Mahalo to everyone who joined us for the 47th Annual Preservation Honor Awards Virtual Ceremony on May 21st. We hope you enjoyed learning more about each awardee and the significant places they help to preserve. Our special thanks to our event sponsors, committee members, production team and the staff at Hawai‘i Theatre Center. For those who would like to see a recording of the ceremony, it is now available here.
Clifford Naeole. Photo by Ritz Carlton Kapalua. By Trisha Kehaulani Watson, J.D., Ph.D., owner of Honua Consulting, a consulting company and respected leader in environmental and cultural resource management in Hawai‘i. As the Hawaiian cultural advisor for The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, Clifford Nae‘ole prides himself on being an educator to both the residents and visitors who come to the property. As a professional in the hospitality industry with 35 years of experience, he both enjoys and excels in his profession. Traditionally trained as a chanter and hula dancer, Clifford has used his background as a cultural practitioner to develop a robust and authentic cultural program that focuses on teaching guests the importance of respecting Hawai‘i as a place and Hawaiians as a people. Yet, unlike others in the hospitality industry, Nae‘ole also carries a notably heavy kuleana. For over twenty years, caring for the kūpuna of Honokahua has been his primary responsibility. Many may already be familiar with the history of the site: during the initial development of the hotel in the 1980s, over 1,000 iwi kūpuna (ancestral remains of Native Hawaiians) were encountered and exhumed. This led to extensive demonstrations and years of advocacy to both return the kūpuna to their resting place and to change existing preservation laws to prevent similar events from occurring again. Protectors of Honokahua Burial Preserve. Photo by Kapulani Landgraf. Nae‘ole, including community leaders like Dana Naone Hall, Isaac Hall, Kahu Charles Maxwell, Leslie Kulololi‘o, and many others, worked for years to have a burial preserve created that ensured the kūpuna of Honokahua could be returned to their resting place and be left in peace. As a result, the site today is protected through a conservation [...]
By Chipper Wichman The Hā‘ena State Park Master Plan is an amazing document that captures the vision and dreams of community leaders as well as the leaders of the Division of State Parks. It lays out a comprehensive path to managing visitors and protecting the natural and cultural resources of this sacred area. It has been a long time coming…in fact, I have worked on it for over 30 years and the lead planner, Kimi Yuen from PBR Hawai‘i, who brought this plan over the finish line had two children in the course of completing this epic journey. To appreciate the scope and importance of this plan you have to understand how abused this area was for over 40 years and how important it is historically and culturally and that it is a destination for almost every visitor that comes to the island of Kaua‘i. While it has been a frustratingly slow process for those of us who have been involved since the start in the early 1990s, in a way time has worked in our favor. Over the past five years the over-tourism that has impacted so many communities in our State has resulted in a steady paradigm shift occurring even at the highest levels of government--we no longer view places like Hā‘ena and Nā Pali as recreational areas that can accommodate ever-increasing visitors; we now view them as finite and impacted and also recognize that the communities that live in these areas have been negatively impacted for decades. We now hear the concepts being thrown around of “regenerative tourism” and “place-based management”. As we emerge for the “great pause” in visitor arrivals in Hawai‘i caused by the pandemic, the public is not only [...]
Photo by John Loggins At the time of its construction in 1870, the two-story Kamehameha V Post Office Building located at 46 Merchant Street in downtown Honolulu, was recognized as one of the outstanding public buildings in the Hawaiian Kingdom. Designed in Neoclassical style by J.G. Osborne who hailed from Yorkshire, England and was noted for his brickmaking, it is particularly significant in the history of building construction. It is the first building in Hawai‘i, and the oldest in America, to have made early use of concrete utilizing large blocks, laid as ashlar (masonry made of large square-cut stones) for exterior bearing walls, paired with the use of iron bars for reinforcement of formed structural concrete. When construction was completed in 1871, the Postmaster General and The Hawaiian Gazette, the government newspaper, moved into the building followed over the years by other small companies that needed office space. In 1894, the post office took over the building as the sole tenant. The Kamehameha V Post Office Building served as Honolulu's main post office until it moved to the Federal Building in 1922. Shortly after, the building was renovated and used as a postal sub-station, as well as space for the Territorial Tax Office. In 1946, the district courts took up residence in the building, and a portion of the portico on Merchant Street was enclosed for more office space. In 1993, the Kamehameha V Post Office Building was fully restored and renovated for theater usage and it has been home to the Kumu Kahua Theatre ever since. Founded in 1971 by a group of graduate students at the University of Hawai‘i, with the original goal of producing locally-written experimental creations, Kumu Kahua has [...]
Historic Hawai‘i Foundation is thrilled to be presenting the Ho’okaulike Interpretive Signage with an Achievement in Interpretive Media Preservation Honor Award. This project shares the legacy of King Kamehameha I through interpretive markers at specific sites associated with his legacy on Hawai‘i Island. The markers, located in Kohala, Hilo, Laupahoehoe, Waipi‘o Valley, Kohala, Kealakekua, Kahalu‘u, and Kailua, explain the historical significance of each site, marking milestones in the king's life from birth to death: 1758 (est.) Birth of Kamehameha, taken to Awini 1779 Meets Captain James Cook 1784 Fishermen attacked in Puna, inspired Kānāwai Māmalahoe, Law of the Splintered Paddle 1791 Kamehameha leads first recorded navel battle in Hawaiian history 1794-6 Kamehameha moves full time to Hilo and begins building canoe fleet 1812 Kamehameha the Great returns to Kamakahonu in Kona 1816 Russian ship Rurick anchors in Kailua Bay; Kamehameha the Great portrait commissioned 1819 Death of King Kamehameha Ross Wilson, President of Current Events stated, "The County of Hawai‘i launched the Ho’okaulike Interpretive Signage project Kamehameha Dynasty initiative to ensure the unique sense of place and the appropriate recognition of our host culture." The goal of these signs is to educate visitors and residents on the places, people, and stories associated with one of Hawai‘i’s greatest leaders. The Kamehameha Dynasty is a rich history that is significant to our culture and community here in Hawai‘i. The Interpretive Signage creates a visual timeline for even the casual passerby to learn from. The Interpretive Signage content has been translated into 5 languages other than English (traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, German, and Hawaiian). They are all accessible via QR Codes. This will allow a diverse amount of people to learn about these sites and understand their historical [...]
By Pat Griffin Historian, planner and preservationist, former Chair of the Kaua‘i Historic Preservation Review Commission, current member of the Hawai‘i Historic Places Review Board and HHF Trustee Christine Faye is well-known as an expert in the history of West Kaua‘i. Her family ties to the area began 140 years ago when her great grandfather, Hans Peter Faye, immigrated there from Norway. In 1884 he founded H.P. Faye & Co. sugar plantation at Mānā. Descendants of his followed in his sugar industry footsteps until the closure of Gay & Robinson, Kaua‘i’s last working plantation, in 2009. Chris Faye and Mike Faye are seen here in front of the house that once belonged to their ancestor and founder of the Kekaha Sugar Co., Hans Peter Faye. Chris herself was involved at Gay & Robinson. She founded a visitor center there in 1999 and organized tours of the plantation’s cane fields and factory, utilizing guides who had themselves grown up on plantations. Through that intimate lens visitors could learn about both the business of the company and the life of the community: its homes, schools, clubhouses, medical facilities and everyday activities. Her work at G&R followed from the walking tour she had previously established for visitors at the Waimea Plantation Cottages and the Waimea Mill Camp, a living neighborhood adjacent to the cottages. But Chris’s dedication to the knowledge and preservation of the place she calls home is broad. Researchers of Kaua‘i history may have received assistance from Chris during her six years as curator of the Kaua‘i Museum. Her familiarity with the museum’s archives has led more than a few people to remark that Chris found important materials during a document search that they [...]
Iolani Barracks, photo courtesy Iolani Palace You may know that before Iolani Barracks became the ticket offices for Iolani Palace tours, it served to house the Royal Guard, responsible for guarding the Palace and protecting the King. However, did you know that it was not originally built at this location? Originally, Halekoa (house of warriors) was located along what is now Hotel Street, but was moved, rock by rock, in 1965 to make way for the State Capitol building. Courtesy Library of Congress While Hale Koa was reconstructed of the same materials at its present location, the style of the current building is quite different than the original, which was built in 1871. The building architect was Theodore Heuck, a Honolulu merchant and amateur architect. Construction was plagued by setbacks. Plans were originally submitted to Governor Dominis in 1866. Construction financed by the War Department and was slowed due to a shortage of workmen (at the time, the post office and a number of other public buildings were concurrently under construction). In addition to re-using coral from the old post office wall, prison labor was used to bring up coral from Honolulu reef. In its original form, the building was plastered with a smooth finish and scored to create an illusion of gothic stone. When reconstructed, the coral blocks and cement mortar were left uncovered. In 1873, after Hale Koa was built and established for the Guard a notable historic event took place in the building: a small mutiny by some of the Guard. After being disciplined for abandoning their posts the day before, a group of the guards barricaded themselves in the barracks, forcing an embarrassing situation for King Lunalilo. [...]
Ka Hale Lā‘au, the oldest still-standing, Western-style structure in Hawai‘i, also known as the "Old Mission House” and the “1821 Frame House”, is celebrating its bicentennial year in 2021. Originally built as a residence for the first company of New England Protestant missionaries sent by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, the structure became the first seat of the Sandwich Islands Mission and served as the Honolulu Mission Station. It was in active use from 1820-1862. The structure was delivered from Boston as cut lumber to be assembled upon arrival (what would be called pre-fabricated today). To get here, the structure travelled around Cape Horn aboard the brig Thaddeus with the first mission company, arriving first in Kona in April 1820. It was transported to Honolulu on board the ship Tartar on Christmas Day of 1820. After careful consideration by the ali‘i, in particular King Liholiho, the missionaries were given permission to build the structure in March of 1821. Construction for the first iteration of the house began the following month, and members of the first company were residing in it by August. The house remained in various stages of construction throughout the 19th century, changing to fit the evolving needs of the Honolulu Mission Station. The station compound grew, as did its community, and by the 1840s the house had two kitchens and up to 5 families living inside, each family occupying one room. When the active mission era concluded in the mid-19th century, the house became the primary residence of the Cooke family and remained their property until it was gifted to the Hawaiian Mission Children’s Society to be used as a historic site in 1907. Since then, due to numerous [...]
Historic Hawai‘i Foundation is thrilled to be presenting The Music of Kalaupapa concert an Achievement in Interpretive Media Preservation Honor Award. The Music of Kalaupapa was a virtual concert celebrating the often-forgotten musicians of Kalaupapa and the many songs they composed that premiered on October 17, 2020. Beautifully executed, the concert has created a perpetual space for these musicians, their lyrics, their artistry, and their spirits to live on. The concert was the idea of Valerie Monson, the recently retired executive director of the nonprofit Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa, who oversaw the project from start to finish. “The history of Kalaupapa is often told in a manner solely focused on the sadness or sensational images. As a result, many aspects of Kalaupapa that contributed to life in the community -- music, arts, sports and hobbies -- have been left out," Monson explained. "Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa has always tried to show the history with more context and dignity, not rewriting history by ignoring the struggles, but by including the ways that the people of Kalaupapa overcame the adversities. Music was certainly one of these.” The Music of Kaluapapa highlighted these stories of triumph. This community was able to find beauty and joy in life amongst truly challenging times--something which is poignantly pertinent to current times. Monson shared her thoughts about the impact this concert had on the community and people of Kalaupapa: "I think it ended up being a really fun day at Kalaupapa, something different and engaging six months into the pandemic lockdown when there were no family or friends coming to visit or provide entertainment. The Franciscan Sisters at Bishop Home and the nurses at The Kalaupapa Care Home set [...]
Hawai‘i Preservation Seminar: Preservation and Conservation Easements Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, in partnership with the Trust for Public Land and Hawai‘i Land Trust, will offer a free seminar on using preservation and conservation easements for perpetual protection of special places. Date: Wednesday, June 9, 2021 Time: 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Cost: Free Virtual Webinar via ZOOM VIEW THE VIDEO REPLAY AND PRESENTATION BELOW Images at top: Jean Charlot House, Kahala, O‘ahu. Photo by Darren Bradley. Dearborn Building, Kaka'ako, Honolulu. Photo created by dji camera. Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation holds a preservation easement for each property. Kanewai Spring, added to the Most Endangered Historic Place list in 2015, has a Conservation Easement on it co-held by the City and County of Honolulu and Livable Hawaii Kai Hui (Ka Iwi Coalition). Photo credit: Nate Yuen. Additional Resources View the Seminar PowerPoint. See slides 70-72 for additional resources. The seminar provides training to members of the public, private, nonprofit or government sectors who own, manage, steward or are interested in preserving historic, cultural, scenic, natural and agricultural lands. Preservation and Conservation Easements Date: Wednesday, June 9, 2021 Time: 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. The seminar has been submitted to the American Planning Association for AICP Certificate Maintenance Credits (1.5 CM Law Credits). The Hawai‘i State Bar Association has approved the seminar for 1 CLE credit. ABOUT THE COURSE The training will present an overview of the definitions, criteria and considerations for using perpetual conservation and preservation easements to protect the intrinsic characteristics of special places, including lands with natural, agricultural and cultural values and buildings with historic significance. Through the training attendees [...]
