Chinese Railroad Workers in Utah – With Dr. Chris Merritt

Dr. Chris Merritt will present on the Chinese Railroad Worker experience in Utah through history and archaeology. In 1869, thousands of Chinese workers came to Utah during the waning days of construction for the Central Pacific Railroad. Many stayed on in Utah until the early 1890s, leaving behind a historical and archaeological legacy. Over the past few years State  History and the BLM have worked to discover more of this history and to build towards the 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad in 2019. Presentation will include discoveries found the last year conducting archaeological excavations on the significant site of Terrace, in northwestern Utah, in direct partnership with the Chinese descendant community.

Merritt received his Ph.D. from the University of Montana in Anthropology in 2010, focusing on the archaeological and historical investigations of the Overseas Chinese. Before that, he received a Master’s of Science in Industrial Archaeology from Michigan Technological University where he studied the trade and consumption of Mormon-produced pottery in Utah.  Since 2004, Merritt has worked in a variety of professional archaeological settings including the United States Forest Service in Utah and Nevada, private archaeological contracting in Salt Lake City and finally as the State Historic Preservation Officer for the Utah Division of State History. In addition to full time employment with the State of Utah, he is Adjunct Faculty at Salt Lake Community College where he teaches courses on Historical Archaeology and Cultural Resource Management.

This free event will be held on Zoom and also broadcast on Facebook Live on the Moab Museum’s Facebook page.

Zoom link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84934898386

Zoom Webinar ID: 849 3489 8386