Some may remember the
original Oriental Garden restaurant on 99W in McMinnville owned/operated by the
Louie family. (See photo of ash tray with McMinnville address.) One of the
family members is Richard “Dick” Louie, 1971 Linfield grad. Linfielders report
that the Oriental Garden restaurant in Banks, Ore., is owned/operated by the
Louie family. (See photo of exterior to restaurant in Banks.)
Asian Reporter (newspaper of Portland) Foundation’s Most Honored Elders for 2012 was Wing Louie. A story in the May 21, 2012, Asian Reporter said about Mr. Louie, "Born March 18, 1924 in Taishan, China, Wing Louie helped support his mother and grandmother by selling tobacco after his father succumbed to cancer when Wing was only 10 years old. At age 16, he was engaged to the love of his life, Lan Chee Louie. Three years later, in 1944, the two married. The young family struggled financially and Wing worked in Hong Kong to try to support his family back in the village. In 1949, he immigrated to the U.S., arriving at the Angel Island Immigration Station in San Francisco before relocating to Portland to live with his uncle. He got a job at Canton Grill and sent money back to China to support his family. Louie got a big break when he and several friends pooled their resources to purchase the Oriental Garden restaurant in McMinnville. With increased income from the business, he was able to move his growing family to McMinnville, where he became the city’s first Chinese landowner. His earnings from the restaurant combined with Lan Chee’s work selling bean sprouts, peas, and homemade zhong zi to local restaurants and grocery stores allowed the family to purchase the Oriental Garden outright in 1965. Wing and Lan Chee have five children — Lana, Richard, Shelton, Nancy, and Jeannie — 14 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Wing remains active with the community and enjoys spending time with his family, cooking (lobster is his favorite), travelling, and playing mahjong."
CHINESE COOKS IN OREGON
Chop Suey for All: Chinese Cooks in Oregon by Richard Engeman
Chinese restaurants were common in Oregon towns and cities beginning in the late nineteenth century. The restaurants' familial operations helped anchor immigrants who often were otherwise isolated from other Chinese Americans.
7-8 p.m., Tuesday, May 24, 2016
McMinnville Public Library
225 NW Adams St
McMinnville OR 97128
Free & Open to the Public
Part of the Oregon Historical Society's Chinese Oregon Speaker Series
http://www.ohs.org
Also, see:
https://i1.wp.com/maclibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2016/03/05-16-Chinese-Oregon-program.jpg?ssl=1
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Ad directly above from 5/16/1963 Sheridan, Oregon, Sun
