May is both New Mexico’s Archaeology and Historic Preservation Month and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. This May, the Village’s Historic Preservation team is highlighting the first Asian American and Pacific Islander presence in Jemez Springs by using places to help understand the past.
Let’s look back at some of the buildings and businesses around Jemez Springs, and meet some of Jemez Springs’ first AAPI community members.
Making a Living: Chinese Laundries in Jemez Springs
The stories of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Jemez Springs begins with Chinese immigrants in 1880. Chinese men who emigrated to New Mexico often left behind wives and children, in the hopes of cashing in on the regional economy. Many who came to the region, however, never mined, instead creating businesses in services like laundries and shops.
Before the invention of industrial laundry machines, all clothing needed to be washed by hand. This was difficult, exhausting manual labor, but it was an essential service. Early Chinese immigrants were not allowed to own property, but laundry start-up costs were low and there were plenty of clients, so many of Jemez Springs’ first Chinese immigrants worked in the laundry businesses.
Catering to a new clientele
In the early 1880s, Jemez Springs had a large enough population of Chinese speakers that a prominent photographer and artist advertised their shop at 17000 NM-4 by writing Paint shop in Chinese characters on the outside, indicating that the shop was welcoming to Chinese speakers. The building was demolished in 1882.
17000 Block of NM-4: Sing Lee’s Laundry and Tom Lee’s Import Store
From about 1886 through the 1890s, Sing Lee ran a laundry from the 17000 block of NM-4. It was one of two buildings labelled Chinese Laundry on local maps from 1890 and 1895. The other laundry was near the Jemez Springs Bath House, which was run by Quong Kee. By 1896, Quong Kee had converted his laundry into a store selling Chinese and Japanese imports, including silks and vases. Sing Lee’s neighbor, Tom Lee, also opened an import store called the Golden Rule nearby. Quong Kee and Tom Lee’s import businesses closed by 1900.
Sing Lee Laundry and the Golden Rule Store on NM-4
Sing Lee Laundry and the Golden Rule Store were both run by Chinese men. From historical listings, it appears that Sing Lee also lived in the building. This photograph of both stores is from around 1892.
By 1900, Sing Lee’s laundry was replaced with an office for prospectors to sample their ore and test its purity. That building, located along the main road, looks very similar today.
Jemez Springs Plaza: Quong Kee and Jon Ah’s Laundry
By the time of the 1900 Census, the regional Chinese population was shrinking as anti-Chinese sentiment and racism spread throughout New Mexico and the nation. In Jemez Springs, Quong Kee persisted. He had closed his import shop by 1900 and ran a laundry with Jon Ah from a basic frame building near the Jemez Springs Plaza.
Northeast corner of the Plaza around 1900
The one-story wood building near the northeast corner of the Plaza was used as a laundry run by Quong Kee. It was demolished sometime before 1903.
Quong Kee was born in China in October 1845. He was highly educated, and could read, write and speak English, as could his business partner Jon Ah. Both men immigrated in 1880, and both had a wife and family in China. Quong Kee moved his laundry business to a building near the corner of NM-4 and the road to the local springs by 1903. He ran the laundry from this building until 1916, when it was the last remaining Chinese-run laundry in Jemez Springs.
16000 Block of NM-4: Hop Yan and Hang Ah’s Laundry
Before 1900, Hop Yan and Hang Ah also ran a laundry. It was located at the 16000 block of NM-4. It was the only wooden building on the block, sandwiched between two stone buildings. Kee Bing took over the laundry in 1903 and ran it until 1913. By 1918, the building had become a barber’s shop. The current building at this location was built in 1963.
The Chinese laundry was housed in the frame building near the center of the block. Kee Bing ran the business for 10 years.
Hotels and Residences: Places for Other Domestic Work
In addition to laundries, Chinese men in Jemez Springs also worked in other service industries: In the 1900 Federal Census, Bow Chan Lung and Sam Sung worked as domestics at a local hotel near the corner of NM-4 and the entrance to the springs. Goy Moon was a porter at the stagecoach stop near the south end of the village and Charlie Toon was a servant at a private residence near the historic bathhouse.
Historic residence near the baths around 1904
Buildings near the historic bath house and along the original village thoroughfare may be the only remaining buildings connected to the history of Chinese residents during this time in Jemez Springs. Charlie Toon and Sing Lee would likely recognize these buildings from when they lived and worked there.
This is just a small part of the rich history of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in Jemez Springs, and we celebrate them and our historic buildings this May.