Locke, California
Historic Chinese Town
Stairs lead from River
Road sidewalk to Main Street below
Main Street Entrance
to stairway to River Road
One of two idential
doorways on Main Street, 2001
The two main streets in Locke are connected
by stairs and narrow alleys which give the town a unique charm.
The town was built behind a levee, so that the store fronts on
the River Road are higher than the stores lining Main Street.
Stairways connect the wooden sidewalk on the River Road to the
sidewalk on Main Street below.
In 1977, the entire town of Locke, and
450 acres of surrounding land, was purchased by a Hong Kong developer
named Ng Tor Tai. The buildings in Locke are owned by private
individuals, while Tai's company, Asian City Development, owns
the land on which Locke stands. The residents of Locke protested
against plans to develop the area with modern housing.
Alley leads from Main
Street to houses on Key Street
Wooden walkway connects
Main Street to Key Street
Narrow alleys are part
of the charm of Locke
Residents on Key Street
use this alley to reach Main Street
Alley between historic
buildings in Locke
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