Chinatown House

The Chinatown House is a 1919 building that stands as one of the last physical traces of the Chinese workers who built the citrus and vineyard economy this whole valley ran on. The labor history is enormous; the surviving evidence is nearly gone. This is most of what's left.

Be absolutely clear on the rules: you cannot go inside. There is no public access of any kind — the building is privately held and fragile, and in 2013 the National Trust for Historic Preservation named it to America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Viewing means the exterior, from the public right-of-way, period. We're also carrying this listing without a street address, because we couldn't verify one to publishing standard.

So why list it? Because a city guide that only lists places where you can buy things isn't a record of the city. Knowing this building exists — and why it's endangered — is the point.