16. The Legacy of Chinese Workers on the Transcontinental Railroad in Utah with Chris Merritt (3/26/24)

The Places and Profiles Podcast is supported by listeners. When you purchase through links on this site, we may earn a commission as an affiliate partner.

Episode Description

Dr. Chris Merritt joins host Adam Camac to discuss the legacy of Chinese railroad workers on the transcontinental railroad in Utah and what we are learning about their work through archaeological investigation.  Chris is an archaeologist who is Utah’s historic preservation officer.  Chris and his team have been learning about Chinese railroad workers from a series of excavations along the Transcontinental Railroad site in Utah’s west desert, and they’ve been working with descendants of Chinese railroad workers to share cultural history and knowledge.

1:28 – Overview of the work of the guest (Chris Merritt) and his interest in the legacy of Chinese railroad workers on the transcontinental railroad in Utah

5:00 – The influence of the US Civil War on the construction of the transcontinental railroad, China in the 1860s, Utah in the 1860s

12:05 – Who the Chinese immigrants were who came to work on the railroad, background of these workers, their experiences after actually coming to Utah and starting to work on the railroad

19:07 – Recognition, if any, for the Chinese workers when the golden spike was driven into the ground on May 10, 1869 at Promontory Summit, Utah

22:23 – The area of Utah the railroad used to go through, the ghost town of Terrace, Utah

31:05 – Stories from Chinese railroad workers dealing with the maintenance of the railroad, how the Chinese Exclusion Act coming into law in 1882 affected these railroad workers

38:56 – Violence and attacks faced by Chinese railroad workers

43:21 – Artifacts and objects found in the fields during excavation projects in Terrace and other sites in Utah where Chinese railroad workers once lived

51:11 – Descendents of the Chinese railroad workers in Utah and the guest’s interactions with them

53:55 – Recommended resources, additional information about the contributions of Chinese railroad workers to the history of the United States

Resources Mentioned

What Archaeologists Are Learning About the Lives of the Chinese Immigrants Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad (Smithsonian Magazine)

Rails East to Ogden: Utah’s Transcontinental Railroad Story (Utah Historical Society)

Chinese Railroad Workers in Utah: Part 1 (YouTube)

Chinese Railroad Workers in Utah: Part II (YouTube)

Affiliate Partner

If you’re a creator, podcaster, blogger, or someone who is trying to make money online, then one of the most effective ways to do that will be to have an email list you can write to and sell to.  ConvertKit is the email marketing platform designed specifically with creators and online business owners in mind.  Get your email marketing setup with ConvertKit by going to placesandprofiles.com/convert.