Robert Schleck to be Honored for Contributions to Preserving Kaua‘i’s History

Schleck is the Recipient of the 10th Annual Frank Haines Award

Robert J. Schleck’s deep appreciation for historic sites began in his youth when he and his brother spent a summer restoring an old building their father had purchased in Waunakee, Wisconsin. His extended family inclusive of a grandmother who lived to be 105, and numerous great uncles and aunts, taught him and his siblings to value history and the aged things that tell the stories of the past.

As a young man, Robert studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. Seeking refuge from the cold (and long) Wisconsin winters, he ventured to Kaua‘i in 1967 and came back again for good in 1969. In 1971 he had the opportunity to work for Miss Mabel Wilcox, helping her inventory the furnishings and collections at Grove Farm. When Miss Wilcox, a lifelong preservationist, decided to leave her home and other historic sites on her property to benefit the community and establish them as museums she formed a new nonprofit, the Waioli Corporation. Robert helped Miss Wilcox through the planning process.

Under Miss Wilcox’s many years of tutelage, Robert deepened his love of Kaua‘i and its history which increased his desire to preserve the community’s cultures, landscapes and lifestyles at numerous sites around the Island. His projects include the missionary efforts at the Waioli Mission House in Hanalei, the pristine intact ahupua’a of Lepeuli, the plantation story of many immigrant cultures at Grove Farm in Lihue, as well as the sugar plantation locomotive collection kept in Lihue, which is the largest collection of operating Hawaiian steam locomotives in the world. Robert’s passion and deep commitment to preserving Kaua‘i’s unique history is enhanced by his meticulous attention to detail and impeccable memory.

Robert has been curator of the historic sites at Grove Farm since the museums opened to the public in 1980, in charge of the care and preservation of the collections, buildings, grounds and interiors. He is dedicated to authentic preservation and also holds deep the long standing Wilcox philosophy that “Good housekeeping is good preservation.”

Robert’s contributions are invaluable. Indeed, during the devastation of Hurricanes Iwa in 1982 and Iniki in 1992, his supervision, knowledge and recall were essential to the necessary restoration of the historic sites, buildings and landscape.  Barnes Riznik, the museum’s first director noted in the 1992 Annual Report, “”This year’s report needs to acknowledge Robert Schleck’s experienced operation supervision during the recovery. His commitment and resourcefulness deserve great respect and thanks.”

When Barnes retired in 1995, Robert was offered the job as the museums’ director, where he continued at the helm until his retirement in 2017.  He’s still a fixture, sharing his knowledge and passion for everything related to Kaua‘i’s history, with grateful audiences.

With great pleasure, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation honors Robert J. Schleck with the 10^th Annual Frank Haines award for outstanding contributions to the preservation of Hawai‘i’s history.  Read about the Haines Award and view past recipients here.