In 2017, as part of an effort to better understand the history of some of Salem’s underrepresented communities, the City of Salem’s Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC) decided to learn more about Salem’s Chinese community. We discovered that Salem did, in fact, have a Chinatown located in our downtown, but unfortunately no buildings remain. Archaeological excavations were conducted in 2017 and 2018 revealed a flat cement slab with three holes with a partial raised section along one edge and a marble tablet with a Chinese inscription. The inscription on the Shrine’s marble tablet has been translated to mean “To the Tomb of an Unknown Friend.” To learn more about this project please see our 2022  ...