Local Chinese community key to Gam Saan Trail’s development

*Editor’s note: Due to a printing error, the second part of this story did not run in Sunday’s edition.

By Monica Stark Enterprise staff writer

Retracing the steps of Gold Rush-era Chinese who navigated across the Pacific and landed upon Gam Saan (Gold Mountain in Cantonese), members of the local Chinese community recently gathered at a new California State Park trail head near where James W. Marshall found specks of gold in 1948 about 36 miles up the American River from Sacramento.

Run by California State Parks, new interpretive signs at the beginning of the trail share the message: “News of the California Gold Discovery started in Coloma and reached as far as China.

Tens of thousands of Chinese were inspired to come here to seek their fortune and began calling California, Gam Saan. Although subjected to severe racism, through their perseverance and ability to adapt to change, Chinese people continue to make contributions to the rich and diverse fabric of America. In honor of those seeking Gold

Mountain, this trail segment is named the Gam Saan Trail.”

While the 2.5-mile trail is now over a year old, back in February, members of the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association Davis Chapter, which serves UC Davis and Yolo County; the Locke Foundation, the Chinese Benevolent Association, and the APAPA Delta Chapter honored their ancestors with a Ching Ming Festival, which includes visiting and sweeping ancestral tombs.

Aaron Wedra, Mary Yin