Living Room Lecture - Block 112: The Untold Story of San Diego's Working Class in the 1880s

Lecture from 2/1/23. Archaeology provides evidence of those who are under-represented in the official version of history. Often times, the recorded account of history is about rich, influential men and wars. What about the women, children, immigrants, the poor, and the different?

Block 112 in Downtown San Diego reflected the same urban diversity that was typical of large Eastern cities. Of the 50 residents, 16 were white or African American citizens. The other 34 were immigrants and ethnic minorities—Chinese laundrymen, a Mexican mill hand, a French gunsmith, a German day-laborer, a Welsh musician, a Japanese lunch man, and an Irish baker. This presentation reveals clues about their everyday lives, ambitions, and lifestyle.

For upcoming events visit https://sandiegoarchaeology.org/​​

About the San Diego Archaeological Center
The San Diego Archaeological Center is a nonprofit museum, education, and research facility where visitors can learn the story of how people have lived in San Diego County for the past 10,000 years. Located in San Pasqual Valley, it is the only local organization dedicated to the collection, study, curation, and exhibition of San Diego County’s archaeological artifacts.

Note: The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the San Diego Archaeological Center.