Seattle, Washington story
A Community's Foundation
Imagine one hundred and seventy people, all strangers or distant acquaintances, deciding to bet on their collective future. In 1910, that's exactly what happened when 170 Chinese…
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Imagine one hundred and seventy people, all strangers or distant acquaintances, deciding to bet on their collective future. In 1910, that's exactly what happened when 170 Chinese American pioneers pooled their resources to build the East and West Kong Yick Buildings. This wasn't just a real estate venture; it was the heart of a new Chinatown.
The East Kong Yick Building, also known as the Freeman Hotel, became a vital cultural hub, offering retail on the ground floor and lodging for immigrant communities above. It served as a sanctuary and a social meeting point for those navigating a new life in Seattle before World War Two. Today, the building continues that legacy of preservation, having reopened in May 2008 as the expanded Wing Luke Asian Museum.
It stands now as a National Heritage Site, proving that the resources pooled over a century ago still provide a home for Asian American history today.
Updated June 2026