Rock walls, built in the early 1860's flow across the landscapes of California's gold rush country in lines that define the contours of the land. Remnants of these historic stone barricades can often be seen from roads. In some places there are sections that seem almost complete. They are especially noticeable in ranch-land areas, in tracts of land where cattle have grazed since shortly after the early years of gold discovery.

These stone fences, built with field stone or river rock, are sometimes called "Chinese Walls' because they are believed to have been constructed by Chinese laborers. Though the origins of every wall can not always be authenticated, there are are historic records that document the 1863 project on Morgan Quick's Ben Hur Ranch In Mariposa County.

Quick came to California from New York as a 21 year old, and did well enough in gold mining to earn an average of $10,000 a year. He bought some land south of the town of Mariposa and built a house for himself and his new bride in 1854. In another five years he bought additional land and turned his attention to establishing a ranch.

Morgan Quick agreed to pay a Chinese contractor $1.75 for each rod (sixteen and a half linear feet) of stone wall. He also provided pork and rice for the workers. The contractor, who sat under an umbrella tracking construction progress with an abacus, paid his workers 25 cents per day IF they completed a rod and a half (twenty four feet and nine inches). The daily wage was lost if workers failed to meet the quota.

Though young men from all over the world poured into the gold fields interacted in a fairly civil manner for the times, the Chinese were feared and disparaged. Their language, culture dress and customs were just too different for most of the Western nationalities to understand. Chinese grouped together in "Chinatowns" near the gold camps to protect themselves from the rampant prejudice and frequent abuse.

At the time of the California Gold rush, economic conditions were very severe in China. The men who came from that country to California, were hoping for a golden opportunity to send money back to their families. Though some of them tried prospecting-- most were prevented from seeking gold, by laws and ordinances which discriminated strongly against Asians in getting the necessary permits and staking a claim.

Some Chinese worked abandoned claims for whatever remnants of gold might remain. They also did many jobs that other men-- especially American European and Hispanic-- thought of as "women's work." Therefore, there were Chinese restaurants and Chinese laundries in the Mother Lode area.

Local laws were also passed to keep the Chinese from owning land , so they often worked as a laborers. Much of the state's early infrastructure was built by their labor on roads, tunnels and bridges. Chinese laborers built retaining walls in the Sierra along railroad routes.

The rock boundary wall at the Quick Ranch is four miles long, four feet high, two feet wide at the base, and one foot wide at the top. It encloses about 640 acres. Because it stretches across across the rolling hills, and appears to continue endlessly, it is sometimes called a mini "Great Wall of China." Most of it is still standing.

Wall photos by Linda Gast