Right: Chinatown

Ho Leun (George Wong) Wong

Wong Ho Leun emigrated to Riverside to join his father, Wong Ben Chow or “Little Joe Wong.” Upon arrival he went to work as a houseboy for Stephen Herrick, a real estate developer and founder of the Iowa Syndicate which later became the East Riverside Land Company and East Riverside Water Company. Herrick’s wife gave the boy his American name, George.

While a student, Wong Ho Leun was the Chinese Superintendent of the Chinese Mission School and taught English to the Chinese children. The school was located at 12th and Chestnut streets and was later relocated to Chinatown. Wong attended Grant School, Poly High School (Class of 1923) and Riverside City College. He dropped out of college as the result of a narcotics selling scandal for which he was later exonerated.