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So far HistoricHawaii has created 1718 blog entries.

2895 Komaia Pl / Charles E. Meyer Residence

Address 2895 Komaia Pl, Honolulu, HI 96822 TMK 290170320000 SHPD Historic Site Number N/A Abstract The Charles E. Meyer Residence built in 1951 and designed by architect Phillip Fisk, is situated in a quiet residential neighborhood in Mānoa. The Meyer Residence is significant under Criterion C for its Modern style, including the use of indirect lighting in the living rooms of the main and lower floors, the kitchen’s rectangular and square inset ceiling lights, horizontal panes in the downstairs’ living room’s door, use of extruded mortar joints in the driveway planter’s wall, and the cantilevered upper story. The house integrates many Hawai‘i-inspired elements including the lava rock fireplace, mail box post, and foundation; the lanai running across its façade; and the extensive use of double hung and sliding windows, canec ceilings and louvered doors.

2024-01-24T13:16:51-10:00January 24th, 2024|Categories: Historic Properties|Tags: |

2244 Round Top Dr / W. B. “Chip” and Virginia Detweiler Residence

Address 2244 Round Top Dr, Honolulu, HI 96822 TMK 250060220000 SHPD Historic Site Number N/A Abstract Constructed in 1973 by architect W.B. “Chip” Detweiler as his private residence in a quiet residential neighborhood on Makiki Heights, the Detweiler Residence is an exemplary model of Tropical Modernism, emphasizing structural innovation, form and function to create a space that gracefully integrates with its setting and environment. The three-story house sits on a concrete foundation, has concrete stucco block walls and a flat roof of standing seam metal. The verticality of the white, masonry house is broken by bands of unpainted, horizontal lap siding found above the garage door, in the cantilevered third story balcony’s balustrade and the overhanging, flat roof’s fascia. The Detweiler Residence is significant under Criterion C.

2024-01-24T13:14:36-10:00January 24th, 2024|Categories: Historic Properties|Tags: |

2933-B Laukoa Place / George T. Kluegel Residence

Address 2933 Laukoa Pl b, Honolulu, HI 96813 TMK 220300490000 SHPD Historic Site Number N/A Abstract The George T. Kluegel Residence is significant under Criterion A for its association with the earliest development, estimated to be circa 1900, of the Pacific Heights subdivision of Honolulu, one of the first real estate development in Honolulu. The main residence is also significant under Criterion C, for the distinctive characteristics of the Dutch Colonial Revival architectural style. Notable character-defining features include the gambrel roof, dormers, neoclassical cast iron columns, and original ‘ōhi‘a wood floors. The associated bungalow, built in 194, exhibits a local vernacular architecture with its wide overhanging eaves, vertical wood plank exterior, and simplistic design, and the carport is similar with its wooden posts, low-pitch gabled roof, and lava rock rear retaining wall and is also significant under Criterion C.

2024-01-24T13:11:55-10:00January 24th, 2024|Categories: Historic Properties|Tags: |

3196 Diamond Head Road / Joseph and Joan Farrell Residence

Address 3196 Diamond Head Rd, Honolulu, HI 96815 TMK 310350020002 SHPD Historic Site Number N/A Abstract Construction of the Joseph and Joan Farrell Residence commenced in 1978 and was completed in 1984. The house was designed by owner Joseph Farrell who was among the preeminent architects in Hawai‘i to work in the Brutalist style. The house, integrated into the side of Diamond Head, is a bold and meticulous example of Tropical Brutalism which integrates verdant foliage, natural ventilation and a greater sense of openness into the Brutalist model known for its use of unpainted, bare concrete; angular, rigid geometric shapes and often heavy, bulky presence. The five-story house sits on poured in place, concrete cylinders, which extend from the bedrock of Diamond Head to the top story of the house. The dwelling transcends the ordinary by being built “upside down,” with its primary public living space and kitchen at the top and the more private bedroom and office spaces below. To further accentuate its uniqueness, rooms are articulated in various geometric shapes, including equilateral, isosceles and right triangles, circles, rectangles and a hexagonal lozenge, with each floor offering distinctive spatial experiences. The house exudes a high level of craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail. The nomination is being submitted to the National Park Service for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion C as an excellent example of Modern Tropical Brutalist style and Criterion G as a property that has achieved significance within the last 50 years. While nominated to the National Register, it is not yet eligible for the Hawai‘i State Register which requires properties to be 50 years or older. [...]

2024-01-24T13:08:05-10:00January 24th, 2024|Categories: Historic Properties|Tags: |

4241 Kekuanaoa Lane / Carswell Residence

Address 4241 Kekuanaoa Ln, Princeville, HI 96722 TMK 540090360000 SHPD Historic Site Number N/A Abstract The Carswell Residence is located in Princeville on the North Shore of the Island of Kauaʻi, and was one of the first houses to be constructed in Princeville at the Hanalei resort community. The majority of the house’s original design features and materials are still extant: its linear massing, built into the sloped site, gable roof with open eaves, lava rock chimney, unadorned rough sawn redwood siding, and redwood windows and doors at the exterior, as well as its open floor plan, exposed wood beam ceilings, rough sawn redwood board-and-batten and plaster walls, built-in seating nooks, and lava rock chimney at the interior. Completed in 1972, the single-family house has three levels and was designed by architect Douglas Ackerman. The Carswell Residence is significant under Criterion B for its association with Donn Carswell, project manager and chief engineer of the Princeville community’s initial development in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It is also significant under Criterion C.

2024-01-24T13:09:02-10:00January 24th, 2024|Categories: Historic Properties|Tags: |

Hāmākua Country Club

Address 45-3280 Māmalahoa Hwy, Honokaa, Hawaii 96727 TMK (3) 4-5-004:005 SHPD Historic Site Number N/A Abstract Hāmākua Country Club is a nine-hole golf course with Clubhouse located on a sloping site below the circle island Māmalahoa Highway. The original layout for the golf course was designed in 1929. The property is significant under Criterion A as an example of the evolution of the integration of different ethnic groups into local social organizations and recreational facilities. The Clubhouse was built in 1956 and constructed by Honokaʻa contractor John Yamane at a cost of $15,000. A lanai addition was erected in 1957. The expansive lanai roof is supported by wood columns and ‘ōhi‘a posts. The Clubhouse is significant under Criterion C as a Modern Vernacular wood building with concrete floors, single-wall construction, one-story height, open ceiling rooms showing wood beams and the underside of totan, gable and shed roofs, and seven bays in width with a seven-pile depth. The Clubhouse’s size, 3,096 square feet, illustrates the expansion of membership over the years. Its design elements reflect an evolution from 1920s Plantation Era building designs into 1950s’ ideas that meld outdoor and interior spaces.

2024-01-24T13:10:05-10:00January 24th, 2024|Categories: Historic Properties|Tags: |

The M. Yoshida Buildings, More than a Century of Commerce in Hale‘iwa

Submitted by the North Shore Chamber of Commerce’s Historic Preservation Committee; working to preserve and perpetuate the legacy of historic Hale‘iwa. Reprinted with permission. The North Shore Chamber of Commerce, as part of its mission of historic preservation of significant sites in Hale‘iwa, installed two bronze plaques commemorating the Yoshida buildings in October 2023. Similar to eighteen other plaques that can now be found throughout Hale‘iwa, the plaque language depicts the architectural and entrepreneurial his­tory of the buildings. The M. Yoshida Buildings, 1923-2024 Often described as buildings made of cubes of sugar stone, the Yoshida Buildings in Hale‘iwa were actually constructed with hand cut blocks of lava rock. The façade of each building was covered with plaster and paint while the exterior stone walls were left exposed. The unique “sugar cube” appearance of the buildings’ exterior has changed little since they were constructed by Nosaka Contractors for Matsuji and Hatsune Yoshida in 1923. Matsuji, a first-generation Issei, arrived in Hawai‘i from Niigata in 1902 and was believed to have worked for the Waialua Sugar Plantation. In 1910 he married Hatsune Takaki, also a first-generation Issei, who came to Hawai‘i from Kumamoto Japan in 1907. They raised three daughters, Ayako, Kikuyo and Sumie in their family residence behind the Yoshida Build­ings. By 1916 the Yoshidas were running a general store in a single-story wood frame building on the property. The twin buildings were completed several years later, proclaiming the M. Yoshida name. The Yoshida Store opened in the South Building with imported Japanese merchandise, groceries, and dry goods for sale. When Matsuji died in 1944, his wife Hatsune operated the store with the help of her two younger daughters. It was demanding work for [...]

2024-01-22T15:44:33-10:00January 17th, 2024|Categories: Blog|

Historic Hawai‘i Foundation Turns 50

In June 2024 Historic Hawai‘i Foundation will celebrate 50 years as an organization dedicated to preserving and encouraging the preservation of Hawai‘i’s historic places. In preparation for this milestone anniversary, we’ve been thinking about our own history and how the role of Historic Hawai‘i Foundation has either changed or been consistent over time. As we enter the organization’s 50th year, we’re thinking about why preservation matters and why Historic Hawai‘i Foundation matters. What has been the impact? What actions have been inspired and what places have been saved? What places have been lost and what have we learned along the way? What partnerships and collaborations have been forged? Fifty years is a good time for looking back, but also a good time for looking forward. We’re anticipating both as we prepare for next year and hope the HHF members will have much to reflect on as well. Watch for events and gatherings throughout the year as we come together to celebrate and set the foundation for another 50 years.  Historic Hawai‘i Foundation Logo Shares Mission of Saving Places Historic Hawai‘i Foundation has updated our logo in honor of our 50th Anniversary celebration this year! The wordmark is based on the existing logo, using a deep brown serif font that represents stability, elegance and heritage. The font was slightly modified to be a more contemporary version of the linotype-style used for the past 30 years. The continuity of the wordmark ties to the existing logo, creating consistency and expanding on current brand awareness. The wordmark can continue to stand alone, but the new brand also incorporates a logomark to accompany the wordmark. The circular logomark is divided into three segments: [...]

2024-01-11T10:01:50-10:00January 10th, 2024|Categories: Blog|

View the Recordings: 37th Annual Experts Historic Preservation Lecture Series

2024 Experts Lecture Series Explores Pioneers in Historic Preservation Wednesdays, January 31 to March 6, 2024     12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Virtual on Zoom Free, registration required (scroll down to register for individual lectures) The series, curated by Dr. Ralph T. Kam, executive director of Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives, is sponsored by the Historic Preservation Graduate Certificate Program, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s School of Architecture and Historic Hawai‘i Foundation. Expert presenters will lead us on a journey of exploration of six historic preservation pioneers in Hawai‘i describing their passions, visions, work and impact. Wednesday, January 31, 2024 12:00 to 1:00 PM Nancy Bannick Presenter:  Robin Lung, Documentary Filmmaker  Lecture one will highlight Nancy Bannick, a committed and tireless advocate for preserving architecturally significant and historically important buildings, as well as exceptional trees, landscapes and natural resources. Bannick is especially well known for her decades long fight to save Honolulu Chinatown, which was declared a historic district in 1973. VIEW THE  PRESENTATION RECORDING & NANCY BANNICK: SAVING HONOLULU'S CHINATOWN film below Wednesday, February 7, 2024 12:00 to 1:00 PM William J. Murtagh Presenter: William Chapman, Interim Dean, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, School of Architecture and Professor, American Studies William J. Murtagh was a founding member of the United States Committee of the International Council of Monuments and Sites, a historic preservation nongovernmental organization. He was first keeper of the National Register of Historic Places. He served as a faculty member at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. VIEW THE  PRESENTATION RECORDING Wednesday, February 14, 2024 [...]

2024-07-31T12:50:37-10:00January 9th, 2024|Categories: Events - Past|Tags: |

A Walking Tour of Waikīkī’s Gold Coast

HHF volunteer, Lexi Smith, set out to experience the charming architecture and history of Waikīkī's Gold Coast firsthand. She downloaded HHF's  Historic Homes in Waikīkī Walking Tour Map and followed the self-guided itinerary stopping to sketch and write along the way.  Lexi shares her experience and a bit of the history and some of the architecture she encountered in her blog post below. Note: The self-guided itinerary is suitable for individual travelers rather than group tours, and focuses on sites of historic or cultural significance that are either open to the public or visible from the public way. The walking tour includes reminders on how to be a good visitor, including not to trespass on private property or to cause any harm to historic sites. Quaint Architecture, Open Space and Diamond Head Create a Special Neighborhood By Lexington Smith The War Memorial Natatorium The first “living” war memorial in the United States rests where the water meets the land. This Memorial calls for people to interact with the water, whether it is the swimming pool within or the surrounding ocean. The soft pink color of the main entryway, an elaborate sculpture and triumphal arch entablature, catches your eye in the sun’s heat and mutes the city traffic behind. The Memorial is dedicated to those from Hawai‘i who served in World War I. Whether you are spending the day at Kaimana Beach Park or just parking your car off Kalākaua Avenue, The War Memorial Natatorium offers a reminder of those who served.  The Tahitienne Tucked away at the ends of Kalākaua Avenue, the Tahitienne, a nine-story apartment building rendered in 1950 modern, utilitarian style, stands at the shoreline hidden by trees. Built in 1957, [...]

2023-11-29T16:28:45-10:00November 29th, 2023|Categories: Blog, Featured Homepage Top|
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