Pachappa Camp facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pachappa Camp
Native name 파차파 캠프
Ahn Chang Ho picking oranges in Riverside (1912)
Location	Riverside, California
Founded	1904

Pachappa Camp (also called Dosan’s Republic) was one of the first important Korean communities in the United States. It was started in 1904 by Ahn Changho, who was also known as Dosan. He was an early Korean immigrant and a strong supporter of Korean independence.

The camp was located in downtown Riverside, California. Its original address was 1532 Pachappa Avenue, but it's now 3096 Cottage Street. Pachappa Camp was active until 1918. At its busiest, almost 300 people lived there. Many historians and the Riverside City government call it the first Korean settlement in the U.S. However, some historians, like John Cha, disagree. On March 23, 2017, the Riverside City Council named the Pachappa Camp site a "Point of Cultural Interest."

This camp is also famous because Ahn Changho started the New People's Association here. This was one of the first and most important Korean groups in the U.S. It was also where Ahn got the idea for the 1913 Young Korean Academy [ko] ("Heungsadan").

How Pachappa Camp Started

Pachappa Camp was founded in 1904 by Ahn Changho, known as Dosan. Dosan and his wife, Helen Ahn, came to San Francisco in 1902. They wanted to study Christianity and English. But it was hard for them to find jobs because of strong anti-Asian feelings.

In 1904, Dosan and Helen moved to Riverside. Two Korean friends who worked on citrus farms there encouraged them. They said there were many job openings. Even with jobs available, Korean immigrants found it hard to get farm work. This was because Japanese companies controlled most labor contracts. Koreans also didn't have their own job placement help.

Dosan met Cornelius Earle Rumsey, a retired business leader. Rumsey owned Alta Cresta Groves, a farm. He offered jobs to Dosan and other Korean immigrants. He also loaned them $1500 to rent housing and office space. This money helped them start a Korean employment agency.

The Korean Employment Bureau opened at Pachappa Camp in downtown Riverside by April 1905. It helped Korean immigrants find jobs. This led to more Koreans moving to Riverside and growing the community. Many Koreans who came to San Francisco and then Riverside were Christians. They had letters from American church leaders in Korea. They joined the local Calvary Presbyterian Church. Rumsey's loan was paid back quickly. More Korean immigrants moved to Riverside and found work. Soon, the Korean immigrants rented and moved into the living spaces near the labor bureau.

Life and Growth at the Camp

The camp had a community center and about twenty small homes. These buildings were built in the 1880s for Chinese workers. They were used to build the Santa Fe Railroad. The homes were not in good shape. They didn't have gas, water, or electricity. Residents used shared outdoor water pumps and outhouses.

Pachappa Camp was different from other labor camps. It was home to men, women, and children. It was a family-based community that organized itself. People shared family values and lifestyles, which made the community strong. Many men worked on farms. Others found jobs in local shops, hotels, hospitals, or as helpers for rich families. Women kept homes clean and cooked for the community. During harvest time, Korean women also worked at packinghouses. They helped pack boxes of citrus fruit. The residents, led by Dosan, also gave time and money to the Korean Independence movement. They also sent money back to Korea to help with a famine.

In 1905, residents worked with the Calvary Presbyterian Church. They started a mission at the camp. The mission offered English classes and church services. It also helped with social and cultural exchanges. By 1907, over 200 Korean immigrants lived in the camp. About 50-60 of them went to church services.

Gongnip Hyophoe (Cooperative Association)

In 1905, the Korean Empire became a protectorate of the Empire of Japan. This meant Japan controlled Korea's foreign affairs. That same year, Dosan and other community leaders started the Gongnip Hyophoe. It was also called the "Cooperative Association." Their goal was to create democratic rules and groups. This would help them build a free and democratic Korean nation in the future.

The association set rules for the Pachappa residents. These rules helped keep the community together and encouraged good behavior. For example, lights had to be off by 9:00 pm. Korean women were not allowed to smoke long pipes in the street. Residents should not go outside in undershirts. White shirts were encouraged to look "clean." The Korean newspaper, Sinhan Minbo, reported 70 Gongnip Hyophoe members in Riverside in 1905. By 1907, there were 150 members.

The Gongnip Hyophoe later joined with Hapsong Hyophoe. This was the United Korean Society in Hawaii. After they merged, they became known as the Korean National Association (KNA). The KNA was based in San Francisco. It helped Koreans who were new to the mainland United States. KNA groups were started all over the U.S. They were very important for organizing Korean immigrants. They helped them fight for Korea's sovereignty, which means its right to govern itself.

The Hemet Valley Incident

In 1913, 11 Korean immigrants found work picking apricots in Hemet. At this time, there was a lot of anti-Japanese and general anti-Asian sentiment in the U.S. White workers at the Hemet Valley train station threatened the Korean laborers. The Korean workers then ran away.

The Japanese Association of Southern California asked the Japanese consul general in San Francisco to deal with the problem. They argued that the Korean workers should be treated as Japanese citizens. But the Koreans living in the U.S. refused this help. They said they were not Japanese citizens. They insisted it was a separate, Korean issue.

The U.S. Secretary of State, William Jennings Bryan, ordered an investigation. This was because U.S.-Japan relations were already tense. The president of the KNA, David Lee, sent a telegram to Bryan. He said the issue was solved. He asked the U.S. government to stop dealing with the Japanese government about Korean immigrants. Bryan then announced that the Hemet Valley Incident was settled. This meant the U.S. government unofficially recognized Koreans in the U.S. as having their own national status. Korean immigrants who arrived in San Francisco were then treated as political refugees. This allowed them to enter the country.

Why Pachappa Camp Closed

In January 1913, California had a "Great Freeze." This destroyed many citrus crops. As a result, there were fewer jobs. Koreans had to look for work outside of Riverside. Many community members moved to Los Angeles. Others went to Central and Northern California. In January 1918, the Riverside Chapter of the KNA closed. The 1920 U.S. Census showed less than ten Korean families living in Riverside. None of them lived at the camp site.

After Korean Americans left, Japanese Americans moved into Pachappa Camp. Later, Mexican Americans lived there. In the 1950s, the area was redeveloped for businesses. Oil and gas companies built on the site. Today, the site has parking lots, fences, buildings, and gas stations. The only part left from the original settlement is the nearby railroad track.

Pachappa Camp's Lasting Impact

Some historians believe Pachappa Camp should be seen as the first Korean American settlement. This is because, outside of Hawaii, Koreans were spread out in cities like San Francisco. They didn't have their own clear neighborhoods. Korean immigration to the U.S. started in Hawaii. But Korean workers there lived and worked on farms for several years. They didn't create their own settlements until later.

Memorial for Dosan in Riverside

In 1999, a group called the Patriot Ahn Chang-Ho Memorial Foundation of Riverside started raising money. They wanted to build a memorial for Dosan. The Korean government and over 400 people raised more than $600,000. The memorial was dedicated on August 11, 2001. It is located at 3750 Main Street in downtown Riverside. It includes special concrete, landscaping, and a statue of Dosan.

Becoming a Point of Cultural Interest

On December 6, 2016, the Riverside City Council voted to make the Pachappa Camp site the city’s first "Point of Cultural Interest." They also planned to install a memorial there. City officials spent six months researching the camp's history. They used records of births, deaths, and community activities. This research helped confirm Pachappa Camp's importance as a very early Korean settlement in the United States.