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So far HistoricHawaii has created 1696 blog entries.

Spotlight on Youth: HHF Intern Camille Dahmen

Meet HHF Intern Camille Dahmen!   Camille Dahmen graduated from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa with a B.A. in History and Political Science in May 2022. Camille began her internship with HHF in late June completing her HHF experience at the Preservation Honor Awards on October 20th. Her interests proved a natural fit for the world of preservation and her enthusiasm for Hawai‘i’s layered history was contagious! During her time with HHF, Camille helped at the Statues of O‘ahu Walking Tour in Waikīkī and the 2022 Preservation Honor Awards and participated in staff outings to view the historic Haleʻiwa’s interpretive signage project and tour the Liljestrand House in Tantalus, O‘ahu. (View photo gallery at bottom.) The interview below took place in October 2022.  An abridged version appears in the HHF November 2022 newsletter.   Historic Hawai‘i Foundation: Tell us a little about yourself- where are you from, what are your interests and hobbies? Camille Dahmen: I am from California and came to Hawai‘i to go to UH Mānoa. Originally, I came here to major in marine biology, but being immersed in the deep and profound history and culture here made me want to pursue my love and passion for history and political science. I have always been interested in history, playing sports like basketball and volleyball, reading and writing, trying new / fun food places, and going to the beach! HHF: You’ve been employed while interning. Tell us about where you work, what you do there and why it lights you up? Camille Dahmen: While interning at Historic Hawai‘i Foundation I have also been working as a docent at the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum on Ford Island. The museum recently opened to [...]

2022-12-12T10:32:28-10:00December 9th, 2022|Categories: Blog, Featured Homepage Top|

9 Individuals Appointed to Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission 

4/14/23: 9 Individuals Appointed to Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission Mayor Rick Blangiardi on Wednesday announced the appointments of nine highly-qualified individuals who have been selected to serve on the inaugural Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission. The Commission advises City officials and members of the Honolulu City Council on matters related to the preservation of historic and cultural sites across the island of Oʻahu. The nine individuals are all volunteers who will not be paid for their work. Four are cultural historians, three are architects or architectural historians who have specialized in historic preservation and two are archaeologists. They have been selected to serve staggered terms as noted below: Nanea Lo, for an initial one-year term; Māhealani Cypher*, for an initial two-year term; Hailama V.K.K. Farden, for an initial two-year term; Kai E. White, for an initial three-year term;Richard Douglas Davis, for an initial three-year term; N. Mehanaokala Hind, for an initial four-year term; Thomas S. Dye, for an initial four-year term; Glenn E. Mason*, for an initial five-year term; Kehaunani Abad, for an initial five-year term. The appointees are all subject to confirmation by the Honolulu City Council under Resolution 23-45 which will be heard at the Council's public meeting on Wednesday, April 19 at 10:00 a.m. Once sworn in, the members of the Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission will assist federal, state and city government agencies in carrying out the historic preservation responsibilities laid out in Bill 44, the ordinance passed by the City Council in November 2022. Administratively, the Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission will be managed by the City's Department of Planning and Permitting. *Cypher and Mason are past recipients of the Frank Haines Lifetime Achievement Award recognizing lifetime commitment and contributions [...]

2023-04-17T12:10:17-10:00December 1st, 2022|Categories: Advocacy, Featured Homepage Top|

Five Properties Added to the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places

The Hawai‘i Historic Places Review Board added five properties to the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places in August 2022 and an amended nomination for an existing property was approved. Properties are eligible for inclusion in the register if they meet one or more criteria of historic significance: A) association with broad patterns or events; B) associations with historic individuals; C) architecture and design; or D) likely to yield important information. Click on the links to access the Register nomination forms of each property. La Pietra Townhouse, O‘ahu (Multiple Property Nomination) The La Pietra Townhouse is a multiple property nomination. The townhouse was conceived in 1967 and built in 1971 by architect Louis Pursel and developer Bert Williams. The site was landscaped by San Francisco landscape architecture firm Eckbo, Dean, Austin and Williams. The site is comprised of 19 duplexes and 38 units. In March of 2022, ten units were added to the historic register and in August, another four units were added. The dwelling units are significant at the local level under criterion A for their associations with the development of townhouse complexes in Hawai‘i and for their associations with historic preservation in Hawai‘i.   The 4 units added to the historic register are: Condominium Unit 1: Al and Vivian Phillips Residence, O‘ahu Condominium Unit 22: James F. and Nancy Dunn Investment Property, O‘ahu Condominium Unit 9: Raymond and Grace Headrick Residence, Oahu Condominium Unit 25: Eugene and Diedra Lau Residence, O‘ahu (pictured at left) Dr.  Carl and Jean Mason Residence, O‘ahu Constructed in 1959, the Mason residence is significant on the local level under Criterion C, as a good example of a house built in Honolulu during the 1950s in a modern style. [...]

2022-12-02T13:02:14-10:00November 29th, 2022|Categories: Blog, Featured Homepage Top|Tags: |

Local Icons Celebrate Significant Anniversaries

[fusion_slider margin_top="" margin_right="" margin_bottom="" margin_left="" alignment="center" slideshow_autoplay="" slideshow_smooth_height="" slideshow_speed="" hover_type="none" width="" height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id=""][fusion_slide type="image" image_id="29914" link="" lightbox="no" linktarget="_self"]https://historichawaii.org/wp-content/uploads/parker-ranch-2.jpg[/fusion_slide][fusion_slide type="image" image_id="29918" link="" lightbox="no" linktarget="_self"]https://historichawaii.org/wp-content/uploads/Parker_Ranch_12714415555.jpg[/fusion_slide][fusion_slide type="image" image_id="29915" link="" lightbox="no" linktarget="_self"]https://historichawaii.org/wp-content/uploads/R-2.jpg[/fusion_slide][fusion_slide type="image" image_id="29913" link="" lightbox="no" linktarget="_self"]https://historichawaii.org/wp-content/uploads/3530029326_ded9b9380b_o-700x440-1.jpg[/fusion_slide][fusion_slide type="image" image_id="29919" link="" lightbox="no" linktarget="_self"]https://historichawaii.org/wp-content/uploads/Horses_at_Puuopelu_.jpg[/fusion_slide][/fusion_slider] PARKER RANCH, HAWAI‘I ISLAND - CELEBRATING 175 YEARS Parker Ranch was established in 1847 by John Palmer Parker and is located in Waimea on Hawai‘i Island. The ranch covers approximately 130,000 acres making it one of the largest cattle ranches in the nation. The Parker family and more recently, Parker Ranch, Inc., proudly carry on the cattle ranching business and traditions such as rodeo competitions honoring the Paniolo heritage, helping form the roots of many communities throughout Waimea. A favorite location for many community activities, the Ranch hosts events sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America, Cub Scouts, Paniolo Preservation Society, Rotary Club, and many more. The Ranch also is a proud sponsor for the Paniolo Hall of Fame which honors individuals for their contribution to the Paniolo heritage and for participating in the ranching industry. (Photo credits: Pukalani Stable: Blake Handley from Victoria, Canada, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons; Horses at Puuopelu at Parker Ranch By Parker Ranch - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76348917) Further Resources "Puuopelu and Mana Hale: Home of Modern Day Ali‘i" by Catherine Tarleton, Ke Ola, Hawai‘i Island, 2016, Mar-Apr. https://keolamagazine.com/home/puuopelu-and-mana-hale/  Paniolo Heritage To Be Preserved Through Donation of Pukalani Stables, Parker Ranch (January 8, 2022).     IRWIN BLOCK (NIPPU JIJI BUILDING)  - 125th ANNIVERSARY Irwin Block (Nippu Jiji Building) in Honolulu is a two-story Romanesque Revival commercial building and one of a number of blue-stone buildings erected in Honolulu during the 1890s. The [...]

2022-12-20T13:26:50-10:00November 29th, 2022|Categories: Blog, Featured Homepage Middle|Tags: |

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific

Address 2177 Puowaina Drive, Honolulu, HI 96813 TMK (1) 2-2-005:001, :002 SHPD Historic Site Number 80-14-1300 Abstract The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is located within a caldera that was formed about 275,000 years ago. On January 4, 1949, the Punchbowl crater was established as the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific when an unknown serviceman, killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor, was the first American was buried there. The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is a final resting place for those whose sacrifices have preserved America's freedoms. This list of Hawaii’s historic properties is provided as a public service by Historic Hawaii Foundation. It is not the official list of properties designated on the Hawaii State Register of Historic Places. For official designations and determinations of eligibility, contact the State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources of the State of Hawaii at 808-692-8015.

2022-11-21T14:43:21-10:00November 21st, 2022|Categories: Historic Properties|Tags: , |

View the Photo Gallery: Historic Preservation Honor Awards Celebration

On Thursday, October 20th, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation had the honor of presenting fourteen Preservation Awards and twenty-five Anniversary Recognitions at the 48th annual Preservation Honor Awards Ceremony and Reception. Over 175 guests gathered at the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Ho‘okupu Center in Honolulu to celebrate significant achievements in the preservation of Hawai‘i’s unique history, distinctive architecture and sacred places.

2022-11-16T11:25:01-10:00November 16th, 2022|Categories: Featured Homepage Top|

Commemorating the Centennial of Wheeler Army Airfield

Wheeler Army Airfield Played a Significant Role in World War II Events Wheeler Army Airfield in central O’ahu was established in 1922 by a small detachment of men from Luke Field at Ford Island. This working party cleared the area of weeds, guava, and algaroba trees, built housing, and erected two canvas hangers in the flying field. The area was officially christened Wheeler Field on November 11, after the late commander of Luke Field, Major Sheldon H. Wheeler, who was killed when his plane crashed on Ford Island the previous year. In June 1923, oil storage tanks, a new flying field, shop hangers, and new airplane hangars were all constructed. ln 1930 the first permanent structures were erected. Due to Hawai‘i’s year-round climate, Wheeler Field was a popular area for aviation training. During the pre-World War II era, Wheeler Field witnessed multiple historic events. Several "firsts" in flight history occurred here. These included the 1927 first mainland-to-Hawai‘i nonstop flight; the 1928 trans-pacific flight from Australia to the United States; a 1927 nonstop flight from Oakland, California to Wheeler and in 1935, Amelia Earhart’s departure on the first solo flight between Hawaii and California, the first of several subsequent visits by the famed female pilot. Kingsford Smith, in his plane the Southern Cross, used the airfield on his historic flights across the Pacific. Amelia Earhart's airplane, the Vega, at Wheeler Field as she prepares for her Oahu to Oakland flight in January 1935 Photo courtesy of http://americahurrah.com Just years before United States involvement in World War II, Wheeler Field had transitioned into the primary base for Army Air Corps pursuit aircraft, the first generation of real fighter planes. This garrison of aircraft was tasked with patrolling [...]

2022-11-18T09:21:07-10:00November 4th, 2022|Categories: Blog|

Help Protect Hawai‘i’s Historic Places with a Gift to Historic Hawai‘i Foundation’s Annual Fund

Hawaii’s unique and diverse history is reflected in buildings, communities and cultural places across the Islands. Please donate today to the Annual Fund to help Historic Hawai‘i Foundation help save historic places. Elevating community voices during historic preservation planning and consultation is key to convey what is relevant to local histories and should be saved. HHF’s technical preservation services serve a vital role in conveying knowledge about historic properties, as well as why and how to preserve them.

2022-11-17T21:05:25-10:00November 3rd, 2022|Categories: Featured Homepage Top|

NHO Stewardship Program Moves Forward with First Group

In October 2022, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation announced the first partners in its Native Hawaiian Organization Stewardship Training Program. The NHO Stewardship Program is a five-year initiative between HHF and the U.S. Department of the Interior to build capacity of NHOs towards historic preservation and stewardship with the goal of ensuring that their traditional cultural stories and places are being documented, preserved and shared in an appropriate manner with visitors and residents. The program is also supported by a Kūkulu Ola grant from the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority. (See additional details at the end of this article.) HHF Executive Director Kiersten Faulkner said that the first cohort of NHO Partners includes three projects which will be conducted over the next 18 months. Project 1: Kauluakalana was selected for a stewardship training, preservation and restoration project at Ulupō Heiau State Historic Site in Kailua, O‘ahu. Ulupō Heiau State Historical Park consists of 28 acres along the eastern side of Kawainui Marsh. The majestic heiau encompasses approximately 1.42 acres and is the primary feature within the park boundaries. Secondary features include stone walls and enclosures from both the pre-contact and post-contact periods. The landscape has been modified by vegetation clearing, restoring lo‘i kalo (taro) and ‘auwai (traditional irrigation ditch) and planting Polynesian-introduced plants. The heiau is listed in the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places. Kauluakalana has worked under the nonprofit organization Hika‘alani, which has a Curatorship Agreement with the State of Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources for the stewardship of the heiau and cultural landscape. The Native Hawaiian Organization uses a three-pronged approach of mo‘olelo (history, tradition), hana (work) and hānai (foster, sustain) to involve community members in activities to restore and [...]

2024-04-08T10:24:03-10:00November 2nd, 2022|Categories: Funding, Heritage Tourism, Preservation|Tags: , |

2115 Kamehameha Ave / John A. and Jean L. Johnson Residence

Address 2115 Kamehameha Ave Honolulu, HI 96822 TMK (1) 2-9-001: 028 SHPD Historic Site Number Not Yet Available Abstract The John A. and Jean L. Johnson Residence was constructed in 1905 by an unknown architect. It is a single story, Queen Anne revival style house with a composition shingled, front facing, gable roof with a prominent intersecting gable on the northeast side. Both the front and side gables are handled in a unique manner with the central portion of each gable end recessed in a round arch, which contains an attic window and ventilators. The end gable displays a small canted oriel window supported by brackets while the front set is flush with the wall. The roof has closed, overhanging eaves featuring ogee brackets. The double wall house has shiplap walls and cut shingled gable ends, which have a distinctive serrated lower row. An inset, front, corner lanai is at the north corner of the house and two bay windows grace the northeast side of the house. The house sits on a lava rock and post and pier foundation with diamond pattern lattice screens covering openings to the foundation. The Johnson Residence is significant under Criterion C, as a good example of a Queen Anne style house built in Honolulu during the opening decade of the twentieth century. In addition, the house is also significant under Criterion A for its associations with the development of Manoa valley, and more specifically the College Hills Tract.

2022-11-21T14:37:15-10:00November 2nd, 2022|Categories: Historic Properties|Tags: |

501(c)3

Historic Hawaii Foundation is a 501(c)3 Nonprofit organization dedicated to saving Hawaii’s historic places. Historic Hawaii Foundation exists because of the financial support of its members. Please do your part to keep Hawaii’s past preserved by becoming a member today. FEIN: 23-7441972

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