Chinese miners returning home to China after 40 years in Rock Springs, 1925

Rock Springs began as a stage stop on the Overland Trail. The springs were a valuable source of water in the midst of the desert. The area was also rich in coal, an important commodity for Union Pacific's steam locomotives. A diverse group of people began arriving in Rock Springs to take advantage of the coal mining opportunities, including many people from China. These men arrived in the 1880s as miners and finally returned home to China in 1925.