The winter installment of the Issaquah History Museums’ history program series will feature Pacific Northwest photographer Tim Greyhavens, who will share his most recent project, “What You See.”

In September, 1885, a group of Chinese hop pickers were attacked while camping on the Wold Brothers farm here in Issaquah. Three men were killed and at least four others were wounded.

This was not an isolated incident – it was one of more than a hundred and fifty vicious attacks on Chinese immigrants in the late 19th century.

For the past year and a half, Seattle photographer Tim Greyhavens has been researching these incidents and searching for the exact locations where they took place. He then photographs these same locations as they look now.

The results are a fascinating look at our history, the changes in our cultural understanding and the ways that we learn to look at the landscapes around us.

Unlike many historical sites, the places where Chinese immigrants were attacked have mostly been forgotten – they have no plaques or markers, no guidebook references, nothing at all to indicate what happened. They have been transformed by time and neglect.

Finding them has been part history, part mystery and part obsession.

Greyhavens will give an unusual visual presentation that combines history and culture with photographic art – images that tell one story while words tell another.

He hopes his project will help bring attention to this unfortunate time in our past when bigotry and hatred ruled part of our society while helping us learn how to think carefully about what we think we are seeing.

This promises to be a unique presentation that will engage both long-time residents and the newest transplants to our area.

For more information about the Issaquah History Museums or this project, contact Erica Maniez at the Gilman Town Hall Museum; phone 425-392-3500, e-mail info@issaquahhistory.org.