A Massacre at China Point

Abstract

While the frontier was coming to a close in Washington State in the late nineteenth century, Chinese immigration was in full swing. For more than 130 years, rumors of a massacre of Chinese at China Point in the 1870s or 1880s have lingered in the collective memory of residents of the Cle Elum and Roslyn region of the Central Cascades. This work examines available primary sources to determine the validity of the claim. Furthermore, it scrutinizes previous historical works, as well as testimonies left by men claiming to know the truth.