March 09, 2014

China Camp -- thick with the past


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photo by Donald Kinney

Frank Quan's pier at China Camp Village. Current population; 1.

This is on San Pablo Bay, the northern "thumb" of San Francisco Bay.
In the late 1800's China Camp was home to hundreds of Cantonese immigrants who brought with them expert netting skills for harvesting Bay Shrimp. Discrimination was rampant. Netting shrimp was one few industries Chinese were legally allowed, however, regulations of the day required the Chinese to sell their catch in San Francisco through a white middleman.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

With his shrimping boat resting on mud, Frank Quan walks with coil of rope.

Over the years, fresh water flowing into San Pablo Bay has been increasingly diverted for agriculture. The resulting higher levels of salinity have been detrimental to the Bay Shrimp habitat. The shrimp are mostly gone.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Salty old Frank Quan; his dapper self, a bit closer, taken in July 2011.


Photographing Marin County - the exhibit and book       


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