ArcheoLens
Chinese American history through archaeological artifacts. Compare modern objects with evidence from San Jose Chinatown archaeology, then follow the story through artifacts, timeline, map, media, and sources.
Market Street Chinatown, ca. 1880
The Market Street Chinatown stood near Market and San Fernando Streets in downtown San Jose and was occupied until an arson fire in 1887.
Verified fact 1Archaeological materials from the site were excavated during downtown redevelopment work in 1985, 1986, and 1988.
Verified fact 2The research partnership includes Stanford, History San Jose, and the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project.
Verified fact 3The digital exhibit describes Market Street Chinatown as one of California's largest Chinatowns in the 1880s, with more than 1,000 residents.
Verified fact 4Follow the exhibit by task, not by endless scrolling.
Each section is a shorter, focused workspace. Start with the Lens for a guided experience or jump directly into research mode.
Scan an Object
Start with a modern bowl, spoon, bottle, toy, or tool and see its sourced archaeological match.
Open sectionExplore ArtifactsExplore Artifacts
Browse the collection by theme, compare modern parallels, and inspect evidence notes.
Open sectionTrace the StoryTrace the Story
Follow San Jose Chinatown history from settlement and exclusion to recovery and memory.
Open sectionRead the MapRead the Map
See how five Chinatown sites connect through displacement, rebuilding, and preservation.
Open sectionWatch MediaWatch Media
Move through oral histories, documentary clips, and exhibit videos without losing sources.
Open sectionAudit SourcesAudit Sources
Open the source vault and verify the pages that support the exhibit’s claims.
Open section