J Gonsalves Fereira“Mendocino’s Mirror: Reflections on Immigration” is the title of the Kelley House Museum’s upcoming exhibit, available for viewing during regular museum hours beginning Friday, May 6 and continuing through August 8, 2016.  Prior to the public opening, we will host a reception for ‘Members Only’ tomorrow, May 5th, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.  If you aren’t already a member, we welcome you to join that evening!

We are all immigrants.  This exhibit examines some of the particular stories behind that statement through the filter of the Kelley House Museum’s extensive archives.  People came to Mendocino’s coast from all over the world, as they did to California in general, because of the Gold Rush.  Work was available, and for some, land was also available.  The Native Americans of this region had been here for tens of thousands of years, and although ‘immigrants’ themselves, they witnessed the arrival of everyone else; and were pushed aside or worse.  The people who occupied the region came for its resources and started families.  This exhibit reflects on some of the lesser known stories revealed in the photographs, ledgers and company records which have been donated to the Kelley House Museum over the years, and are part of the history of this coast.

With the exhibit, we will offer three “Sunday Afternoons With . . .” presentations, beginning in June and continuing through July.  The first of these, scheduled for Sunday, June 12th will feature Dr. Elmano Costa of California State University, Stanislaus, Director of Portuguese Studies.  The presentation following that, on Sunday, June 26th, will be given by fourth generation Mendocino County native, Lorraine Hee-Chorley on the Chinese of Mendocino’s Coast, and finally, we will host Dr. Samuel Regalado, of CSU Stanislaus, whose expertise is modern Asian and Hispanic immigration, on Sunday, July 31st.  Please visit our website at www.kelleyhousemuseum.org or our Facebook page for further information.