The Case:
A woman in Missoula, Montana bought what looks like an old, miniature fiddle case in the Montana mining town of Butte in the 1960s. When she made the purchase, she was told the case didn’t hold a fiddle, but rather a scale that was used for weighing opium.
Could this really be an antique from the Chinese community of Montana? The Chinese were among the first immigrant groups to arrive in Montana in the 1800s. After the California gold rush petered out, Chinese immigrants moved away to find work building the railroads, mining gold, and in restaurant and laundry businesses.
History Detectives heads to Montana to find out how Chinese immigrants survived for decades in Big Sky Country, particularly during a time when anti-Chinese sentiment was rampant in the U.S.
Related Content
Feature:
Technique:
Technique:
Related Links
Explore
-
Also with Elyse Luray
Star Spangled Banner
Is this the first official copy of the national anthem?
-
Also with Elyse Luray
GAR Photograph
How did two African Americans come to be part of this photograph in Reconstructionist-era America?
-
Also with Elyse Luray
Galleon Shipwreck
Is this a piece of treasure from a Spanish galleon washed up on an Oregon beach?
-
Also in Expansion: 1801-1861
Bartlett Sketchbook
Does a leather bound sketchbook hold the key to some of the US' most significant history?
-
Related Investigation
Body In The Basement
Are these the remains of an executed prisoner of war from an English Civil War battle?
-
Also in Season 4
Harley Davidson Motorcycle
Did this motorcycle see action in World War I?
Comments
This is a place for opinions, comments, questions and discussion; a place where viewers of History Detectives can express their points of view and connect with others who value history. We ask that posters be polite and respectful of all opinions. History Detectives reserves the right to delete comments that don’t conform to this conduct. We will not respond to every post, but will do our best to answer specific questions, or address an error.