Update November 2023 & January 2024:
Falls of Clyde removed from the Hawaii & National Registers of Historic Places
In November 2023 the Hawaii Historic Places Review Board voted 4-1 in favor of removing the Falls of Clyde from the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places and recommending removal from the National Register. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) Harbors Division had initiated the application for the ship’s removal with a case that the qualities which made it eligible for listing are no longer present based on an evaluation of the ship’s physical condition.
A 2023 assessment by a maritime archaeologist concluded that due to its current condition, Falls of Clyde has lost the historic integrity that qualified the ship for listing in the historic registers. The level of damage to the ship has been characterized as “irreparable.” The report found that there are holes both above and below the waterline, loss of structural integrity for the decks and overall deterioration of materials.
HDOT then initiated an application to the Hawai‘i Historic Places Review Board requesting that the ship be removed from the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places. Designated historic properties may be removed from the Register for one of only three reasons: when the qualities which caused them originally to be listed have been lost or destroyed; upon proof that an error in professional judgment was made; or for failure to follow the procedures for listing.
HDOT’s application to remove Falls of Clyde from the Hawai‘i Register rested on an evaluation of the ship’s physical condition as it relates to historic integrity and the structure’s ability to convey its historic significance as described in the nominations to the State, National and NHL registers.
The strategy of negating the historic designation is a tactic towards HDOT’s larger goal of a proposed action to “remove” the vessel from Pier 7. “Removal” is a euphemism for disposal via scuttling or dismantling the ship; all actions being considered would result in the total destruction of the vessel.
Failure to provide proper notification of the delisting application to the owner of the property—Friends of Falls of Clyde—resulted in postponing a Review Board hearing originally scheduled for August 2023 until November 2023.
At its November meeting, the Review Board voted 4-1 in favor of removing the ship from the Hawai‘i Register and recommending removal from the National Register of Historic Places. The majority of the members agreed with HDOT’s assessment that the vessel had lost sufficient integrity that it no longer conveys its historic significance.
In January 2024, the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places concurred with the State’s recommendation and removed the ship’s national designation as well.
In January 2024, HDOT published a Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) outlining its plans. The DEA included an anticipated finding of “no significant impact.” The DEA stated that, “It is anticipated that the delisting process will be completed by the time the Proposed Action is implemented, and therefore the ship will not be considered a historic property. As such, the Proposed Action will have ‘no adverse effect.’”
HHF strongly objected to the proposed finding in its written response. The Falls of Clyde is designated a National Historic Landmark, which is the highest level of recognition of historic properties in the nation. Federal laws—including the National Historic Preservation Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Transportation Act—make it clear that NHLs are significant contributors to the environment. Destruction of an NHL is, by definition, an irreversible and significant impact to the environment.
The NHL designation is independent of the Hawai‘i and National Register listings and cannot be changed by anyone other than the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. The regulations for withdrawal of National Historic Landmark Designation are separate from any delisting request to the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places via a state historic preservation office.
After the Draft Environmental Assessment was published, the National Historic Landmarks program notified the owner on February 8, 2024 that NPS is conducting a study to determine potential for withdrawal of its designation as a National Historic Landmark.
NPS will make its recommendation to the National Park System Advisory Board, at which time a public comment period will open. If the Advisory Board agrees that the ship is no longer eligible, the NHL designation will also be withdrawn.
In its comments on the Draft Environmental Assessment, HHF stated that it would be more appropriate for HDOT to accept the historic significance and status of the ship and follow the normal processes for actions affecting a historic property, including developing mitigation commitments commensurate with its loss. Under the current scheme, HDOT would offer no mitigation under the pretext that the vessel is no longer historic.
Image at top: HAER HI-7 Falls of Clyde docked alongside. Port view from bow 1986.
Update June 2023
On June 28, the State of Hawai‘i Department of Transportation announced that it will seek to remove the Falls of Clyde from the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places. The Hawai‘i Historic Places Review Board has scheduled a public hearing on the application for August 11, 2023. https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/shpd/home/state-register/state-review-board/
Properties can only be delisted from the State’s historic register if the Review Board finds that one of three circumstances apply:
- The qualities that caused the property to be originally listed have been lost or destroyed;
- Proof of error in professional judgment was made when listing the property; or
- Failure to follow the procedures when listing the property.
(see HAR 13-198-10 https://files.hawaii.gov/dlnr/shpd/rules/198.pdf)
HDOT/Harbors Division states that it conducted a condition assessment (https://hidot.hawaii.gov/harbors/files/2023/06/20230510-Falls-of-Clyde-evaluation.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery) of the historic vessel in March 2023 that found the structural integrity of the ship has deteriorated. HDOT seeks the remove the State’s historic designation in order to facilitate redevelop of Pier 7 at Honolulu Harbor without out presence of the Falls of Clyde and the associated Hawai‘i Maritime Center, which was closed in 2009. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/HIDOT/bulletins/36281bd
The Falls of Clyde has several types of historic designation. It was listed in both the Hawai‘i and National Registers of Historic Places in July 1973. It was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1989. While HDOT’s current proposal is to delist the vessel from the State Register, such delisting would have no effect on the ship’s status on the National Register or as a National Historic Landmark. Those federal programs have separate and distinct processes and criteria.
The Friends of Falls of Clyde object to the State’s plan. Bruce McEwan, president of the nonprofit advocacy group, told the Honolulu Star Advertiser that the believe the ship can be restored and they do not support the delisting process.
Photo courtesy of Rae Huo.
Update 2019
SOS as Time Runs Out for Falls of Clyde in Honolulu Harbor
State Puts Historic Sailing Ship Up for Auction after Vessel Starts to Sink.
By Robbie Dingeman, HONOLULU Magazine
2/8/2019: The fate of the historic sailing ship Falls of Clyde remains unknown after the state announced this week that the aging mariner may be sold to the highest bidder by the end of February.
The ship’s journey has been long and interesting, first at sea and then moored prominently in Honolulu Harbor, including time spent as a maritime center and a part of Bishop Museum. The state Department of Transportation says it has not charged any rent or fees since April 2009.
The 140-year-old wrought-iron vessel is listed as the last surviving member of Hawaii’s original Matson fleet and the world’s only surviving full-rigged, four-masted sailing ship.
Now, the state says it has no choice but to act to protect the lifeline of the harbor from the deteriorating vessel:
“The condition of the vessel is at a critical point which jeopardizes the vessel’s ability to stay afloat and threatens the safety of Honolulu Harbor,” the state says.
For more than a decade, the state has tried to work with the Friends of Falls of Clyde and its supporters on numerous attempts to raise funding and repair the vessel, all of which have been unsuccessful.
Bruce McEwan, president of the Friends of Falls of Clyde says he understands that the Save Falls of Clyde International group is still working to coordinate moving the ship back to Scotland but hit a logistics snag for the planned pick up of Feb. 3.
“We were disappointed that they (state officials) didn’t take into consideration the progress that is being made by the folks in Scotland,” McEwan says.
He said he understands that the harbor officials wants the aging ship moved done “sooner than later” with a hard deadline of June 1, the start of the next hurricane season.
The state points to the harbor’s role in delivering critical items such as food, medicine and supplies to the state. Hawaii imports more than 80 percent of all goods consumed by residents and visitors, and of that, more than 98 percent flows through Honolulu Harbor and the hub and spoke commercial harbor system.
The Friends of the Falls of Clyde earlier had a permit for the berth but that was terminated in 2016, and the ship impounded, the state says. The support group recently had floated the idea of sending the ship back Scotland, but that project was scuttled in recent months.
In December, the vessel began taking on water, and a hole in the stern was patched. Then in January, the ship listed to port, another hole was found and patched, followed by more holes and cracks and patches, the state says.
Potential bidders were able to inspect the vessel and its contents at their own risk Friday, Feb. 15, 2019 at Pier 7 where it has been docked at Honolulu Harbor. The state solicited sealed bids—including a performance bond of $1.5 million guaranteeing removal of the vessel from the harbor—but no qualifying bids were received.
The notice and more details can be found by clicking here.
In 2007, then-owner Bishop Museum closed the ship to visitors because of the advanced deterioration. A surveyor delivered a 195-page report that predicted the ship would cost $24- to $32 million to restore and another million dollars a year to keep up. At the time, the museum’s entire annual budget was $16 million.
The fate could now include being rescued again with a mysterious future, or stripped of any artifacts that can be salvaged before sinking. The Friends group still maintains a website at friendsoffallsofclyde.org.
TIMELINE
LAUNCHED:
Dec. 12, 1878, in Port Glasgow, Scotland, on the banks of the River Clyde.
ARRIVED IN THE ISLANDS:
1898: Served in Matson’s growing sugar fleet, running from Hilo to the West Coast more than 60 times between 1899 and 1907.
CONVERTED:
In 1907, converted to a sail-powered oil carrier, bringing oil to Hawai‘i’s sugar plantations.
SOLD:
In 1920, the Clyde left the Islands, changing hands repeatedly until 1958 when it seemed the obsolete vessel would be scrapped.
RESCUED:
In 1958, a private owner bought the Clyde, towed it to Seattle, and tried to find a city that will adopt it. Bob Krauss, a columnist for The Honolulu Advertiser columnist and Hawai‘i philanthropists launched a grassroots effort to save the ship, raising $35,000. By 1963, the ship was a fixture on the Honolulu waterfront, undergoing $3 million worth of restoration over 34 years.
Update 2018
In 2016, the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation notified the Friends of Falls of Clyde that its lease at the pier in Honolulu Harbor would end and the vessel needed to be removed. The Friends appealed the decision, which gained time to make alternative arrangements, but the ship is not able to stay at the berth permanently.
By November 2018, the Friends had partnered with a Scottish organization, Save Falls of Clyde International, to make arrangements to transport the ship back to its country of origin, Scotland.
The Friends have shared updates on the relocation plan:
The project details are that a Dutch company, Sevenstar Yacht Transport, will bring one of their semi-submersible vessels to Honolulu on or about February 3, 2019. Their ship will be coming up from Australia and will carry Falls of Clyde to Scotland. Arrangements are being made by the Scottish organization Save Falls of Clyde International. Friends of Falls of Clyde will be coordinating the local activities such as the tug service, shipping agency functions, communication with the State Harbor Division and U.S Coast Guard.
Our need is to gather funds to offset some of the costs of the project. We are asking for local support to make our mission of preserving this unique maritime historical landmark a reality even though this means repatriating the ship to Scotland, where they have the skilled resources to restore the ship to all her glory.
Tax-deductible donations can be made to Friends of Falls of Clyde through Paypal at our website www.friendsoffallsofclyde.org or through the mail to P.O. Box 4674, Honolulu, HI 96812-4674.
Update: 2016
Article Written By: Katrina Valcourt, HONOLULU Magzine
In June, the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation Harbors Division revoked the Falls of Clyde’s permit to moor in Pier 7, where it has sat free of charge for seven years, citing safety and security concerns. (The DOT planned to revoke the permit in 2015, but granted owners The Friends of Falls of Clyde more time to raise funds for dry docking and restoration. DOT says, in the past year, the Friends raised less than $3,000 and did not receive any of the grants for which they applied.) The Friends were given 30 days to move the ship and, when that was not possible, the DOT impounded it. The Friends say the ship is safe and shouldn’t have to move, nor do they have the funds to relocate it. “We as a board have made it really clear: Our mission has been, from the get-go, to save the ship,” says Chris Woolaway, vice president of the Friends. She says the group is currently talking with attorneys, historic preservation experts and others interested in preserving the national landmark to see what can be done. An administrative hearing in August determined that the impoundment was justified, so the Friends are now considering further legal action.
Update: 2010, The Falls of Clyde Stays Afloat
For more information regarding progress of the restoration visit: https://sites.google.com/a/friendsoffallsofclyde.org/test3/home
The Friends of Falls Of Clyde, Inc. (FoFOC), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, acquired ownership and stewardship of the four-masted, iron-hulled sailing ship Falls of Clyde on September 30, 2008.
FoFOC stated that, “the ability of FoFOC to rescue the ship from imminent destruction has been applauded by historic ship preservationists throughout the world. Every expert in historic ship preservation and restoration and experts in iron-hull ship analysis have stated that Falls of Clyde is a maritime artifact that can and should be preserved and restored. Historic ships in much worse physical condition than Falls have been successfully restored in the U.S. and many other countries.”
In September 2010, the challenges and goals of FoFOC were the topic of a panel presentation at the 9th Maritime Heritage Conference. FoFOC was proud to announce that an important funding source had finally been transferred to it and that there was a steady schedule of pre-drydocking work going on. FoFOC is actively seeking grants and other funds for the much-needed drydock and will kick off a major capital campaign for the drydock.
In the 2009 legislative session, S.C.R. 138 was passed which, in part, stated: “Falls of Clyde is recognized as a historic symbol of Hawaii; and…should always be treasured and protected by the State of Hawaii and its residents.” FoFOC believes that this resolution clearly and accurately reflects the value of Falls of Clyde to the people of Hawai`i and they intend to develop a compelling story to broaden community support.
Friends of Falls of Clyde continue to raise funds for the preservation of Falls of Clyde. For more information on these projects check out their website: http://www.friendsoffallsofclyde.org/
LISTED AS ENDANGERED IN 2005
Article Written By: A. Kam Napier, HONOLULU Magazine
What is it?
If you only know it as “that old ship by Aloha Tower”, you should talk a closer look. The 127 year-old Falls of Clyde is the last surviving member of the original Matson fleet that serviced Hawai’i, and is the world’s only surviving full-rigged, four-masted sailing ship, among other distinctions. “The ship really belongs in Honolulu, it has so many ties to Hawai’i”, says Bob Krauss, The Honolulu Advertiser columnist who originally led the effort to bring the ship home from the Mainland in 1963. (“And I’ve been stuck with her ever since!” he says with a laugh.)
What threatens it?
Falls of Clyde is now owned and run by the Hawai’i Maritime Center, along with the Hōkūleʻa. Since the 1960s, most fund-raising went towards eliminating the debt surrounding the ship, leaving maintenance neglected. “For too long,:” says Krauss. “A ship is like a house, only more so. If it’s not kept in repair, it deteriorates and in salt water, that’s accelerated. So we’re really up against it now. It won’t sink tomorrow or next week, but in a few years we’re going to hit a critical stage.
What can be done?
Krauss reports that the old debts have been settled, and the Hawai’I Maritime Center itself is in good financial shape and in a great relationship with the Bishop Museum, the ship’s previous owner. A $600,000 private-public grant is helping to stabilize the ship’s condition, but is not a permanent solution, however, and considerably more funds will be needed. “It really should be dry-docked for some competent shipyard work,” Krauss says. Honolulu, your ship has come in – and it needs your help. Call HMC at 523-6151.
