Hip Sing Tong
Two national Tongs found their way to Boise, the Hip Sing and Hop Sing associations. Tongs, (“hall” or “meeting place” in the Cantonese dialect) originally provided benevolent or protective aid. The associations not only gave aid to current resident, but also proved an important resource for new, non-English speaking arrivals. Nationally, these larger associations eventually formed connections with organized crime, involving their members in Tong Wars. The Boise Tongs tried hard to stay away from these elements but the murder of several isolated Chinese were associated with these wars. Pictured is the Hip Sing building in 1938.