HistoricHawaii

The Mana of Place There’s a mana in the air of historic places Intangible yet present. Distinct. Sometimes abrupt. A secret storyteller. Resolute. Forceful. Needy in its urge to share Happenings, unfoldings, chains of events that led there, To its vibratory memory marking what occurred. #PlacesTellStories  #ThisPlaceMatters  #HawaiiNei

UPDATE ON KAPAIA SWINGING BRIDGE We're happy to report that rapid response from the public showing support for the Kauai County Council resolution to transfer ownership of the bridge to the Kapaia Foundation was successful!  On March 22, 2017, the Council unanimously passed Resolution 2017-23. Next steps? Kapaia Foundation will submit the grant application for the $231,000 the Council appropriated for the bridge in 2006, and hope to start rebuilding within the next couple of months.  We'll keep you posted. ADVOCACY ALERT - March, 20, 2017 Kapaia Swinging Bridge was added to the list of Hawaii’s Most Endangered Historic Site in 2011 and remains vulnerable.  Please lend your support by submitting testimony in favor of a resolution which will be voted on at the Kauai County Council on March 22. The resolution will transfer ownership, responsibility and funding for the bridge to the Kapaia Foundation who seek to preserve and restore it. HISTORY OF THE BRIDGE Imagine daily life in the 1920s in Kapaia Valley in the Territory of Kauai, where most of the plantation villagers traveled by foot because they could not afford to own an automobile.  Back then the foot bridge across Kapaia Stream was heavily trafficked by Kapaia residents who used it to go to and from work, school, shopping and social time with relatives and neighbors.   Completed in 1948, it connected two communities in Kapaia Valley: the east side was home to the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, a Filipino “camp”, Hawaiian and Japanese families, taro and rice fields; the west side was home to the Līhu‘e Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, Korean Methodist Church, Chinese Church, Naganuma Store, Ogata Store, Moriwake and Ah Chock’s Store.  The Kapaia Swinging Bridge is listed on the [...]

A Symbol of the Sugar Mill's Role as a Community Gathering Place Lives On The Sam and Mary Cooke Preservation Fund for Hawai‘i supports diverse preservation projects with grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000. Grants are awarded three times a year and the next application deadline is June 1, 2017.   Click here for more information. Below is the story of how one grant recipient is benefiting from the Fund. The YMCA of Honolulu, founded in 1869, is the latest recipient of a Cooke Preservation Fund grant. The YMCA has been located on the site of the former O‘ahu Sugar Company in Waipahu since 1989 with the YMCA purchasing two acres in 1997 and Oahu Sugar Company donating an additional two acres (including the smokestack) under the condition that the original smokestack be preserved. In 2007, after the successful completion of a large capital campaign, a new family focused Leeward YMCA opened on the site of the Sugar Mill.  Built in 1898, the 170-foot-tall landmark known then as the Oahu Sugar Company mill was an integral part of Waipahu until 1995. The historic building connects children and adults to an important part of their community history, educating and inducing community pride in its heritage. Today the iconic smokestack has deteriorated and stands in disrepair creating a potential safety hazard for surrounding areas. The Cooke Preservation Fund grant is funding part of a concerted effort that will assist with clean up and demobilization of the smokestack with additional phases of the project including testing and permitting, scaffolding that will encircle the smokestack (26 feet high!), cleaning and preparation of the smokestack’s exterior surface and painting of the exterior surface. Waipahu Sugar Mill Campus The smokestack [...]

This small town's history is present and relevant today By Kristen Pedersen We know Kauai for its incredible natural scenery, dense rainforests, and dramatic ocean cliffs. It has been the location for several Hollywood movies and television series, and is a popular destination for hiking and exploring. But, there is also a slice of history, alive and well,  in the small town of Hanapepe, that warrants attention. Hanapepe, a quiet town on Kauai's south shore, is off the Kaumualii Highway, about 16 miles southwest of Lihue. With a population of just 2700, there may be as many free-range chickens on the streets as there are human residents. The lush Hanapepe Valley was home to native Hawaiians for centuries before Captain Cook arrived in 1778. Many crops were grown in the area, including banana, sugar cane, taro, and sweet potatoes. By the 1880’s, the sugar industry was flourishing in Hawaii, bringing Chinese, Japanese and Filipino immigrants to the islands. While most stores and towns on Kauai were built by the sugar plantation owners, Hanapepe was largely built by entrepreneurial immigrants. Many workers who retired from the sugar plantations came to Hanapepe to grow taro, rice, or begin small farms or businesses to serve the local community. Historical Hanapepe. Photo courtesy of Hanapepe.org In addition to agricultural businesses, the military also played a large role in the history and development of Hanapepe. From World War I to the 1950’s, Hanapepe’s Port Allen was a port of call for the US Navy and, subsequently, became one of the biggest towns on Kauai. The Navy no longer docks at Port Allen, but tour boats come and go on their routes up and down the Na Pali coast. There [...]

Site Visit Reveals a Community Steeped in History and Pride of Place February 19, 2017 Kaupō, located on the remote southeastern end of Maui, has a population of about 100 full-time residents but is embraced by thousands of visitors who pass by on the route between Hāna and Haleakalā National Park in Kīpahulu.  The residents are mostly descendants of Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) whose families have lived in this area for countless generations.  This is off-the-grid territory.  The stars are brilliant on clear nights as power lines do not exist out here. As one can imagine in such an exquisitely beautiful and remote place, community is small and tight. One could almost imagine the phrase “it takes a village” written for this special place.  The Kaupō Community Association’s (KCA) mission—to preserve the natural beauty, environmental resources and rural lifestyle of the Kaupō community—fits well into this terrain. Central to this place is Kaupō School, which is steeped in history.  Since its establishment in 1887, the school has served as the only government institution in a remote, isolated landscape. The two-room classroom building and associated Teacher’s Cottage were built in 1922-23. Keiki learned Hawaiian first here, along with other skills such as fishing, hunting and horseback riding. The school is significant to this remote community as both a gathering place and a link to the ranching and agricultural culture of Kaupō. Kaupō School is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (https://historichawaii.org/2014/03/03/kaupo-school/). The community’s wish is to rehabilitate both the classroom building and the teacher’s cottage into a community center and a shelter to provide safety during storms, floods, earthquakes and other emergencies.  With this in mind, the Kaupō Community Association has taken steps forward [...]

Public Meeting Draws Crowds, Campaign Provides Guidance on Direct Action About 150 Līhu‘e residents attended the United States Postal Service public meeting at Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall on February 23 to learn more about the USPS desire to relocate daily operations at Līhu‘e Post Office. (Click here to read more about why the post office is being slated for possible closure.) In the weeks prior to the meeting, a public awareness and action campaign, “Save Our Post Office”, was launched by Pat Griffin of the Līhu‘e Business Association and other local leaders in collaboration with Historic Hawai‘i Foundation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. A team on the ground in Līhu‘e, led by Griffin, canvassed door to door rallying support. Members of the community signed coconuts with messages such as “Closing Līhu‘e Post Office is Nuts!” and postcards pre-printed with a plea to the USPS to maintain the post office as it remains a key component of Līhu‘e’s economically vibrant historic core. Lihue resident holding signed post card in support of keeping Lihue Post Office open.   Continued action, most importantly submitting written comments to Dean Cameron, the USPS representative in San Francisco, postmarked prior to March 25, is vital to send a clear, impactful message that a large segment of the public opposes the post office’s closure. Līhu‘e residents, HHF and the National Trust are calling out to the statewide preservation community for support. Click here for 5 quick, simple, direct actions you can take to let the USPS know you want the historic Līhu‘e Post Office to remain open and in service to the downtown community.