Walnut Grove Chinese-American Historic District
The National Park Service has not published a boundary polygon for this district; the map shows the listed properties inside it and the district's reference point.
Why it's listed
Walnut Grove's Chinatown occupies about four acres along the Sacramento River in Sacramento County. Fires in 1915 and 1937 destroyed earlier wood-frame communities on the site, and the present buildings went up between 1937 and 1940. Architect Mitch Landis designed them and lumber yard owner William Schauer built them for Chinese American businessmen and residents. The flat-roofed stucco buildings use Art Moderne detailing such as grooves, zigzags and chevrons, along with bright ceramic tile storefronts and marquees hung from chains. Chinese touches include exterior light bulbs, gambling parlors with distinctive entries, and shops on the ground floor with homes above. The Bing Kong Tong building, a social center, shows the strongest Chinese influence, with a tiled roof turned up at the corners. The district was listed as the last Chinese American commercial center built in an agricultural Delta town, serving Sze Yup settlers, and for its cohesive architecture. Archaeological deposits from the 1915 fire lie beneath the streets.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | 1937-1940 |
|---|---|
| Styles | Modern Movement/Moderne (Art Moderne/Modernistic); Late 19th/Early 20th Century American Movements/Commercial Style |
| Areas of significance | Asian, Architecture |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Boundary source | not published |
| Full listing page | Walnut Grove Chinese-American Historic District (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.