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Spring Awakening Kanewai Spring, one of the last freshwater springs in Honolulu, is saved, thanks to relationship building, community outreach and organizing and a lot of yardwork. Eight years, eight long years. That’s how long it took for the Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center to acquire Kanewai Spring, a lava tube-fed, freshwater spring on the grounds of a broken-down estate along East Honolulu’s busy Kalanianaole Highway. It was eight years of relationship building, negotiating, community outreach and organizing, politicking, lawyering, grant writing and fundraising, but, truth be told, most of the nonprofit’s conservation effort was spent doing yardwork. Chris Cramer tells the story of the rebirth of Kanewai Spring. In 2010, the property, which hadn’t been occupied for decades, was mired in litigation and tangled by a small forest of haole koa trees when Chris Cramer, President of the Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center, called the landowners with a proposal. “I shared with them that they had an ancient spring underneath all the invasive vegetation on their property, and we proposed to properly bring it back to health,” says Cramer. “As we got to know the owners, we learned that they wanted to sell the property one day, so I said: ‘Whenever that day comes, we’d like to buy it.’” When the landowners agreed to the first part of the organization’s proposal, Cramer, a former schoolteacher, and fellow Heritage Center volunteers discovered nearly an acre of dense brush almost two stories high. However, they eventually uncovered a 1,000 square-foot, stagnant spring that had once been the home’s water feature and before that an important source of fresh water for Kanewai Fishpond, once a thriving estuary, which in turn flowed into nearby Paiko Lagoon and then [...]

Camp Tarawa USOs By Fred Greguras I have recently attended several reunions of Iwo Jima veterans who trained at Camp Tarawa on the Big Island of Hawaii. The highlight was exploring the Big Island with them during the Fifth Marine Division Association (FMDA) reunion in October, 2017. In listening to the vets, the two most common memories I heard were about the graciousness of the people of the Big Island and the relief they felt when the word came down that the Japanese had surrendered after the two atomic bombs were dropped so they wouldn't have to invade the mainland of Japan which is what they were training to do. One of the places the Marines remembered liking on the Big Island were the United Service Organizations (USO) so I thought it would be interesting to try to identify where they were and what happened to them. The United Service Organizations offered a touch of home for servicemen during WWII through activities and events such as dances, movies, music and a place to write a letter home or grab a free cup of coffee and a sandwich. Founded in 1941, the USO was created at the request of President Franklin Roosevelt. His call brought six organizations (YMCA, YWCA, Salvation Army, National Catholic Community Service, National Travelers Aid Association and the National Jewish Welfare Board) together to form a private, non-profit organization to provide morale, entertainment and other support services for U.S. military personnel away from home. The Big Island USO was organized on September 14, 1941 and USO facilities were opened throughout the island beginning in early 1942 in buildings such as former stores, public libraries, church and school buildings, community halls and other places. [...]

In March, 2018, HHF staff took a field trip to Kalaeloa Heritage Park and was treated to an interpretive tour of this special heritage site with a cultural, military and plantation past. Our hosts, Uncle Shad Kane and Kawika Shook, shared the history of the area, their vision for the future and the steps community is taking to bring this vision to life. We were so moved, we asked Kawika to elaborate so we could share it more broadly. (All photos courtesy of the Kalaeloa Heritage & Legacy Foundation.) Why Kalaeloa Heritage Park Matters and a Vision for Its Future Historic Hawaii Foundation:  Please describe the goals of the Kalaeloa Heritage Park restoration project. Kawika Shook on behalf of the Kalaeloa Heritage Center: The primary goal of the Kalaeloa Heritage Park (KHP) is to preserve the historic sites, structures, preserve the cultural landscape of Kalaeloa, and to share this special place through engaging our communities and visitors from around the world. The KHP is meant to serve as an educational and cultural resource in Ewa and Kapolei. One of the long-term goals is to establish and foster partnerships with schools and educational institutions in the community. It’s a place for stewardship and networking as well as an ideal venue for place-based and culture-based education.  Kalaeloa Heritage Park  HHF: Who is involved in the project? Shad Kane, left & Dwight Victor, right, accepting the 2017 Cultural Stewardship Award from the Society of Hawaiian Archaeology   KS: The project is led by current board President Dwight Victor, the Kalaeloa Heritage & Legacy Foundation (KHLF) board members and stewarded by community volunteers and organizations. Every last Saturday of the month, the KHLF hosts community work days at [...]

Entertaining Hawai‘i since 1917 Over the past 100 years*, Consolidated Theatres has been a staple of entertainment here in Hawai‘i. We all lead busy lives making it even more special when we can be transported to a different world, even if only for a brief moment in time. For a couple of hours anything is possible--we can fight among the Avengers, sail the seas with Captain Jack Sparrow, enter the magical wizarding world of Harry Potter or get lost in a love story with Noah and Allie. Consolidated Theatres gives us an avenue to escape, to wanderlust, to let our imaginations run wild. Cover Art by Wooden Wave Lindsey Chun-Hori, Director of Marketing at Consolidated Theatres states, “When we talk with people in the community, we’re always hit with a sense of nostalgia. Lots of first dates, lining up for midnight premieres, family movie days… it’s an amazing feeling that we’ve touched so many people’s lives.” In many ways, Consolidated Theatres is the heart of entertainment here in Hawai‘i. There is a sense of bliss and excitement people feel when they are at the movies. Division Manager at Consolidated Theatres, Rod Tengan humbly says, “All of us at Consolidated have seen firsthand how our theatres and the magic of movies can bring people together. Here’s to continuing that special relationship for another 100 years in Hawai‘i.” Times are forever changing, but the memories we have created will last a lifetime. There will always be a touch of beauty and mystery behind Consolidated Theatres. Think back, remember, and relish in your favorite Consolidated Theatres' memory. I am sure it will bring a smile to your face. We look forward to another 100 years of [...]

Preservation of the Isami Enomoto Labor Murals May 9, 2018 John B. Williams The preservation, and relocation, of the Isami Enomoto Labor Murals was a collaborative effort on the part of a large bank, an organization dedicated to the history of labor unions in Hawaii, an all-volunteer non-profit, large and small money donations from organizations and individuals, and many hours of donated time. It is a wonderful example of a community coming together to preserve a piece of Hawaiian history. The story begins in 1960 when the Bank of Hawaii was constructing a new branch bank at 727 Kapahulu Avenue in Honolulu. A set of ceramic murals was commissioned that would be installed on the wall above the teller counter, and the goal was that the murals would be a center piece of the bank’s public space. The selected artist was Isami Enomoto, who was born in Hawaii, had his ceramic studio in the Kapahulu neighborhood, and was a recognized artist. The theme for the murals was recognition of the laborers and workers in various trades, professions, and small businesses. Murals 2 through 5 each had a separate category: ‘Agriculture’, ‘Building and Construction’, ‘Commerce’, and ‘Transportation’. The first mural, ‘Kapahulu at Work’, is special because all of the figures were based on people who actually worked in the Kapahulu neighborhood. Enomoto Murals at Bank of Hawai‘i. Photo by David Franzen. A newspaper article about the May 8, 1961 opening of the new bank branch included that the actual creation of the murals was done in less than a month in order to be installed in time. The manager of the new branch, Walter Yen, was quoted saying about Enomoto and his assistants “. . . for the last three weeks they have been working all [...]

Preservation Project Restores New Life to Second Floor Washington Place has been at the center of social and political life in the Hawaiian Islands for over 170 years. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, designated a National Historic Landmark in 2007, and considered to be a structure of historical distinction in the United States, it was originally constructed in 1844-47. In 1848, Kamehameha III approved US Commissioner Anthony Ten Eyck’s wish to name it “Washington Place” in honor of George Washington. Washington Place is closely associate with Queen Lili‘uokalani, the last reigning monarch of the Hawaiian kingdom, and was her home from 1862 when she married John Owen Dominis, until her death in 1917. From 1919 through 1959, Washington Place became the executive mansion for the territorial governors, and, after statehood, the Governor's mansion of the state of Hawai'i (1959-2002). Hawai‘i’s Governor and their family resided on the second floor of Washington Place until 2002 when a new home was completed on the property allowing them more privacy and the upstairs floor of Washington Place an opportunity to take on a more public face. However, prior to this project, the number of visitors allowed at one time up to the second floor was limited to 10 or 12. The completion of four simultaneously pursued restoration projects: the removal of the screened porch; reconstruction of the front gate posts; restoration of historic door lock-sets; and the restoration of the historic site lighting, along with a structural upgrade, has allowed public use of the second floor that includes classes, lectures and displays in the four main rooms of the original house. Interior Hall before (L) and after (R). Photo: Mason Architects, Inc. [...]

The Restoration of Hana Buddhist Temple The Hana Hongwanji Gakuen Temple also known as Hana Buddhist Temple, was built in the 1940s and still stands as a historic cultural beacon in the Hana community. Thanks to an incredible community of dedicated individuals, the Temple restoration is in full swing.  It means so much to so many, to preserve the history of this special symbol of spiritual and cultural values of the Japanese people who lived and worked in Hana, and to work to ensure it remains as a link to the past and a gathering place for the present. Historic Hawai‘i Foundation: Please describe the genesis of the Hana Hongwanji Gakuen Temple restoration project. Joe & Miho Brower, Hana Buddhist Temple Preservation Association: The Hana Temple is a gem hidden in plain sight of the tiny coastal town. My wife and I fell in love at first site with the Temple shortly after arriving in Hana nearly twenty years ago. I, being a builder, was drawn by the style, workmanship and aura of the building while my wife, a Japanese Buddhist, had a familiar spiritual connection to the temple. Out of admiration and wanting to be involved with the temple and her grounds we wrote a letter to the Temple caretaker, a stern original member who had been the caretaker of the Temple since returning to Hana from WW II, asking to be given a chance to help out with the maintenance. The letter was returned with the words “The Answer is No - Stay Away” written in black sharpie. Some years later, in 2012, the aging caretaker fell ill and was forced to leave Hana for an extended hospitalization.  At this point the [...]

Visitor Service Building Rehabilitation More than 500,000 visitors frequent the Kīlauea Lighthouse Wildlife Refuge annually.  Established in 1985 to preserve and enhance seabird nesting colonies, the Refuge was expanded in 1988 to include Crater Hill and Mōkōlea Point. It's a beacon of hope for threatened Hawaiian wildlife & their habitats as well as the home of the historic Daniel K. Inouye Kīlauea Point Lighthouse, built in 1913, which sits on the northernmost point of Kaua‘i. Photo courtesy of Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA)/Tor Johnson. The Visitor Service Building is an important historic structure noted as a contributing resource to the Kīlauea Point Light Station, which is listed on the Hawai‘i and National Registers of Historic Places, associated with the development of transportation and navigational history in Hawai‘i and the US.  Used as the light keeper's residence in the past, the building is now a visitor center--prominently on display.  The center will continue to play an eminent role now and into the future, as a place to share local history through story-telling and other projects and exhibits. Rehabilitation work included replacement of the non-historic vinyl windows with custom double-hung wood windows in keeping with the historic character of the building.  New windows and interior trim were designed and executed to match the original 1913 window condition with new interior wood trim handmade to exactly match original trim profiles. The successful completion of this project which preserves the character-defining features to their original condition, celebrates the continued use of these historic support structures to the Lighthouse and is an essential step forward in protecting and preserving one of Kauai's most well-known, well-loved historic places.   The Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Service Building Rehabilitation will be [...]

The Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu Celebrates its Centennial The Hawaiian civic club movement was the fulfillment of a dream for Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole.  The Prince was eager for the Hawaiian people to know more about government and the community at large, in order to carry on the tradition of civic responsibility that he felt was vital to the development of Hawaii and its people.  He was among those principally involved in the planning and formation of the pioneer Hawaiian Civic Club in 1917 to support initiatives that benefit the native Hawaiian community. This emerged from Prince Kuhio’s concern over what he saw as the decline in spirit and the devastating spike in the mortality rate of the Hawaiian people, and his fear that they would not have the educational skills to protect their interests. Prince Kuhio believed that the future of the Hawaiian community and its people could be safeguarded and promoted only through an organized effort led by Hawaiian leadership. He believed that the Hawaiians should help their young people secure an education that would enable them to compete successfully in the cultural environment of the 20th century. The first Hawaiian Civic Club was formed with several principal objectives.  These included providing scholarship aid for the education of Hawaiian students; preserving and promoting the Hawaiian heritage, traditions, language and culture; promoting and supporting organizations interested in improving the conditions of the Hawaiian people and community at large as well as legislation beneficial to the Hawaiian community; and perpetuating the values that dignify all human life, which are the moral and ethical foundation of the cultural expressions that comprise the unique, rich, and enduring legacy of the first people of Hawaii. In 1918, [...]

Manoa Marketplace Monkeypod Trees Saved! Written by Lowell Angell and Neil Bond, Members, Board of Directors, Malama Manoa The Manoa community and countless others on Oahu breathed a collective sigh of relief when Alexander & Baldwin announced on January 26, 2018 that they would retain all 17 mature monkeypod trees at Manoa Marketplace. They had planned to remove 7 trees and relocate 2 more because the surface roots were creating a tripping hazard and they also wanted more room for parking. A&B, a kamaaina firm founded in 1869, purchased the Marketplace in 2016. A view of the Monkeypod trees at Manoa Marketplace. Photo credit: Malama Manoa. After witnessing the strong reaction to their initial presentation at the Manoa Neighborhood Board meeting on December 6, 2017, the A&B Project Team agreed to delay the project and solicit community input. The Outdoor Circle played a large role and helped widely publicize the situation, Neil Bond and the Manoa Alliance created an online petition which resulted in almost 20,000 signatures including 10,000 from Hawai`i, and Malama Manoa's board of directors voted unanimously against removal of any trees. Together with these organizations, many concerned residents joined in a cooperative community effort to find a way to save the 40-year old trees. This included multiple meetings with A&B representatives. After exploring several alternatives, A&B decided to place large planters around the trees between Safeway and Longs. One monkeypod tree fronting Longs Drugs is obstructing a storm drain and will be moved to the grassy area along Manoa stream. A White Tecoma tree will replace it. A companion monkeypod tree will be planted along the stream bank, bringing the total number of Marketplace monkeypods to 18. The trees will [...]