Gilbert, Florence, and Leslee See Leong collection, 1870-2019, bulk 1885-1995

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Summary

Creators:
Leong family and See family
Abstract:
Documents, correspondence, photographs, clippings, and other materials related to the Leong and See families, prominent members of the Los Angeles Chinese community and early business owners in Los Angeles Chinatown. Collection includes items related to individual Leong and See family members, as well as the restaurants and other businesses they operated in Chinatown. There are also materials related to the history and development of Los Angeles Chinatown and the Chinese community in Los Angeles, including Chinatown businesses, churches, and schools, and Chinese American artists, particularly Tyrus Wong.
Extent:
38.44 Linear Feet (48 boxes, 1 oversize folder)
Language:
Materials are in English and Chinese.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Gilbert, Florence, and Leslee See Leong collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

Collection materials span the entire history of the See and Leong families in the United States, from the late 19th to the early 21st century, including immigration documentation, business records, and family photographs and correspondence. Business records document the F. Suie One Co. antiques stores, and Dragon's Den, Chinese Garden, and Soochow restaurants. There are also photographs, clippings, and other materials related to the history and development of Los Angeles Chinatown, including the demolition of Old Chinatown, and the Chinese community in Los Angeles, including businesses, churches, and schools. The collection also includes significant original artwork by Chinese American artist Tyrus Wong.

Biographical / historical:

Gilbert Leong (1911-1996) was an architect, artist, and founder of East West Bank; Florence (Sissie) See Leong (1909-1989) was a prominent Chinatown community leader. Their daughter Leslee Leong (b. 1945) is the current owner of the F. Suie One Co. antiques store in Pasadena, California, a family business since the 1890s. Florence See's father Fong See arrived in the United States from China in 1871, and partnered with his wife Letticie (Ticie) Pruett See to open a shop in Los Angeles Chinatown, which evolved into the F. Suie One Co. The See family also owned and operated the popular Chinatown restaurant Dragon's Den from 1935 to 1943. Gilbert Leong's parents Leung Jeung and Woo Choi Lan were married in China and later settled in the United States. Woo Choi Lan taught Chinese classes to children in Los Angeles and was heavily involved in her church community, while Leung Jeung started a produce business. The Leung family later owned and operated two restaurants: Chinese Garden in Hollywood, from 1928 to 1933, and Soochow in Chinatown, from 1933 to 1968. Both families initially resided in Chinatown, and later moved to other areas of Los Angeles while keeping close business ties to Chinatown. Artist Tyrus Wong was close to both families, attending art school with Gilbert Leong and designing the menus for Dragon's Den.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Leslee See Leong, February 2020.
Processing information:

Processed to box level by Kelly Kress in December 2021. Collection arrived with materials in loose leaf binders as well as loose items. Some binders were disassembled and materials foldered. Printed lists of contents included with some binders were transferred to the folders. Original binder titles were retained as box and folder titles when possible.

Arrangement:

Organized in four series:

  • Series 1. Family papers, 1870-2019, bulk 1895-1990
  • Series 2. Family businesses, 1895-2001
  • Series 3. Tyrus Wong, 1933-2017
  • Series 4. Los Angeles Chinatown and Chinese community, 1894-2017
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Gilbert, Florence, and Leslee See Leong collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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