Montana Resources

  • Montana Historical Society
    The Montana Historical Society is the first stop for anybody interested in researching the Chinese experience in Montana, and the museum includes historical documents and a broad variety of artifacts for study. For educators, the Montana Historical Society has created a “East Meets West: Chinese Experiences in Montana” educational footlocker that is available for reservation Society's Education Office. The footlocker travels the state to different educational institutions, and comes complete with activities, historically accurate artifacts, and reproductions of historical documents.
  • Chinese in Montana
    For more information on the Chinese experience in Montana, please visit this website which provides historical information, primary source documents (census records, newspaper clippings), and also some details on the investigation of Chinese-related archaeological sites in the state. In addition, this website provides an excellent assemblage of Chinese artifacts that are commonly found on archaeological sites.
  • Mai Wah Society
    The Mai Wah Society was formed by Montana residents, scholars, and interested professionals and they focus their attention on the preservation and interpretation of the Chinese experience in Butte and beyond. Located at 17 West Mercury St. in historic downtown Butte, the Mai Wah Society operates an excellent museum and sponsors the annual Chinese New Year festival in Butte every year.
  • Butte America: Far East Influences
    This website is part of Butte's effort to sponsor tourism and new economic opportunities, and includes a wonderful synopsis of Chinese history in the city during the 19th and early 20th centuries. For those interested in Butte Chinese history both this website and Mai Wah society are the best resources.
  • Chinese in Virginia City
    As part of the Montana Kids educational outreach, this website provides a small history on the Chinese in Virginia City, Montana between 1863 and the early 1900s, and is written with a younger audience in mind. The site also includes some significant historical photos of Chinese individuals and businesses in Virginia City.
  • Humanities Montana
    Humanities Montana is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to bringing the humanities, their insights and values, to the people of Montana, enriching the intellectual, cultural, and civic life of the state. Every year Humanities Montana sponsors dozens of cultural events around the state, including the funds necessary to produce this website on the German Gulch Chinese.

Regional Resources on the Chinese Experience

  • Asian American Comparative Collection
    Compiled by world-renowned Chinese expert, Dr. Priscilla Wegars, this website was the first online resource for historians and archaeologists on the topic of the Chinese in the American West. The website includes artifact illustrations, information on Dr. Wegars' research, detailed table of contents on the back issues of the collection's newsletter, and a variety of other historic and archaeological topics relating to the Chinese experience.
  • Chinese in North America Research Council
    CINARC's website is one of the more dynamic areas of the internet in regards to Chinese-related historical and archaeological research as new articles are posted regularly. The website was created as a way of connecting researchers and interested individuals to a broader variety of information than generally available through traditional channels. Topics on the website include human smuggling of the Chinese into North America, traditional foodways, opium smoking, and other fascinating parts of the historical story of the Chinese.
  • Chinese Historical Society of America
    Founded in 1963, the Chinese Historical Society of America, based in San Francisco, California, is the oldest organization in the United States dedicated to the historical investigation and interpretation of the Chinese experience in the United States. Their website includes online museum exhibits, historical document research, events listings, and information on visiting the museum.
  • Market Street Chinatown Archaeological Project
    Started in the early 2000s, Stanford University's Market Street Chinatown Archaeological Project is one of the largest archaeological investigations of a Chinese site in the United States. The project's website includes summary reports on the project, photos of significant artifacts, and details on the history of the Chinese in San Jose, California.
  • Harling Point Chinese Cemetery in British Columbia
    Designated as a National Historic Site in Canada in 1995, the Harling Point Chinese Cemetery dates back to the early 1900s and used into the 1950s by the Chinese community. The cemetery is now owned and managed by Parks Canada, the Canadian version of the National Park Service. This website provides a synopsis of the history of the Harling Point Cemetery, and includes a 3-D tour of the site through a link at the bottom of the page.