Mendocino, CA - Frolic Cove & Temple of Kwan Tai
One of Mendocino’s most well known Chinese descendants, would impact the Red Bluff Chew family greatly. His name was Look Tin Eli who founded 金山廣東銀行 Canton Bank and the 中國郵船公司 China Mail Steamship Company. During the Chinese Exclusion Act, great grandfather Chew You would finally save enough for his arranged marriage to a noble women, Ng Shee. Determined to bring his family to America, grandfather Chew journeyed to China in 1914 with all his documents prepared for his wife, first son Dick and nephew Ned. Grandfather made the mistake of traveling on Look Tin Eli’s boat, 中國郵船公司 China Mail Steamship Company for his return trip to America. It would be the first and only time he was ever detained in Angel Island. His family would be separated for nearly a month and interrogated daily. The community of notable families in Red Bluff would petition for their freedom. In addition, Chew You had frequently used several different banks including Look Tin Eli’s Canton Bank, perhaps because fellow Chew relatives that worked there. The Red Bluff Chew family still retains uncashed shares from Canton Bank assuming these became worthless after the Great Depression.
The California State Parks has a small exhibit inside the Frolic Cove museum. The Frolic site had a shipwreck in 1850 where cargo containing Chinese goods were washed ashore. Curious Native Americans found these wonderful goods and quickly put them to good use. The items included silk, ceramics, trucks, furniture, silverware, art, ale, and other valuables. No sense in wasting, right?
Closed during our visit but we were appreciative just to be in its presence. We had heard about the Temple and had a chance to hear one of the descendants speak in Marysville, CA. This restored temple has existed since 1882 and cared for deeply by family. The temple oddly resides outside of the long lost Chinatown.
Mendocino’s Chinatown burned in 1910, but was along the coastline during a time when the community had a strong logging industry. All that can be found today besides Kwan Tai, is wild cabbage growing all along the rocky coast and throughout the former Chinatown. These resilient yummy veggies surely have a wild story to tell.