HistoricHawaii

A new display in Hanapēpē Community Park memorializes the history of the former Hanapēpē River Bridge on Kaumuali‘i Highway on Kaua‘i. The Federal Highway Administration and the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation moved forward with a bridge replacement project starting in 2016 after finding that the original timber piles had deteriorated due to marine borer infestation and decay. The reduced structural integrity compromised the bridge’s safety and the location of the piles made a targeted repair unfeasible, leading to the decision for a full replacement. Historic Hawai‘i Foundation participated in the review of the project’s effects on the historic bridge and signed a Memorandum of Agreement as a concurring party to the resolution of effects. Hanapēpē River Bridge was built in 1938 as part of the Kaua‘i Belt Road system as part of the work of master engineer William R. Bartels, who was Chief Highway Bridge Engineer for the Hawai‘i Territorial Highway Department. The railing and end monuments were designed to reflect the unique heritage of Hanapēpē. HDOT had previously declared the bridge to be of “high preservation value” and eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The MOA included a stipulation that FHWA and HDOT would salvage a portion of the original bridge to be incorporated into a historic display, along with signage about the history of the bridge and flood control measures, the development of Hanapēpē town, and the overall history of the community and surrounding area. After consultation with community members, the agencies decided that the community park would be the most accessible location for the displays. The display includes three interpretive signs as well as a portion of the concrete railing and end monuments. Images, top [...]

By Linsey Dower, June 19, 2023 - Honolulu Star-Advertiser (Reprinted with permission.) A small group of volunteers in Kohala is working to raise funds to restore the town's nearly century-old Bond Memorial Library. The group is called the Bond Library Restoration Project, and they have been restoring the building across from the King Kamehameha statue in Kapaau to transform it into what will eventually become the Kohala Heritage Center. "It's really a very historical little corner," said Christine Richardson, one of the leading volunteers of the Bond Library Restoration Project. "It served as a library from 1928 until 2010, and it has rich and deep community memory." Sharon Hayden and Richardson, who are spearheading the project, initiated the restoration about a year after the library closed. They understood the historical significance of the building and sought to turn it into a heritage center rather than see it deteriorate. "We want to tell the history of Kohala," Hayden said. "There's also never been a repository for any of the items that the older folks have." Two nonprofits, the North Kohala Community Resource Center and Friends of the Future, have served as the project's fiscal sponsors, helping to process the grants and donations the project has received, Richardson said. The restored structure will house resources for the community to learn more about Kohala as a historic town and the birthplace of Kamehameha the Great. Funding aside, Richardson said that one of the biggest challenges throughout the process so far was transferring the title of the property from the state to the Bond family, who were the original property owners before the library's construction . The transfer took about 11 years and $45,000 in legal fees, which [...]

Crumbling Walls Highlight Technical Challenges THE SITE In 1851, “an Act relating to prisons, their government and discipline” was approved by King Kamehameha III and authorized a new jail in Lahaina, Maui. The jail was to “keep entirely separate from each other the male and female prisoners, and to have a yard enclosed by fences of sufficient height and strength to prevent escapes…” What is now known as the Old Lahaina Prison was constructed in 1852 with jail cell buildings, a wooden gatehouse and a warden’s home. The perimeter wall was constructed in 1854 out of coral blocks reused from the old fort. Now an outdoor museum, the Old Lahaina Prison is a contributing site in the Lahaina National Historic Landmark. It highlights the laws of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i in the 19th century and shares stories of both sailors from whaling ships and Native Hawaiians who were held at this location. The jail was to “keep entirely separate from each other the male and female prisoners, and to have a yard enclosed by fences of sufficient height and strength to prevent escapes…” THE COLLAPSE AND REPAIR ANALYSIS In Summer 2022, a 40-foot section of the perimeter wall collapsed into the yard and was the subject of an emergency repair. In analyzing the collapse, the historic architects at MASON said, “We suspect that the two faces of the coral stone are separating due to insufficient tie stones (aka through stones or deadmen). This may have caused the walls to move out of plane and the mortar cap to split; water intrusion at the top of the wall has only exacerbated the problem. We suggest rebuilding the upper portions of the wall [...]

Three Aspects of Memorials By Virgina Murison, AIA Memorial Day in the United States began during the American Civil War when flowers were placed on the graves of those who died in battle. By the end of the 19th century, May 30th memorial observances for those who fell in the Civil War were held throughout the nation. After World War I, on May 30th, those who died in all U.S. wars were honored. Since 1971, Memorial Day has been a national holiday, commemorated on the last Monday in May. In Hawai‘i, we remember events and honor people in diverse ways and a wide variety of physical structures. In honor of Memorial Day, we share examples of three physical memorials that represent memory and reflection, action, and symbolism. Memory and Reflection - The Honolulu Memorial Memorials can tell a story and provide a place for quiet reflection. An example is the Honolulu Memorial located within the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Punchbowl on O‘ahu.  Dedicated in 1966, Honolulu Memorial honors Americans engaged in three Pacific wars: World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. At the top of the staircase in the Court of Honor is a statue of Lady Columbia (also known as Lady Liberty or Justice) as well as a chapel for quiet reflection.  Flanking the chapel are galleries that depict events of the wars. Descending both sides of the grand staircase, ten Courts of the Missing record the names of over 28,000 service men and women missing in action or lost at sea. The Honolulu Memorial is a place of learning, a place to honor the sacrifices of fellow citizens and a place for quiet reflection. [...]

Historic places that hold special meaning may be iconic, well-known gems or lesser known treasures where the experiences of our lives unfold and important memories are made. The photos and descriptions below represent historic sites that hold special meaning to members of our preservation community—places where they live, work, recreate, worship, learn and gather to celebrate significant events. We invite you throughout May to share historic places that hold special meaning to you and your family on HHF's Instagram, Facebook or Twitter platforms. Include a photo of the site and short description of why it is important to you. Tag Historic Hawai‘i and use the hashtags: #PreservationMonth #HistoricHawaii Lili‘uokalani Park in Hilo is meaningful to me since I grew up in Hilo.  This is a place my family and I would come to visit as a kid and a place I still like to take my grandmother to on a sunny day.  It is a calm and peaceful park along Hilo Bay so it also has a great view of the town and the mountains behind it. The Līhuʻe Civic Center, today the hub of county administration...provides an invaluable statement about the transition from plantation life to a mixed, urbanizing economy. Pearl City Hongwanji Mission, specifically the dojo that houses the Aikido and Judo Club, were important in my formative years well before hula became a part of my life. Dated 1837, Wai‘oli Mission House was associated with Wilcox Missionaries. We excavated the subsurface deposits when the floor was removed for replacement back in the late 1970s. The postholes of the original pole and thatch structure were still present along with the remnants of craft activities practiced by the Hawaiian converts -fishhook making [...]

Community Support Integral to the Project's Success Project description and photos courtesy of Kristi Cardoso, executive director, the Liljestrand Foundation. The Liljestrand Foundation recently completed its biggest preservation project to-date, a two-year restoration of the iconic deck of Liljestrand House. One of the signature design elements of the Liljestrand House is its elegant, triangular, wrap-around deck that was an integral part of Vladimir Ossipoff’s original design for the house, completed in 1952. Over the ensuing 69 years thousands of visitors to the house have stood on the deck, enjoying the panoramic views of Diamond Head, Honolulu, and the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl. Liljestrand House circa 1952/53. Photo courtesy the Lijestrand Foundation. In 2021, the years of weather and a deteriorating gutter system made preservation of the deck an urgent priority.  Extensive gutter repairs, completed in 2020, resolved the dripping and pooling water that had slowly degraded significant parts of the decking to the point where it was no longer safe to stand on. In order to once again be able to safely host visitors on the deck, the Foundation launched an “All Hands on Deck” campaign at the end of 2021. Completed in early 2023, the new deck is stunning. The project was only made possible thanks to the generous support of many “deckhands”.  Over $50,000 was raised from individuals in Hawai`i and across the United States. Jim Keller and Armstrong Builders LLC made an incredible donation of project coordination and incomparable carpentry services. Dean Sakamoto Architects drafted the as-built plans and together with structural engineer Ken Hayashida of KAI Hawaii and architect Joe Ferraro, developed the plans for the steel work and framing based on the original [...]

  National Historic Preservation month is a celebration of our nation's heritage through historic places with organizations across the country promoting a variety of activities on the local, state and national levels. PRESERVATION MONTH IN HAWAI‘I   In recognition of National Historic Preservation Month, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation will highlight special historic places in Hawai‘i throughout May in our E-newsletter, blog and social media. We invite the public to share your own favorites and sites that hold special meaning to you by posting photos to HHF's Instagram, Facebook or Twitter using the hashtags: #PreservationMonth #HistoricHawaii   In the end, we will take care of only what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught. ~Baba Dioum, Sengalese conservationist and environmentalist   ORIGINS OF PRESERVATION MONTH Preservation Month began as National Preservation Week in 1973 at the suggestion of Donald T. Sheehan, a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Advisory Committee. A Joint Congressional Resolution was introduced on February 15, 1973, with President Richard Nixon signing the resolution into law on May 5, 1973. First Lady Patricia Nixon, read the Presidential proclamation at the National Trust awards luncheon on May 8th: “As the pace of change accelerates in the world around us, Americans more than ever need a lively awareness of our roots and origins in the past on which to base our sense of identity in the present and our directions for the future.” In 2005, the National Trust extended the celebration to the entire month of May and declared it Preservation Month to provide an even greater opportunity to celebrate the diverse and unique heritage of our country's cities and states.   Image at top: [...]