Porcelain, 2009
The Hells Canyon Massacre of 1887 was a horrific event in which a gang of horse thieves brutally murdered 31-34 Chinese gold miners in Oregon's Hells Canyon, the deepest river gorge in North America. This tragedy occurred on May 25-28, 1887, amid widespread anti-Chinese sentiment in the American West during the late 19th century.
The Chinese miners, employed by the Sam Yup Company based in San Francisco, were known for their skilled placer mining techniques. They carefully extracted gold from the rugged terrain using methods like hand-washing rocks and constructing elaborate flumes and ditches. The massacre site, where Deep Creek meets the Snake River, is surrounded by towering rock formations that create a natural amphitheater for this dark chapter of history.
For over a century, the massacre was largely forgotten until 1995, when county clerk Charlotte McIver discovered hidden trial records. This rediscovery sparked renewed interest in commemorating the victims and grappling with this painful history through art and memorialization.
One notable artistic response to the massacre is Megan Murphy's body of work "Porcelain," which consists of three large paintings, each measuring 54" x 54". These pieces incorporate digital transparency, glass, mirror, pencil, and oil paint. The paint and pencil are added and then sanded away, creating a surface that serves as a reflection on history, a marker of place, and a quiet study on human nature. This layering technique builds up and removes layers, with the final surface consisting of what is left behind, prompting reflection on our own history and place.
Only ten of the massacre victims' names are known: Chea-po, Chea-Sun, Chea-Yow, Chea-Shun, Chea Cheong, Chea Ling, Chea Chow, Chea Lin Chung, Kong Mun Kow, and Kong Ngan. This partial list serves as a poignant reminder of the individual lives lost and the challenges of fully reconstructing marginalized histories.
In 2005, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names officially renamed the area "Chinese Massacre Cove" to recognize the crime. A memorial was placed there in 2012, inscribed in three languages: Chinese, English, and Nez Perce. The inscription reads: "Chinese Massacre Cove — Site of the 1887 massacre of as many as 34 Chinese gold miners — No one was held accountable".
Through various artistic interpretations and memorialization efforts, the Hells Canyon Massacre has become a focal point for exploring themes of racial violence, historical amnesia, and the complex legacies of the American West. By engaging with this difficult past, artists and historians alike seek to honor the victims' memories and prompt critical reflection on issues of justice and inclusion that still resonate today.
