Communities Saving Places: Kapaia Swinging Bridge, Kaua‘i
The Kapaia Swinging Bridge is a gateway to life in a bygone era before automobiles. Immigrant villagers traveled by foot over the Kapaia Stream via a low foot bridge which was frequently washed out by heavy rains. In 1948 a suspension bridge was constructed by the County of Kaua‘i. As the automobile emerged and went on to become the major form of transportation, the necessity for the bridge lessened for transport and increased as an important symbol of an extremely influential era in the history of Hawai‘i that informs local culture to this day. Below is the story of a determined community who saw value in preserving Kapaia Swinging Bridge, making it accessible to all and saving an important piece of Kauai history. (See the photo gallery & timeline below at the end of the article.) Historic Hawaii Foundation: Briefly describe the history of the bridge. Kapaia Foundation: A foot bridge across Hanamaulu Stream was used daily to go to and from work, school, shopping, church and play. Often, heavy rains swept through the stream, washing away the low foot bridge, creating a huge inconvenience for the villagers. Archaeological remnants show that at least two attempts were made to rebuild the bridge with cement footings. Finally, in 1948, a suspension bridge, funded by the County of Kauai, was constructed by Contractor I. Maeda for the community of Kapaia. The bridge was called “Kapaia Swinging Bridge” by the local community. The Kapaia Swinging Bridge is associated with the sugar plantation era of Hawaiian history. It was an infrastructure of extreme necessity for the sugar plantation immigrants living in the camps of Kapaia. Most of the traversing was done by people walking from their camp homes, across the bridge, [...]
