In April 2023, Truckee-Donner Historical Society submitted an application to the Nevada County Historical Landmarks Commission for Truckee’s Chinatowns seeking landmark status. On June 13, 2023, NCHLC approved TDHS’s Application and the Nevada County Board of Supervisors subsequently unanimously approved this application for landmarking status by Resolution No. 23-282.

Formal plaque recognition will be conducted on May 10, 2024 at 10 a.m. at the Old Truckee Jail Museum, 10142 Jibboom Street, on the 155th anniversary of the building of the transcontinental railroad. The plaque will be mounted on the site of the Old Truckee Jail Museum, located within the boundaries of Truckee’s historic Chinatowns.

The granite rock in the front of the jail is where the plaque will be placed.

There were two Truckee Chinatowns between 1867 to 1886, and the dedication is directed to both areas, but the plaque will be mounted in the first Chinatown area.

In a press release, the Nevada County Historical Landmarks Commission said, “This long overdue acknowledgement identifies and honors those many Chinese people, who contributed to Truckee’s viability and sustainability, in the late 19th century. Besides laboring to build the Transcontinental Railroad, they were merchants, cooks, teamsters, domestic servants, gardeners, doctors and launderers.”

A Chinese Herb Shop on Southeast River St.

“Without such businesses to support the Chinese population and Truckee residents, Truckee may not have survived and thrived,” the press release continued. “The Chinese deserve due honor to be a recognized part in the history of Truckee.”

Please join us for the dedication which will start at 10 a.m. Keynote speaker Alyce Wong, Chair of the Board of Directors of Tahoe Forest Hospital, will present a short backstory on the plaque.

Additional speakers will also be present for the dedication including Master of Ceremonies Bernie Zimmerman, Chair of the Nevada County Historical Landmarks Commission, and Hardy Bullock, Nevada County’s 5th District Supervisor, and Courtney Henderson, Town of Truckee Councilmember.

For more information on the dedication please contact info@truckeehistory.org