Dutch Flat, CA - July 4th Parade

The historic community of Dutch Charley Flat, spanning 480 acres with 45 buildings, was originally settled by German immigrants Joseph and Charles Dorbach and shares many similarities with Tehama County. Like Mount Lassen, the town sits on layers of volcanic mudflow. HJC had the pleasure of joining the Chinese American Pioneer Heritage Committee on a Pilgrimage to participate in a July 4th parade in Dutch Charley Flat. The community, with its Victorian homes and pine trees, was welcoming and instantly transported visitors to the Gold Rush era. Dutch Flat had a bustling Chinese community of 2,000-3,500 people during the 19th century, which was typical for Chinatowns along the West Coast at that time.

Dutch Flat was a significant center for hydraulic mining using black powder or dynamite, but operations ceased in 1873 after the passage of the Anti-Debris Act. Like Tehama County, the town had successful lumber companies. The Towle Lumber Company utilized 20,000 acres of land to supply timber for mining, railroads, housing, and heat. The Dutch Flat Hotel, a stone jail, the Odd Fellows Hall, and the Mason building, constructed during the 1850s, are still standing.

Our favorite stop was the Golden Drift Museum with a wonderful display at the back of the building.

However, the most crucial visit is the Chinese cemetery located deep in the forest that has been overgrown for the past century. Most Chinese burial grounds are now vacant, with bodies exhumed in line with ancient customs to be buried in their ancestral villages in China.

The Colfax Railroad station site also has a small exhibit regarding the Chinese workers and completion of the transcontinental railroad.