From Hanford’s iconic China Alley to some of the area’s most beloved businesses and enduring agricultural families, Kings County’s Asian communities have left an indelible mark. This two part celebration of local Asian history and culture shines a light on their stories.

 

Part I, which began in March, folds the experiences of early Asian immigrants to California in historical context and describes what they found and how they were treated when they arrived here.

 

Displays highlight various aspects of their lives from 1875 to 1946 and include scenes depicting the herbal shop of Dr. L.T. Sue, the Taoist Temple in China Alley and the barracks of internment camps where local Japanese were held during World War II. The role of schools, businesses and houses of worship in binding these communities is also explored.

 

The exhibition, which runs through Dec. 15 at the historic Carnegie Library building, focuses on the experiences and contributions of the area’s Asian communities following World War II. Specific displays highlight the religious practices, cultural traditions, festivals and businesses that have been at the heart of these groups. Special attention is paid to the individuals and families whose talent, hard work and leadership have made a positive difference in Kings County.

 

The first installment of the exhibition focused exclusively on the stories of the county’s Chinese and Japanese communities. The second installment includes two new groups, the Hmong and Filipinos. At a little more than 500 people, the Hmong make up Kings County’s fourth largest Asian community. There are 4,800 Filipinos in Kings County, making it the area’s largest Asian group by a considerable margin, said Kelley McCoy, one of the exhibition’s curators. She said there are 910 Chinese and 850 Japanese in the county according to recent Census data.“The Chinese and Japanese, especially the Chinese, have the longest and most storied presence in the area, so their experiences are understandably better known and rightly celebrated,” McCoy said. “One of our goals with this second installment is to shed important light on the Filipinos, who are a relatively newer immigrant group to the county.“We know very little about them,” she added. “Our hope is that visitors to the museum who are Filipinos from Kings County will feel encouraged to share their stories with us.”

 

The museum will be hosting Asian-themed events in tandem with the exhibition, including a celebration of Hanford’s iconic Moon Festival on Sept. 28, featuring performances by the Cal Poly Lion Dancers and the Fresno Gumyo Taiko. On Nov. 3, a group from Kern County will perform traditional Filipino dances in the museum courtyard.

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Curators: Steve Bannister, Gail Holiman (Kishue), Arianne Wing, Kelley C. McCoy, Kristen Leano, Nancy Yang, and Phoua Xiong

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Sponsors: China Alley Preservation Society & The Hanford Buddhist Church