Locke, California
Historic Chinese Town
West side of Main Street,
looking south
Old building on Main
Street is leaning forward
Doorway of leaning
building on Main Street
The town of Locke is a favorite of photographers
who like to take pictures of the buildings like the one shown
below. On weekends, you will have to wait your turn to photograph
this building.
In 1916, nine acres of orchard land,
owned by George Locke, was cleared to provide additional space
for the town of Locke. The town's founder, Lee Bing, financed
the construction of nine new buildings which were built in 1916.
Most of these buildings are now dilapidated and some, like the
building pictured above, are in danger of collapsing.
Ramshackle building
appears to be falling forward
By 1920, Locke had 50 buildings, including
a church, a school, a post office, five hotels or boarding houses,
two saloons, four grocery stores, two dry goods stores, a pool
room, and several gambling halls and whore houses. Locke was
the center of activity for the Chinese farmers in the Delta and
the number of people who shopped and socialized here sometimes
exceeded 1,000.
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