HistoricHawaii

The sounds of taiko drumming, Baika chanting, and ukulele come from the newly painted Daifukuji Soto Mission in Kealakekua on Hawai‘i Island. Daifukuji means “The Temple of Great Happiness.” Besides being a center for Buddhist study and practice, this landmark site provides a place of peace and wholesome activities for local community. Thanks to an historic preservation grant from the Freeman Foundation, in cooperation with Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, this community mainstay has been refreshed. Established in 1914, Daifukuji is the oldest Soto Zen Buddhist Temple on the Kona side (and one of the oldest Soto Zen temples in the state). The Temple is listed as a Kona Heritage Building and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is exemplar of community efforts for its construction, maintenance and preservation. In 1914, the Reverend Kaiseki Kodama walked around the entire island twice in order to collect the donations needed to build a temple. The first contributions (financial, materials, and labor) were offered by merchants, tofu makers, coffee farmers - friends or business owners living near the temple. This communal care is still evident. Due to over twenty years of volcanic nature, weather, ocean salt and hot sun, it is time to work to preserve. One hundred-year-old buildings that are used by the community on a regular basis always need loving care and preventative care – just like people.  ~Community member Teri Hollowell Daifukuji Soto Mission’s rich history is reflected in its interesting architecture, art, and furnishings. The two rounded koa wood pillars at the front of the main altar were brought down from the mountain on sleds by a church member who was an immigrant from Hiroshima. His son and grandson made the [...]

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 [...]