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Remembering Honolulu’s Hell’s Half Acre and Tin Can Alley of the 1880s – 1960s

If you follow the Rearview Mirror column in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, you're likely to be aware that columnist Bob Sigall regularly invites his readers to share their personal memories of places and times of yesteryear. Last week, Sigall issued a call for recollections about Honolulu's Hell's Half Acre and Tin Can Alley, two residential areas next to downtown Honolulu where about 17,000 people resided until the 1960s.  The dense neighborhoods were filled with lower-income housing punctuated by chop suey houses, cafes, beer parlors, movie theaters, a dance hall and a variety of shops.  From the 1950s the area fell victim to redevelopment, in spite of resistance by preservation groups led by Nancy Bannick who argued that the two areas were significant representations of Honolulu's unique history and culture. Rearview Mirror: Remembering Honolulu's Hell's Half Acre, Tin Can Alley By Bob Sigall 3/18/22: I'm sure most of my readers could point to where such O‘ahu neighborhoods as Waipahu, Pālama, Mānoa or Kapahulu are. But what about Hell's Half Acre or Tin Can Alley? Do you remember them? Eighty years ago, one-eighth of Honolulu's population lived in them, and most everyone else knew where they were. Rents there were cheap, and you could walk to a downtown job in five to 10 minutes. Ray Iwamoto asked me recently about the two areas. "I wonder if you could research exactly where Hell's Half Acre and Tin Can Alley were," he said. "I grew up on River Street near Hotel (Diamond Head of Nu‘uanu Stream), and I thought Hell's Half Acre was also Diamond Head of Nu‘uanu Stream. "I thought it might have been near Beretania and River and not in the Hall Street area. I also [...]

2022-05-17T08:47:03-10:00March 23rd, 2022|Categories: Blog|Tags: |

Job Opportunities Available Now at Historic Hawai‘i Foundation

Historic Hawai‘i Foundation currently has two part-time job openings that offer flexible hours, competitive pay and unique experiences.  Please refer to the brief descriptions below and check out the links for further information and instructions to apply.  Applications will be accepted via Bishop & Co. If you know of someone who might be interested, please share these opportunities with them! Historic Preservation Intern for Education Programs The Historic Preservation Intern will assist with organizing, facilitating and implementing Historic Hawai‘i Foundation’s public education programs. These programs aim to build an ethic of preservation and promoting preservation solutions for community planning and development activities. Specific tasks may include supporting educational seminars, tours and events; researching and developing action alerts and community calls for action; developing written materials; assisting with video, website, social media and written communications; and developing public presentation materials. This temporary position will work 8-16 hours/week for 12-16 weeks.  Start and end dates are flexible. The work location may be either remote via telework or in the HHF office in the Dole Cannery, Iwilei, Honolulu.  The office is on a major bus line or validated parking is available. [Learn more] Historic Preservation Intern for Native Hawaiian Stewardship Program The NHO Program Historic Preservation Intern will assist with organizing, facilitating and implementing Historic Hawai‘i Foundation’s Native Hawaiian Organization Stewardship Training Program.  The ideal candidate must demonstrate ability to support and learn about program management and have interest in learning the concepts and principles of historic preservation for sustaining, protecting and supporting historic and cultural sites in the Hawaiian Islands. Knowledge of Hawaiian culture and traditions is required; familiarity with ‘Olelo Hawai‘i is advantageous. Some hours may be detailed to the U.S. Department of the Interior Office [...]

2022-05-17T08:44:59-10:00March 23rd, 2022|Categories: Blog|Tags: |

The Reuse Imperative: Older Buildings as Climate Assets

Image: The 1900 Kakaako Pumping Station which had stood in disuse for decades was revitalized in 2016 as the Nā Kūpuna Makamae Community Center. The project received a Preservation Honor Award in 2017 and is an excellent example of adaptive reuse in the Islands. Photo © Nan, Inc. 3/18/22: Jim Lindberg, a senior policy director at the National Trust, has written a strong case for utilizing building reuse as an effective tool to prevent climate change. Recent flash flooding and coastal erosion at home here in Hawai‘i underline the urgency for preventative action. Lindberg proposes actionable policy recommendations to spur discussion and innovation.  His article is reposted here. Building reuse will be one of the topics explored as part of an upcoming Climate Action webinar series organized by the Sustainability and Climate Action Working Group of the Preservation Priorities Task Force, the National Trust’s collaboration with the National Preservation Partners Network. Read more about the April 12th webinar at the end of Lindberg's article. The Reuse Imperative By Jim Lindberg, Senior Policy Director, the National Trust for Historic Preservation The urgency of reducing embodied carbon emissions inverts common perceptions about older buildings and climate change. Rather than outdated structures that we hope to replace, older buildings should be valued as climate assets that we cannot afford to waste.” From “Avoiding Carbon: Mitigating Climate Change through Preservation and Reuse” in Issues in Preservation Policy: Preservation, Sustainability, and Equity. Last month’s report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that we are falling behind in the race against global warming. To avoid what one of the report’s co-authors describes as “a sub-optimal future,” we must use every tool available to reduce carbon emissions. One of those [...]

2022-05-17T08:47:25-10:00March 18th, 2022|Categories: Blog|Tags: |

HPR’s The Conversation Takes a Historical Tour of Chinatown with Preservation Architect

This post is a transcript of the interview, "Leading Preservation Architect Takes Us on a Historical Tour of Chinatown" by journalist Noe Tanigawa which aired on Hawaii Public Radio's The Aloha Friday Conversation on January, 28, 2022.  The transcript is printed with her permission. Noe Tanigawa: Glenn Mason is the principal at MASON Architects in Honolulu. They've got offices on Merchant Street and specialize in historic preservation. Mason is also an American Institute of Architects Fellow and has worked on many of Hawaiʻi's most important historic sites such as ʻIolani Palace and Kawaiahaʻo Church. He agreed to take us on a tour of Chinatown to open our eyes to some of its charms. Glenn Mason: We moved into Chinatown in 1982. When we moved there, (chuckles) I’m not sure it was at its nadir, but it was pretty low-down. About a year after we moved into Chinatown the last restaurant that was open in all of downtown Honolulu closed. And for one year there was not a single restaurant open in Chinatown or downtown at night. NT: Are you kidding?! Local architect Glenn Mason in front of Murphy's Bar & Grill © Noe Tanigawa, HPR GM: It’s hard to believe. This was probably ’83, maybe ’84. There were no restaurants open at night. None. Chinatown developed primarily because of the harbor. It was very harbor-oriented at the time it was developed. So, we are right…when you get to where Murphy’s is, that’s in Chinatown. NT: Ah ha. GM: So now we’ve just walked into Chinatown. (NT giggles) GM: Murphy’s has this--they’ve got all these Chinese pavers. They’re granite, they’re probably about four inches thick, set as pavement. These came over as ballast in ships [...]

2022-03-16T18:32:23-10:00February 4th, 2022|Categories: Blog|Tags: |

Preservation Projects Awarded Grants from the Cooke Preservation Fund

The Sam and Mary Cooke Preservation Fund for Hawai‘i supports preservation activities and projects that help preserve and enhance historic places in Hawai’i for future generations. In the second half of 2021, these four projects were awarded grants from the fund. Adaptive Reuse Restoration Assessment and Production of Schematic Design for CW Dickey House, Waihe‘e, Maui The Hawai‘i Islands Land Trust (HILT) plans to restore the Plantation Manager’s House at Waihe‘e Coastal Dunes and Wetlands Refuge for use as a cultural education center.  The house was designed by architect C.W. Dickey in 1937 for the former Wailuku Sugar Company’s Waihe‘e Dairy as a beach cottage for the plantation manager. The 3-bedroom 2-bathroom home displays a classic example of the signature “Dickey Roof” and looks strikingly similar to the architect’s own home in Waikīkī. The house has been unused since 2004 due to its poor condition and is beginning to collapse. Waihe‘e Coastal Dunes and Wetlands Refuge is a 277-acre property located on Maui’s north shore. It is owned and maintained by HILT, which has restored a large portion of the land to serve as a native wildlife habitat, while also preserving the area’s significant archaeological and cultural features. The Refuge is thought to be one of the earliest sites on Maui, containing at least 93 archaeological sites ranging from the 10th century to the plantation era.  Once populated with two thriving villages, Kapoho and Kapokea, the property contains loko i‘a, a fishpond, and several heiau.  The sand dunes along the coast are geologically significant as the last remaining segment of dunes formed during the Ice Age about 20,000 years ago.  The dunes are being preserved as a sacred site of Hawaiians burials. The restoration [...]

2022-02-24T08:52:24-10:00January 21st, 2022|Categories: Blog|Tags: |

HHF Partner Spotlight: Dr. Ralph T. Kam

With the start of this year's Experts at the Cathedral Lectures just a few weeks away, what better time to introduce the key person who works "behind the scenes" to make it happen.  Ralph Thomas Kam, PhD, Interim-Director of the Historic Preservation Graduate Certificate Program at University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa has been responsible for planning the annual Lecture Series since 2019.  Taking into consideration current events and historical milestones, Dr. Kam identifies a theme for the next series, then proceeds to recruit lecturers within academia and the broader community and finalize a schedule.  This is not an easy task and we mahalo Dr. Kam for his gifts: his passion for sharing knowledge and ability to inspire others. Historic Hawai‘i Foundation: Please tell us about your personal connection to Historic Hawai‘i Foundation’s mission of saving places. What is your favorite historic place that holds a special place in your heart? Ralph Kam:  I have taught Introduction to Historic Preservation, Elements of Style, and the Historic Preservation Field Seminar, all courses fulfilling requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Historic Preservation in the American Studies Department of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. During a past field seminar, the class visited Kaniakapūpū, my favorite historic place. HHF: We have been partnering with UH for our Annual Experts at the Cathedral Lunchtime Series since 1986. Can you explain how this partnership started and what you have found most valuable? RK: The partnership began long before I started curating the series in 2019. In fact, Dr. William Chapman invited me to speak in 2009 when I delivered a presentation titled, “Kaula Lei: The Lei Sellers of Maunakea Street.”  I truly value the passion for historic preservation shown by the [...]

2022-04-12T10:35:07-10:00January 20th, 2022|Categories: Blog|Tags: |

Ala Wai Watershed Flood Risk Study Update and Community Engagement Schedule

Virtual Information Forum Regarding The Ala Wai Flood Risk Management Reevaluation Study Thursday, January 20, 12:00 - 1:00 PM Join the online webinar via Cisco Webex platform at: https://usace1.webex.com/meet/AlaWai 1/18/22: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), in partnership with the City and County of Honolulu (CCH), will hold a virtual Information Forum for the community regarding the Ala Wai Flood Risk Management General Reevaluation (GR) Study to provide an update to the study, unveil new communication tools, and respond to questions and concerns brought up at the last round of public meetings held in November 2021. • Click here for the News Release on the Information Forum • Additional information regarding the study, the public engagement plan, and communication tools will be available at https://www.honolulu.gov/AlaWai. BACKGROUND and CONTEXT The previously released public engagement strategy included four engagement opportunities for the community throughout the study. The first round of community engagements for the general reevaluation study occurred on Nov. 10 and 13, 2021. The second round of originally-proposed engagements will discuss a more focused set of potential solutions under consideration at that stage; it is anticipated to occur during summer 2022 prior to the release of the Draft Report. The third round of meetings, currently slated for fall 2022, will discuss the Tentatively Selected Plan as presented in the Draft Report. The final round of originally-proposed meetings in 2023 will review the Recommended Plan prior to release of the Final Report. The public engagement strategy has been refined based on feedback received during the initial public workshops to provide additional opportunities for interested parties to provide input into the study process and the development of alternative flood risk management plans. Fundamental elements of the revised [...]

2022-03-16T18:31:37-10:00January 18th, 2022|Categories: Blog|Tags: |

NHO Stewardship Training Program Awarded HTA Grant Funding

We're excited to share that Historic Hawai‘i Foundation is an awardee for the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority Hawaii Tourism Authority Kūkulu Ola Program! With the funding, HHF will support the malama of Native Hawaiian places through the NHO Stewardship Training Program, aligning with HTA's goal of supporting community-based programs that honor and perpetuate the Hawaiian culture and community. The Kūkulu Ola Program represents HTA’s strategic focus on funding the community through tourism reinvestment from the Transient Accommodation Tax (TAT) as well as incorporating new destination management plans. Learn more about the Kūkulu Ola Program at: hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/HTA.

2024-04-05T16:53:13-10:00January 13th, 2022|Categories: Blog|Tags: , , |

Eighteen Properties Added to the Hawai‘i and National Registers Of Historic Places

The Hawai‘i Historic Places Review Board added eleven properties to the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places in August 2021.  The National Park Service recently added seven properties located in Hawai‘i to the National Register of Historic Places. Properties are eligible for inclusion in the State and National Registers because of their association with broad patterns or events (Criterion A), or individuals whose lives are significant to our past (Criterion B).  They are usually significant in architecture and design (Criterion C) or are likely to yield important information (Criterion D).  Their features and other characteristics retain their qualifying integrity. Click on the address/property name to view the property's nomination form. 2740 O‘ahu Avenue Residence, O‘ahu Constructed in 1931, the 2704 O‘ahu Avenue Residence is significant under Criterion A as it reflects the patterns of settlement and chronicles the saga of development in Honolulu.  This parcel is located in the west Mānoa area in the subdivision of Puʻupueo, a large tract of land that extended from Mānoa Road to O‘ahu Avenue and nearby the terminus of the Honolulu Rapid Transit Company’s Mānoa trolley line.  The parcel was originally owned by Judge Henry E. Cooper who had once been Mānoa Valley’s largest landowner and one of the central figures in the overthrow of Queen Liliʻuokalani.  It is also significant under Criterion C as a good example of a 19th and early 20th Century American Movement Craftsman/Bungalow style cottage.  This style became popular in Honolulu’s residential neighborhoods in the 1920s and 1930s and became identified as a “Hawaiian Style” of architecture.  Known for its originality, simplicity of form, local natural materials, and the presence of hand craftsmanship the residence includes a front porch, lava rock lined steps, and double [...]

2022-01-12T12:45:39-10:00December 8th, 2021|Categories: Blog|

Century-Old Coffee Farmhouse Made Watertight

11/1/21: One of the key features in Japanese architecture is the “genkan”, a traditional entryway where a person sits to remove their shoes.  At the Uchida Farmhouse at the Kona Coffee Living History Farm, the genkan is a double door entry to the living room and a single door into the kitchen area. The genkan and other important features of the 1920’s era coffee farm were recently restored by Kona Historical Society with a grant from the Freeman Foundation, in cooperation with Historic Hawai‘i Foundation.   The Uchida family homesteaded the farm from 1913 until 1994.  After the oldest son retired, the farm was added to the Kona Historical Society holdings to be managed as a living history museum to tell the story of coffee cultivation in Kona, including the stories of Japanese immigrants and the legacy of this agricultural industry.  The site is listed on the Hawai‘i and National Registers of Historic Places. In 2017, HHF provided a grant to replace the roof on the 3-bedroom, single-story vernacular house. Other projects have also helped restore the kuriba (coffee cherry processing mill) and hoshidana (coffee drying platform).  Kona Historical Society (KHS) then turned its attention to other restoration projects at the farmhouse. The preservation grant allowed KHS to repair the genkan, replace damaged exterior wall boards and battens in order to address structural rigidity and water-tightness, replace floorboards and goza mats, repair broken window glass and to address hazardous materials in the canec ceilings. KHS Executive Director Ku‘ulani Auld said that the focus was on addressing floorboards and wall boards that were compromised by moisture or termite damage to the extent that they had failed or were in imminent danger of failure.  She [...]

2022-01-12T12:46:15-10:00December 8th, 2021|Categories: Blog|
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