Gila Historical Museum Receives Family Collection from Dea Gin Foo’s Descendants

This summer, the Gila Historical Museum was honored to receive a remarkable gift from the family of Dea Gin Foo — a box of photographs, albums, and memorabilia dating back to the 1930s. These treasures offer an intimate glimpse into Globe’s past, allowing us to see community life through the lens of the Dea family camera. Among the collection is a rare photo of Dea Gin alongside realtor William Fisk, one of Globe’s prominent early leaders, who was instrumental in selling the property to Dea Gin that would become his signature restaurant for several decades in downtown Globe: The Sang Tai. 

Dea Gin Foo was a primary figure in Globe’s Chinese community and played a role in bringing many of his fellow villagers from the Canton region to Globe in the early 1900s. His restaurant was popular with the community and he had the contract from the County to feed the prisoners in the local jail for several years. 

His son George Dea was often seen in the restaurant helping his father at a young age. He would later take it over, renaming it the Star Buffet in the 40’s and running it for over 30 years - much to the delight of local business people who enjoyed his Gintys- large mugs of beer. 

The Gila Historical Museum has begun cataloguing the Dea collection and has created a display featuring photographs and artifacts that highlight the family’s contributions to Globe’s cultural and economic history.