Kam Wah Chung Chinese Heritage Site, John Day OR

Fascinating. Excellent guides. The interpretive center really does a great job of explaining things. HIGHLY recommended.

Everything you need to know about the Chinese heritage during the gold rush.
Mask nazis.

This is a unique historic site that gives a really interesting intact look at two successful chinese businessmen (a rare thing) in the late 19th, early 20th century. Knowledgeable volunteers give hourly tours and they are building a new visitor center that will be an even more in depth interpretation experience of these interesting people.

Based on one visit, it is small and yet there is a lot of good information at the interpretive center. The guided tour was well worth it, to see the building itself, and hear the stories of the people that live there or that lived in the town and how it became a museum.

What a very intriguing and educational place to be! There is loads to learn about the Chinese influence in Johnday and in fact Johnday might only exist because of the Chinese that lived there.

We started at the heritage site, but it was closed due to covid, I think. We walked the block or two to the interpretive center, which was excellent. They had tons of information, history, and artifacts there. The guide at the front desk has plenty of nuggets of knowledge to share with us. The gift shop has some cool trinkets and tchotchkes, a couple of which we purchased in order to support the museum. We were all pleasantly surprised to learn about the Chinese immigrants that came to John Day for the gold rush, as we had no idea about this piece of Oregon’s history. The interpretive center is kid-friendly, as most items are in cases or wrapped in plastic, etc, to prevent damage. Great place to learn!

Go to the interpretive center first (just a block or two back towards town), this is where you can learn all about it and can take a virtual tour. We didn't have time for the tour, but the center is very informative and it's a very unique "time capsule" that was preserved accidentally. Something that's rarely seen. It's worth budgeting a couple hours to go through the center, then look around the actual site.

Do not miss. Volunteer hosts do spectacular job of telling the story via a virtual reality presentation. Fascinating history and individuals.

We took the virtual tour. It was excellent and very informative. The gentleman who gave us the tour was very knowledgeable.

A wonderful time capsule in Oregon's early settler's history. Fascinating story about the Chinese who made an all-around productive mark on our Country's history. Great tour (thank you Art!). Go and see for yourself. Worth the drive.

I love the Kam Wah Chung Chinese historic site very much. It is just down the road from my grandparents' house in John Day, Oregon.