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Utilizing Art to Experience Place On Saturday, March 2, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation collaborated with artist Brady Evans to hold a sketching workshop at da Shop, a bookstore located on Harding Avenue in Kaimukī. A group of 20 participants assembled to create illustrated stories inspired by one of their favorites places. To provide local context and character, executive director Kiersten Faulkner presented a timeline of major developments and turning points in the history of Kaimukī, from a dry, sparsely populated area to the beloved neighborhood and foodie destination that it is today. Because the construction of the H-1 in the 1950s diverted commuters away from Kaimukī, the “main street” of Wai‘alae Avenue was spared from pressures to redevelop and many of its original buildings factor into the neighborhood’s present-day charm and nostalgia. Evans, whose work is inspired by Japanese manga and graphic novels, skillfully guided participants through a sketching exercise. He tasked them with drawing a series of sketches in four panels to tell a story about a place gleaned from their personal experience. While most guests did not have enough time to complete a fully illustrated story, the sketches served as an excellent starting point and example of how place-based ideas, offers something of benefit to everyone. A warm mahalo to Brady Evans and da Shop for their collaboration and expertise.

The Saint Peter's Episcopal Church in downtown Honolulu will receive a Preservation Honor Award on May 31 for their church preservation project. The project provided much needed repairs, upgrades and improvements while maintaining the historic integrity and character of the church and parish hall. Adding stained glass at the alter in a new frame was part of the project. Below, stained glass master artist James Erickson, describes the work and the challenge. The Stained Glass Alter at St. Peter's Episcopal Church The oldest stained glass window in St. Peter's Episcopal Church is the large window group located above the altar and it was installed in 1914. When I was asked to inspect it and provide a condition report in 2016 it was clearly in very poor shape. The original wooden frame system with multi-curved tracery design elements was badly compromised on the outside from 100 years of exposure to elements and on the interior the wood had serious termite damage. The window had begun to bulge and deflect with  many pieces of cracked or broken glass. All of the structural lead-lines suffered from lead fatigue with numerous broken solder joints. It was clear that all of the glass panels would need to be removed along with the old wood frame that was too damaged to save. In order to meet current building code standards and for structural design reasons due to the size of the window, a strong, new, double glazed aluminum frame system would be installed. It would be thinner and unfortunately would have made the entire window look more modern which was not the desired effect. This required a creative solution. The resulting solution would offer one of the most effective visual elements [...]

Oʻahu Cemetery Burial Ground and Historic Site By Nanette Napoleon Along the busy thoroughfare which is upper Nuʻuanu Avenue in Honolulu, sits an 18-acre parcel of land adorned with large beautiful heritage trees and an array of thousands of lovely upright tombstones; each having a unique personal story to tell.  This place has the distinction of being an important historical site, inspiring outdoor museum, and beautifully landscaped Garden of the Dead, providing valuable park-like open space to a densely populated neighborhood. Historically, Oʻahu Cemetery—founded in 1844—is significant as Hawaiʻiʻs first public graveyard.  There are hundreds of notable permanent residents resting peacefully. Several notable ones include: Alexander Joy Cartwright, Jr. (1820-1892), the so-called “Father of American Baseball”; John Papa Iʻi (1800-1870), one of the most influential political leaders of his day; Benjamin Franklin Dillingham (1844-1820), railroad and land baron; Ululani Jabulka (1895-1970, international opera star; Henry Bond Restarick (1854-1933), first American Bishop of the Anglican Church in Hawaiʻi; Bina Mossman (1893-1990), Hawaiian musician and political leader; Dr. George Straub (1879-1966), pioneer group practice physician; Cherilla Lowrey (1861-1918), founder of the Outdoor Circle; Julie Swanzy (1860-1941), champion of public parks and children’s causes; Rev. Paul Osumi (1905-1996), author of newspaper column “Today’s Thoughts”; and Julia H. Afong (1840-1919), matriarch of the illustrious Ah Fong clan; to name a few. The most poignant gravesite at Oʻahu Cemetery is that of George Gill Jamieson (1918-1928) who was kidnapped and murdered in 1928.  The kidnapping of this young boy triggered an island-wide manhunt for the kidnapper and Jamieson.  After days of intense searching and community despair, little Gill was found dead in a dense grove of trees in Waikiki. The entire territory of Hawaiʻi went into mourning.  Soon after 20-year-old [...]

Community advocate, Native Hawaiian consultant and preservationist Māhealani Cypher to Receive 11th Annual Frank Haines Award Historic Hawai‘i Foundation will honor exemplary achievements in historic preservation at a ceremony and reception at YWCA Laniākea in Honolulu on Friday, May 31, 2019 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM.  Presented annually since 1975, the Awards bring together architects, contractors, planners, historians, writers, archeologists, and all who contribute to the preservation of our historic places and stories. One of the highlights this year is the presentation of 11th annual Frank Haines Award* to Mahealani Cypher, a long-time community advocate and consultant on native Hawaiian issues, historic preservation and Hawaiian perspectives on planning and conservation. Inspired by the stories and wisdom she learned from her grandmother, Mahealani has devoted herself to the protection of Native Hawaiian rights and preservation of traditional Native Hawaiian cultural practices, values and wahi pana, particularly in the ahupua‘a of He‘eia. An active member in a number of community organizations since 1975, she advocates for the preservation of Kawa‘ewa‘e Heiau, Haiku Valley and the agricultural lands of Hoi in He‘eia, together with her colleagues of Koolaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club (KHCC). This photo shows Māhealani with other KHCC members in 2011 with one of the State’s first official ahupua‘a boundary markers. Mahealani initiated the ahupua‘a boundary marker project in order to, in her own words, “connect island residents with the old names of the ahupua‘a in which they lived, and their kuleana to care for cultural and natural resources of these places.”  Today, awareness of ahupua‘a and the cultural values and practices associated with them have become a part of our public consciousness and what we value today as a community.   Please join us in honoring [...]

The Hawaii World War One Centennial Task Force has been organized to honor this first global conflict and Hawaii’s contributions. A full day of events commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the end of World War I, Armistice, is planned for Veterans Day, November 11, 2018.  The events will take place at the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium, 2815 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu. Free to the public activities ranging from live bagpipers playing in unison with a nationwide mass rendition of the retreat march, a WWI Film Festival, static historic displays and free concerts by the Marine Forces Pacific Band, Royal Hawaiian Band, Raiatea Helm and the Harry James Orchestra.  A complete schedule of events and details can be found at hawaiiworldwar1.org. The tribute here in Hawaii is to both spotlight Hawaii's participation in World War I as well as to honor the people of Hawaii who served in the war, volunteering their services and aiding in war efforts. "The Greatest War" & Hawaii's Role*  From its initial outbreak in Europe during 1914, World War I raged across the globe until 1918. The U.S. entered “The Great War” in 1917, with the U.S. Territory of Hawaii contributing more than 9,800 volunteers for service. While special events have taken place throughout 2018, Hawaii’s most significant will be held on Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, at the Waikiki War Memorial  Natatorium. Opening on the shore west of Kapiolani Park in 1927, the memorial was dedicated to “the men and women who served during the great war.” This historic landmark is the only monument in Hawaii selected by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission as one of 100 memorials nationwide to be designated as a “WWI Centennial Memorial.” To that honor, Arthur Tulak, [...]