Mural to Honor Efforts of Chinese Firefighters

Back in 1889, the Ventura fire department was loath to respond to fires in the city’s small Chinatown, so its residents were forced to start their own Chinese fire brigade.

The brigade--which was based in China Alley, home to about 200 immigrants--was known to sometimes beat the city’s fire company to fires outside the alley.

Now, the City Council has approved building a landmark that will honor the contributions of the fire brigade and all Chinese immigrants to Ventura. On Monday, the council unanimously decreed that a wall on Figueroa Street be dedicated to the memorial. It will feature a red pagoda adorned with a dragon that frames a mural of the fire brigade.

“This is a small effort for the people who’ve made such a large contribution,” said Councilman Sandy Smith at Monday’s meeting.

The council also allocated $8,000 in city funds to help build the memorial. The Ventura County Chinese American Historical Society will raise matching funds to complete the tribute and will recruit volunteers to build it.

S.K. Leong of Westlake, the chief fund-raiser for the society, said that he doesn’t anticipate any problems in raising the $8,000. No timeline has yet been set for construction, nor has a deadline been set for raising the funds. But Leong said he and the society are ready to begin.

Marie Louie of Camarillo is a descendant of China Alley residents. Her grandfather, Charley Yee, was entrusted with the key to the shed that housed the fire engine and was responsible for opening its doors when blazes broke out. He lived just a few doors from the fire shed, near where Louie’s mother spent her childhood.

“These people worked really, really hard, and came over with nothing but dreams, and tried to make things better for future generations,” Louie said of her Chinese ancestors.

“And a lot of people don’t even know that there was a Chinatown in Ventura,” she added.

The society has been working for about a year to initiate the memorial. “We wanted more than just a plaque,” Louie said.

K.C. Ling, a member of the historical society, on Monday urged the council to approve the project.

“They provided support to the community and left an indelible legacy,” Ling said. “This is only a small step to recognize the multicultural society we have.”

Councilman Smith agreed, saying that he would like to eventually see an effort to re-create China Alley, a larger tribute that could also attract tourists.

Leong found those words encouraging.

“They’ve shown lots of commitment,” Leong said of the council members. “We hope they will take the next step to do something on an even greater scale.”