Hey Preservation Lovers!
May is Preservation Month, and Restoration Exchange Omaha (REO) is serving up some delectable tidbits you are going to love! This month, we are shining a spotlight on the history of Omaha’s local Chinese culture. Keep reading for its fascinating history and more to be explored in this issue of RExchange.
Heading up the list is a member-only opportunity to tour the King Fong Café on May 18, led by owner Alexander Payne. An exclusive e-vite will be sent to members on May 14 for this limited-seating event. Click here to join REO, or renew your membership now for a chance to be included!
With your support, funds raised by REO on May 22 during Omaha Gives! will go towards funding the nomination of the renowned King Fong Café for the National Register of Historic Places as well as its designation as a local landmark. Send your gift to REO and help preserve this iconic Omaha building!
Also in this edition, read about the On Leong Tong building, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017 because of REO’s dedication and research. Restoration Exchange Omaha discovered the building to be locally significant as the last extant location of the On Leong Tong, a Chinese American Merchants Association.
And our final Chinese story is about Thick Chu Huey. Early in his life, he worked at the King Fong Café and in 1966, opened Chu’s Chop Suey House on 66th and Center Streets. We interviewed Huey as one of the last remaining members of the tong.
Please join us as we celebrate Chinese culture and history.
Happy Preservation Month!
Warm regards,
Laura Lenarz Shiffermiller
CEO & Executive Director