Research Resources

 

In an effort to help other researchers study the Chinese experience in Montana, this section of the website will contain public domain documents for dissemination to interested parties.  These resources may include census abstracts, newspaper extractions, pictures of selected Chinese artifacts, and many other types of documents.  If anyone has additional information, or documents relating to this experience, please send Merritt an email that can be found under “Contact Us”. 

 

Newspaper Extractions

The Missoula and Cedar Creek Pioneer (1869-1873)
--Missoula, MT

The Benton Record (1875-1884)
--Fort Benton, MT
--Special Thanks to the Overholser Historical Research Center

The Granite Mountain Star (1890-1891)
--Granite, MT

The Helena Independent (1875-1884, 1894, 1924-1954)
--Helena, MT

The Colored Citizen (1894-1894)
--Helena, MT

The Montana Plaindealer (1906-1911)
--Helena, MT

The Mineral County Independent (1906-present)
--Superior, MT
--Special Thanks to the Mineral County Historical Society

Census Records

1870 Federal Census Extraction for Chinese Individuals

1880 Federal Census Extraction for Chinese Individuals

1870 Federal Census, Chinese by Location

1880 Federal Census, Chinese by Location

1900 Federal Census, Chinese by Location

1910 Federal Census, Chinese by Location

1920 Federal Census, Chinese by Location

1930 Federal Census, Chinese by Location

Summary of Data

Year # of Chinese in MT Total MT Population Chinese % of Population
1870
1,933
20,595
9.39%
1880
1,895
39,159
4.84%
1890
2,564
142,924
1.79%
1900
1,717
243,329
.71%
1910
1,188
376,053
.32%
1920
868
548,889
.16%
1930
363
537,606
.07%
1940
258
559,456
.05%
1950
209
591,024
.04%
1960
240
674,767
.04%
1970
289
694,409
.04%
1980
346
786,690
.04%
1990
655
799,065
.08%
2000
827
902,195
.09%

Source: U.S. Federal Census, 1870-2000, Washington, D.C.