early years, should a fire start on the roof, it would burn through and the earth dirt would be released to the floor below immediately quashing the fire. Truckee’s Old Jail Museum was similarly constructed.
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One of the earliest images of the Chinese Herb Shop we believe we hold is OVR1015, an 1890s Truckee panorama which shows this “shop”.
Another TDHS image, OVR1045, shows the Herb Shop in the 1930s. Courtesy of Greg Zirbel, who focused in on this building and in fact has constructed a replica of the Chinese Herb Shop. 3
Check out these advertisements for the Truckee Soda Works, from 1936 (left) and 1939 (right), Nevada State Journal.
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Expectedly, we have no earlier images of the shop from the late 1870s when it was a herb shop.
MoTH is indeed very fortunate to be the recipient of such an historical piece of furniture memorializing Truckee’s legacy. We salute the history of the Chinese contributions to our Truckee past. A sincere and heartfelt thank you to the McCauley family for your donation.
MoTH is indeed very fortunate to be the recipient of such an historical piece of furniture memorializing Truckee’s legacy. We salute the history of the Chinese contributions to our Truckee past. A sincere and heartfelt thank you to the McCauley family for your donation.
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1 1882 has a particular significance: the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was signed into law on May 6, 1882. Officially titled "An act to execute certain treaty stipulations relating to Chinese," the Chinese Exclusion Act prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers for ten years. It was extended in 1892 for another ten years by the Geary Act and then made permanent in 1902, until World War II. Recall that the United States and China were World War II allies, and finally, in 1943, the ban on Chinese immigration and naturalization was finally repealed.
https://guides.loc.gov/chinese-exclusion-act .
2 Handwritten translations by student volunteer are available at this link; same translations are also typewritten for your review. Typewritten translations.
3 Greg Zirbel, owner of NeatTweets, designed and built a birdhouse replica of the Chinese Herb Shop based on this image from 1878. See http://neattweets.biz/Birdhouse-Chinese-Herb-Shop-1878.html
1 1882 has a particular significance: the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was signed into law on May 6, 1882. Officially titled "An act to execute certain treaty stipulations relating to Chinese," the Chinese Exclusion Act prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers for ten years. It was extended in 1892 for another ten years by the Geary Act and then made permanent in 1902, until World War II. Recall that the United States and China were World War II allies, and finally, in 1943, the ban on Chinese immigration and naturalization was finally repealed.
https://guides.loc.gov/chinese-exclusion-act .
2 Handwritten translations by student volunteer are available at this link; same translations are also typewritten for your review. Typewritten translations.
3 Greg Zirbel, owner of NeatTweets, designed and built a birdhouse replica of the Chinese Herb Shop based on this image from 1878. See http://neattweets.biz/Birdhouse-Chinese-Herb-Shop-1878.html
References
https://www.sierrasun.com/opinion/herb-shop-an-important-link-to-truckees-chinese-history/ (Feb. 26, 2004)
https://www.sierrasun.com/news/when-truckee-boycotted-chinese-workers/ (Nov. 28, 2004)
https://www.sierrasun.com/news/mystery-lingers-in-restored-herb-shop/ (Jan. 9, 2006)
https://www.tahoedailytribune.com/news/truckees-sole-chinatown-survivor-is-now-restored/ (Jan. 9, 2006)
http://dalecoxarchitects.com/portfolio/chinese-herb-shop/
https://www.sierrasun.com/news/truckees-sole-chinatown-survivor-is-now-restored/
http://neattweets.biz/Birdhouse-Chinese-Herb-Shop-1878.html
https://www.sierrasun.com/opinion/herb-shop-an-important-link-to-truckees-chinese-history/ (Feb. 26, 2004)
https://www.sierrasun.com/news/when-truckee-boycotted-chinese-workers/ (Nov. 28, 2004)
https://www.sierrasun.com/news/mystery-lingers-in-restored-herb-shop/ (Jan. 9, 2006)
https://www.tahoedailytribune.com/news/truckees-sole-chinatown-survivor-is-now-restored/ (Jan. 9, 2006)
http://dalecoxarchitects.com/portfolio/chinese-herb-shop/
https://www.sierrasun.com/news/truckees-sole-chinatown-survivor-is-now-restored/
http://neattweets.biz/Birdhouse-Chinese-Herb-Shop-1878.html
HCS 10/8/2020
