Phase II of the Packing House District shopping center led to the excavation of both segments of Chinatown and Sonoratown in Redlands. Dr. Donn R. Grenda, president of Statistical Research, Inc. (SRC) will speak about the discoveries his firm has made unearthing artifacts from both sites. The meeting will be held in the Contemporary Clubhouse located at 173 W. Eureka Street at 7:00 p.m.
Dr. Grenda holds a B.A. in both Economics and Anthropology from the University of Redlands. He received his Ph.D in Anthropology from the University of Arizona. He is a past member of the California State Historical Resources Commission, Redlands Historic & Scenic Preservation Commission and the Redlands Planning Commission. Presently in the vice president of the Redlands Conservancy.
Both the Oriental Street Chinese site and the Sonora town site on Stuart Street are located within blocks of the Stuart Street headquarters of the SRI firm. The large numbers of items found at both sites increase the historical knowledge of these two communities. A Chinese laundry and barracks building had Chinese coins, soy sauce bottles, alcohol containers and a host of teas pits that provided artifacts.
The Historical Society programs are free and open to the public.
