Conditions Governing Access
Conditions Governing Use
Preferred Citation
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Biographical / Historical
Scope and Contents
Processing Information
Related Materials
Arrangement
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: Gilbert, Florence, and Leslee See Leong collection
Creator:
Leong family
Creator:
See family
Identifier/Call Number: mssLeong
Physical Description:
38.44 Linear Feet
(48 boxes, 1 oversize folder)
Date (inclusive): 1870-2019, bulk 1885-1995
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.
Language of Material: Materials are in English and Chinese.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more
information.
Conditions Governing Use
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.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Leslee See Leong, February 2020.
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.
Scope and Contents
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.
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.
Related Materials
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
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Calligraphy, Chinese
Chinatown (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Chinese American artists
Chinese Americans -- California -- Los Angeles
Los Angeles (Calif.)
Autochromes (photographs)
Business records
Drawings (visual works)
Menus
Paintings (visual works)
Photographs
Leong family
See family
Wong, Tyrus