That would be Locke, as in California, the small hamlet in the Delta, not far from the Bay Area. Locke was founded in 1915, after a fire broke out in the Chinese section of nearby Walnut Grove. A committee of Chinese merchants led by Lee Bing, Chan Hing Sai, Tom Wai, Chan Dai Kee, Ng So Hat, Chan Wai Lum, Chow Hou Bun, and Suen Dat Suin was formed. They approached a landowner by the name of George Locke, to ask if they could build on his land. They made an agreement and the rest, as they say, is history. By 1920, Locke appeared exactly as it does today.
The Chinese came to the area for levee construction. But by the time Locke was established, the work was mostly in farm labor. But Locke had many businesses that catered to the Chinese workers and other residents of the region. In the 1940s, Locke had bakeries, restaurants, herb shops, fish markets, gambling halls, boarding houses, brothels, schools, grovery, clothing stores, and the famous Star theater. The peak was 600 residents, with as many as 1500 occupants in the town.
On October 2, 1970, Locke was added to the registry of national historic places. It is the only town in the United States built by the Chinese for the Chinese. But now, Locke is neither a tourist trap nor a ghost town. But it does have an out of the way charm. But the Chinese population is down to about ten, and the total population is between 70 and 80 people. I actually know a man who was born and raised in Locke. His name is William K. Tom, who became a pharmacist, with whom I worked in the 70s. He was quite proud of the fact that he and his family survived the Great Depression on rice and home grown vegetables.
My Grandfather often enjoyed fishing on the Delta when I was a kid. My uncles complained that he often wanted to stay in the old boarding houses along the Sacramento River when they towed the boat up to the Delta from the San Joaquin Valley. the stories they told were hilarious, often centering around having to share a room with Grandpa and his loud snoring. But they always seemed to come home with some really nice Striped Bass. I went a few times when I was in junior high, but never stayed overnight. I guess they figured these semi flop houses were not appropriate for children!
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