Senate Concurrent ResolutionNo. 55


Introduced by Senator Pan

(Coauthor: Senator Wolk)

May 5, 2015


Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 55—Relative to the centennial of the founding of Locke, California.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 55, as introduced, Pan. Centennial of the founding of Locke, California.

This measure would commemorate the centennial of the founding of Locke, California, would recognize and honor Locke, California, as the last remaining Chinatown in North America, and would urge all Californians to learn about the important history of Locke, California, and its inhabitants.

Fiscal committee: no.

P1    1WHEREAS, The year 2015, marks the centennial of the
2founding of Locke, California; and

3WHEREAS, Locke, California, is the only town in the United
4States of America built exclusively by the Chinese for the Chinese,
5and is the last remaining Chinatown in North America, as all other
6Chinatowns are connected to, or lay adjacent to, an existing town
7or city; and

8WHEREAS, Locke, California, was found in 1915 after the
9Chinese section of Walnut Grove, California, was destroyed by a
10fire and the Chinese inhabitants decided that it was time to establish
11a town of their own; and

12WHEREAS, The inhabitants of Locke, California, have made
13tremendous contributions to farming methods that spearheaded
P2    1California’s leadership in agriculture, especially as it pertained to
2pear orchards and asparagus fields; and

3WHEREAS, Locke, California, was instrumental in reclaiming
4swamps along the Sacramento River Delta and turning them into
5rich arable farmlands; and

6WHEREAS, Levee construction originally brought the Chinese
7to the area, but by the time Locke, California, was built most of
8the jobs in the area were in farming and this resulted in Locke,
9California. having many businesses that catered to the farm workers
10and residents of the region; and

11WHEREAS, From the 1920s through the 1940s, Locke,
12California, had a permanent population of 600, which swelled to
131,000 during the harvest season; and

14WHEREAS, In 1970, Locke, California, was added to the
15Registry of National Historic Places by the Sacramento County
16Historical Society; and

17WHEREAS, In 1990, Locke, California, was named as a
18National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of
19the Interior; now, therefore, be it

20Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
21thereof concurring,
That the Legislature commemorates the
22centennial of the founding of Locke, California, and urges all
23Californians to learn about the important history of Locke,
24California, and its inhabitants; and be it further

25Resolved, That the Legislature recognizes and honors Locke,
26California, as the last remaining Chinatown in North America; and
27be it further

28Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
29this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.



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