Most of the information on the Chinese communities in nineteenth century and early twentieth century comes to us via books, periodicals, newspapers, and other written records as well as through original source documentation such as manuscripts and photographs, drawings, and other pictorial materials. These materials are often filled with caricatures and derogatory designations. Yet these sources are often used even today because of the scarcity of written documentation on certain aspects of Chinese American history. One of the richest sources of documentation can be found in the periodical literature of the time. These magazines, such as San Francisco's The Wasp and The Wave and New York's Harper's Weekly and Monthly flourished in the late 1800's and early 1900's providing comment on the political, economic and social events of the period. Though often overtly distorted or opinionated, these documents tell us the history of what immigrants faced coming to the American West and the inter-ethnic tensions that were present. But they also serve to record the specific contributions of the Chinese to commerce, architecture, and cultural and social life. By documenting specific locations, such as Chinatown in San Francisco, we can show the historic significance of those buildings and places as well as provide valuable information about patterns of early Chinese American life. These illustrations document how key the Chinese communities in California were in building the industries that enabled the development of the west. They are depicted as picturesque contributors or more often problematic, misunderstood workers in a variety of scenes, reflecting their prominent roles in the building of the transcontinental railroad, the mining industry, agriculture and fishing, and a variety of important manufacturing areas. Often what is depicted in the periodicals reflects a complicated history of relations and reactions that the Chinese experienced in coming to the American West.