Joss House

Built by the Yue family in the 1920s, this clapboard residence stands on "Chinese Hill," one of many Chinese communities established during the gold rush. After a "mysterious" fire ripped through the settlement, the family converted their home into a public space for worship, seasonal boarders and a school.

A docent is on hand to tell the story, and show you the house shrine and rudimentary kitchen. Joss loosely translates as god or deity, typically in statue form.

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