Heinlenville Dig Begins

Dear Friends of Heinlenville

The Sonoma State U. archaeologists were on-site at the Corporation Yard site (aka "Heinlenville/Nihonmachi") early this morning, thanks to the city, and able to dig their trenches. The parking lot site was first and already has yielded shards of various pottery/glass, plus other small pieces including what looks like a bicycle or buggy hub. The other four trenches will be explored as the job progresses over these next ten days. These sites will include those of the Chinese temple, a restaurant and a store.

Enthusiasm is high for finding more significant pieces/features as the dig moves on. However, everyone has been slowed by the significant press coverage. Three of the major TV stations sent reporters out for several hours interviewing the archaeology teams and also Japantown community representatives Leslie Masunaga and myself, plus historian Connie Young Yu whose family store will be explored here. Additionally three of the Chinese newspapers, plus Chinese language TV's KTSF were also out on site. We have been in contact with these folks for weeks before the digging started, so I am happy to see that they are finding this so very "newsworthy"

I have contacted all of the big three Japanese American newspapers but so far I have not seen any coverage, so keep your fingers crossed for their reports. Perhaps the initial archaeology is more of a Chinese story, but as the dig goes on and especially as the entire project moves forward, then it will be a story for all the papers/TV stations, ethnic and otherwise. As I publicly remarked earlier, this story is not just local, but national and international in importance.

Your embedded reporter
Rod Lum
Japantown Community Congress member

Archaeology Open House

On Saturday, 15 March from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. the public is invited to an Archaeological Open House for the Heinlenville and Nihonmachi site. Entrance to the site is on Taylor Street, between Sixth and Seventh streets. Planned activities include guided tours, presentations from local historians and archaeologists, displays of artifacts and an opportunity to watch the crew members at work.

Groups of ten or more who want to attend the open house are asked to register by emailing annita.waghorn@sonoma.edu and include the estimated time of arrival.

Please note that minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Site History

Heinlenville was constructed in 1887 by German immigrant and local businessman, John Heinlen in partnership with San José’s Chinese leaders after San José's Market Street Chinatown was destroyed by arson. It grew into a thriving community, home to storekeepers, laborers and their families. Heinlenville’s stores, restaurants and boarding houses became an important base for Chinese and Japanese immigrant agricultural workers in the Santa Clara valley.

By the early 1900s, a collection of wood-frame buildings containing both Japanese and Chinese homes and businesses grew along the Sixth Street frontage on the edge of Heinlenville. This area came to be called Nihonmachi or “Japan Town.” San José’s modern Japantown grew from these early beginnings.

Heinlenville declined in the late 1920s, as people moved elsewhere. After 1932 the community’s brick buildings were gradually demolished to make way for the City of San José Corporation Yard. The center of the community, the Ng Shing Gung temple was demolished in 1949. Japantown however, survived the World War II internments and continues to be a thriving community. Despite its demolition, the site of Heinlenville and early Nihonmachi remains important to the Santa Clara Chinese-American and Japanese-American communities.

History of Heinlenville and Nihonmachi (432 KB PDF)