August 27, 2014 - Between Friday, July 25th, and Wednesday, July 30th, Yosemite National Park held an event entitled “Sing Peak Pilgrimage: Contributions of Chinese Americans in Yosemite.”

The multiday event was held throughout many areas of the park and included interpretive talks, hikes, and presentations by Yosemite National Park staff. It was attended by approximately 50 visitors and staff members and included specific site visits to the historic Tioga Road, Washburn Wagon Road to the Mariposa Grove, 19th century mining and construction sites, and other locations associated with the lasting contributions of Chinese Americans in Yosemite.

The multiday event was designed to honor early Chinese immigrants who played a vital role in shaping Yosemite National Park.  Yosemite’s rich Chinese American history begins in 1848 in the search of gold, when Chinese immigrants first came to the Yosemite area. 

In 1850, with new mining taxes and the scarcity of gold, many of the Chinese began to look for other work, including filling roles as head chefs at many of the hotels in the park.  One such chef, Tie Sing, became the head chef for the first director of the National Park Service, Stephen T. Mather, on his many backcountry trips through Yosemite National Park. 

The start of the event was marked by a hike with Yosemite Interpretive Ranger Yenyen Chan along portions of the Great Sierra Wagon Road, which was first constructed utilizing Chinese labor, and located near the current Tioga Road. 

The next day, a second hike, along portions of the historic Washburn Wagon Road, built in 1879 with Chinese labor, was led by Yosemite Archeologist Barbara Bane and Yosemite Historical Landscape Architect Kevin McCardle.  Following the morning hike, children’s author Annette Pimentel provided an account to event attendees of her experiences in research the life of Tie Sing for her forthcoming children’s book related to his life and work. 

The evening was culminated with a dinner hosted by the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California (CHSSC), and organized by Yosemite Interpretive Rangers John Jackson and Yenyen Chan.  The dinner included a campfire program. 

To culminate the multiday event, hikers were lead to specific, historical, locations within Yosemite Valley to learn more about the contributions of Chinese Americans on Yosemite.  Simultaneously, former National Park Service Interpretive Ranger and former California State Park Superintendent Jack Shu lead several groups on a hike to Sing Peak. 

The 10,552-foot peak was named by U.S. Geological Survey Chief Geographer Robert B. Marshall in honor of Tie Sing.  This year, 22 hikers were able to summit the peak as part of this event.  This is the second year Yosemite has collaborated with the CHSSC to organize these events.

Other Yosemite contributions by Chinese Americans include primary labor work on two major roads within the park – the Tioga Road and the Wawona Road. 

The Tioga Road was constructed in 1882 with the help of 250 Chinese Americans.  The road, originally built for Great Sierra Consolidated Silver Company, was purchased and donated to the Government as part of Stephen Mather’s plan to improve public access to Yosemite National Park. 

The original Wawona Road was constructed in 1875 and was 23 miles long.  Many of the Chinese Americas working on this road were required to labor throughout heavy snowfall and harsh conditions. 

For more information on Chinese history in Yosemite, please click here.

Submitted by Jordan G. Yee, Park Ranger Interpretation, Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park