The Weaverville Joss House is a legendary California State Park that hosts the oldest Chinese temple in California and the United States. The Cloud Forest Temple stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Chinese immigrants who arrived during the Gold Rush era. Built in 1874 by the ancestors of Moon Lim Lee, the temple has been rebuilt three times after being destroyed by fires in 1861 and 1873 and 1905.

"It all started over 100 years ago when Chinese immigrants came to California for the gold rush," said Jack Frost, a historical monument guide for California State Parks. "They worked in the town of Weaverville and built temples to help keep their traditions alive."

Moon Lim Lee, the last caretaker of the temple, was inspired to preserve it as a California State Park after attending the Shasta State Park celebration in 1950.

Inside the Cloud Forest Temple at Weaverville Joss House on Jan. 24, 2025

"The Chinese here in Weaverville went to that celebration and saw what a state park really was like and thought about that maybe this would be the way they could save their temple in Weaverville," said Frost, "They were very concerned because it was very old and it needed some repairs."

Six years later in 1956, the deed to the property was accepted by California State Parks. Today, the Cloud Forest Temple remains a cultural resource, still used by 21 Chinese families to honor their ancestors.

"This is the oldest in the United States and this has been confirmed by different research groups here on the West Coast," said Frost. "That wasn’t really understood until everything here in the temple was translated and every one of these pieces manufactured in Chinese and shipped to this temple in Weaverville has a date on it."

Frost, emphasized the temple's significance saying that it is of great service to this day to the local Chinese community and to visitors.

"Well, it's a place for prayer and meditation," said Frost. "It's a place to honor your ancestors, to honor the people who built this originally. It is important in the fact that it gives people a glimpse into another culture that has been part of California since the very, very beginning."

The Lunar New Year Parade will take place at the Weaverville Joss House on Feb. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be lots of firecrackers, lion dancing, and for the first time ever: dragon dancing!

The "Forest Under the Clouds" Taoist Temple in Waveville, California: Witnessing the History of Chinese Immigration. The "Forest Under the Clouds" Taoist Temple located in California is one of the oldest Chinese temples in the United States, built in 1874 and still in use today, reflecting the profound history and cultural heritage of Taoism in North America. Source: KRCR News