Guided Tour of Yema-Po

During 1993-94, the C.E. Smith Museum mounted a major exhibit on the archaeological site of Yema-po. The site, excavated by students and faculty of the Department of Anthropology, represents the remains of a work camp occupied by the overseas Chinese laborers who constructed the San Leandro Reservoir (Lake Chabot) between 1874 and 1875. Read about their discovery and take a tour of the excavation, the artifacts found and the history of the San Leandro Reservoir by exploring the topics below:

• Article: "Wild Horses, Water Barons and Chinese Sojourners: Archaeology of Yema-Po..." (1983 article)
• Location
• The Excavation
• The History of the San Leandro Reservoir Construction
• Yema-po and the Chinese in 19th Century Newspapers
• The Diet
• Opium, its Use and its Paraphernalia
• Coins and Gambling Tokens
• Ceramics and Chinese Identity
• What the Glass Bottles Tell Us
• The Metal Hardware
• Above Yema-po (CA-Ala-429H): A Request for Information