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Dig in Oregon sheds light on history of old Chinatown

JOHN DAY -- The lone key, clad in rust, grabs the attention of sharp-eyed scientists as they sift through a freshly dug pit in a city playground.

"Wow, what a great find," says archaeologist Julie Schablitsky as she turns it over in her hand. "This is the kind of thing we're looking for."

The key and thousands of other artifacts being discovered in a dig here are beginning to unlock details about the daily lives of hundreds of Chinese miners who called John Day home in the late 19th century.

Read entire article at Oregonian