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Lyon at 100 By Stephen Haus As Lyon Arboretum celebrates their 100th anniversary* this year, it is appropriate to remember the founding father, a matriarch, and those who have contributed to this vast collection of over 5000 species of plants from around the world, spread over 194 acres. The founding father, Dr. Harold Lyon, arrived in Hawaii in 1907 from the University of Minnesota where he was a professor of Botany. He was recruited by the Hawaii Sugar Planters Association (HSPA) first serving as a plant pathologist and then in 1918 was sent by the HSPA Department of Botany and Forestry on an around the world plant collecting trip. The replanting of a Hawaii devastated by the free reign of cattle and mountains pockmarked by the harvesting of Sandalwood, Koa and Ohia Lehua began as a watershed restoration project in the back of Manoa Valley. Hawaii was transitioning from a kapu system of harvest restrictions to a market economy where the land itself was the commodity. The Ficus species, a non-lumber tree, was Lyon’s most prolific introduction. The dominant canopy tree at Lyon, the Albizia, was actually introduced prior to Lyon by the Austrian Botanist Dr.Joseph Rock. From 1936-48 the Arboretum was the HSPA Experimental Station for testing re-vegetation schemes. In a letter to H.G. Agee, the Director of the Experimental Station, Lyon wrote, "continued neglect of these watersheds is suicide, for everything fails with the failure of the water supply". In 1956, Dr. Lyon wrote an article titled Honolulu Can Have A Botanical Garden. "Here there is a golden opportunity to build in upper Manoa Valley a vast botanical garden of native and introduced plants and at the same time carry through a project in [...]

The Kapaia Swinging Bridge is a gateway to life in a bygone era before automobiles.  Immigrant villagers traveled by foot over the Kapaia Stream via a low foot bridge which was frequently washed out by heavy rains. In 1948 a suspension bridge was constructed by the County of Kaua‘i. As the automobile emerged and went on to become the major form of transportation, the necessity for the bridge lessened for transport and increased as an important symbol of an extremely influential era in the history of Hawai‘i that informs local culture to this day. Below is the story of a determined community who saw value in preserving Kapaia Swinging Bridge, making it accessible to all and saving an important piece of Kauai history. (See the photo gallery & timeline below at the end of the article.) Historic Hawaii Foundation: Briefly describe the history of the bridge. Kapaia Foundation: A foot bridge across Hanamaulu Stream was used daily to go to and from work, school, shopping, church and play. Often, heavy rains swept through the stream, washing away the low foot bridge, creating a huge inconvenience for the villagers.  Archaeological remnants show that at least two attempts were made to rebuild the bridge with cement footings. Finally, in 1948, a suspension bridge, funded by the County of Kauai, was constructed by Contractor I. Maeda for the community of Kapaia. The bridge was called “Kapaia Swinging Bridge” by the local community. The Kapaia Swinging Bridge is associated with the sugar plantation era of Hawaiian history. It was an infrastructure of extreme necessity for the sugar plantation immigrants living in the camps of Kapaia. Most of the traversing was done by people walking from their camp homes, across the bridge, [...]

Schleck is the Recipient of the 10th Annual Frank Haines Award Robert J. Schleck's deep appreciation for historic sites began in his youth when he and his brother spent a summer restoring an old building their father had purchased in Waunakee, Wisconsin. His extended family inclusive of a grandmother who lived to be 105, and numerous great uncles and aunts, taught him and his siblings to value history and the aged things that tell the stories of the past. Robert Schleck doing inventory at Grove Farm in 1972. Photo from the museums' collection. As a young man, Robert studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. Seeking refuge from the cold (and long) Wisconsin winters, he ventured to Kaua‘i in 1967 and came back again for good in 1969. In 1971 he had the opportunity to work for Miss Mabel Wilcox, helping her inventory the furnishings and collections at Grove Farm. When Miss Wilcox, a lifelong preservationist, decided to leave her home and other historic sites on her property to benefit the community and establish them as museums she formed a new nonprofit, the Waioli Corporation. Robert helped Miss Wilcox through the planning process. Sugar plantation locomotive. Photo credit: Moises Madayag. Under Miss Wilcox’s many years of tutelage, Robert deepened his love of Kaua‘i and its history which increased his desire to preserve the community's cultures, landscapes and lifestyles at numerous sites around the Island. His projects include the missionary efforts at the Waioli Mission House in Hanalei, the pristine intact ahupua'a of Lepeuli, the plantation story of many immigrant cultures at Grove Farm in Lihue, as well as the sugar plantation locomotive collection [...]

Our hearts and best wishes go out to everyone who was affected by the recent storms and massive flooding, especially in east Honolulu and on Kauai’s north shore. After the waters recede, many people will be faced with trying to clean and salvage valued possessions, including photographs and family heirlooms. The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Artworks (AIC) has developed guides and information on how to safely and methodically assess where to start. See the tips below. Disaster Response and Recovery After the Flood: Water Damaged Family Heirlooms and Valuables Salvaging Water Damaged Textiles Saving Photographs After the Flood The following suggestions may help you respond to an emergency affecting cultural property. While an effort has been made to list them in the order in which they can be addressed, you'll need to adapt them to your circumstances. Read the entire document and take the time to plan. It's tempting to “get right to work,” but initial organization will save you work and perhaps additional loss. Contact local, regional, or institutional conservation facility, local conservator, or use our Find a Conservator directory. Above all, remember that safety comes first; don't endanger yourself or your staff on behalf of objects. Initial Coordination: Try to control or eliminate the source of the problem; Turn off the electricity and gas; Inform the Director; Inform proper civil authorities; Find the person in charge of the building (who may or may not be a museum staff person). Assessment will begin after the building is declared safe for re-entry. Consult your emergency plan. Take time to coordinate and plan activities. Officials may prevent re-entry for several days. Priorities: Human safety Ensure that staff and volunteers have current [...]

Lack of preservation review highlights impacts from statutory changes in 2015 4/4/2018: The Waimanolo Estate known as “Pahonu” has been demolished, according to news accounts this week. The 8,900 square-foot home was built in 1933 by the family of former Hawaii State Representative Eve Anderson, who was the stepdaughter of Cox Communications heiress Barbara Cox Anthony. The estate was best known as the filming location for “Robin’s Nest,” the featured location on the television series Magnum P.I. which filmed in Hawaii from 1980-1988. The estate’s architect was Louis Davis, who was a prominent architect of the 1920s-1930s. He moved to Honolulu in 1911 and formed a partnership with C.B. Ripley. He is best known for his Spanish-influenced designs, including the former Police Station on Bethel Street, McKinley High School and the Waikiki Fire Station. The estate included a Spanish Colonial Revival-style main house, a unique boathouse (which doubled as Magnum’s living quarters on the series), a gatehouse, a storage wing, a private tennis court, and the beach and tidal pool. The estate is known as “Pahonu” in tribute to the ancient Hawaiian turtle pond on the site. The tidal pool was a pen used to trap sea turtles (“honu” in Hawaiian) as a delicacy for the ali‘i (high ranking chiefs). Turtle meat was kapu (forbidden) to all but the chiefs under penalty of death. The turtle pond and rock wall were restored in the 1960’s and added to the Hawaii Register of Historic Places in 1978. Pahonu Pond The estate was purchased by Marty Nesbitt in 2015 for $8.7 million.  The City & County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) issued a demolition permit last week. After news of the demolition [...]

State Capitol shares lessons in art, culture, history and aloha By Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi, Honolulu Star Advertiser, January 14, 2018 Updated January 14, 2018 12:05am, photos by Craig T. Kojima (Reprinted with permission from editor.) “The open sea, the open sky, the open doorway, open arms and open hearts — these are the symbols of our Hawaiian heritage. In this great State Capitol there are no doors at the grand entrances which open toward the mountains and toward the sea. There is no roof or dome to separate its vast inner court from the heavens and from the same eternal stars which guided the first voyagers to the primeval beauty of these shores.” Gov. John A. Burns At the dedication of Hawaii’s state Capitol on March 15, 1969 After nearly a decade of planning, Hawaii’s territorial and state legislatures moved from Iolani Palace, where they had convened for some 70 years, to the state Capitol building. Gov. John A. Burns wanted the structure of the Capitol to represent Hawaii’s people, history, culture and aloha. IF YOU GO: HAWAII STATE CAPITOL TOUR > Address: 415 S. Beretania St. >> On the Net: Click here for more info. >> Notes: Self-guided tour information is available online and in the governor’s office weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The Senate and House chambers are not accessible on self-guided tours. The exterior of the state Capitol. Twenty-eight architects were interviewed for the $25 million project, including I.M. Pei, whose impressive works include the glass-and-steel pyramid design at the Louvre in Paris, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Massachusetts and the East-West Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Ultimately, the contract was awarded to San [...]

Church of the Crossroads was the recipient of a Freeman Grant in 2014 catalyzing a three phase campus-wide roofing project which was recently completed. The Church: Church of the Crossroads was founded in 1923 by students of the Mid-Pacific Institute and of McKinley High School as Hawaii's first interracial  congregation. From inception, the church has emphasized community interaction, been multi-racial and attempted to eliminate distinctions between members and non-members.* It's listed on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places and is significant for its association with the twentieth century social history of Honolulu and as an example of the work of Claude Stiehl, master architect. Click here to learn more.  The Project:  The grant was used to re-roof the sloping roofs of three historic buildings and the covered walkway, or loggia, that links them together around the main courtyard of the Church of the Crossroads campus.  The existing cedar shingle roofing needed to be replaced, and the cost of replacing it with the same historically-appropriate material too high for the church to do by itself. The work was done by a well-qualified and conscientious contractor using the proper specifications, both for the materials and their installation, for long-life expectancy for the new roof. The Goal:  To protect the structural and historic integrity of an architecturally and socially significant set of buildings and do so in keeping with the visual appearance of the historic cedar shingle roof as viewed from the ground inside and outside the property.  The roof needed to be repairable, resistant to too much heat gain and strong enough to resist being swept away by wind. *Noted from National Register of Historic Places nomination form. The initial grant inspired the congregation [...]

Thanks for all you do to help preserve Hawai‘i’s historic places! Here's some highlights from 2017 that you helped make possible. January 26: (left to right) Iolani Palace Docent Educator, Zita Cup Choy; Iolani Palace Curator, Teresa Valencia & Dr. William Chapman, Director of the Graduate Program in Historic Preservation and Professor in the Department of American Studies at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, at the first of five Experts at the Cathedral lectures.   February 21: Līhu‘e residents showing the postcards they signed in support of saving the Līhu‘e Post Office from closure and relocation.   April 1: Our first-ever Mission Houses Saturday Sketch event paired art and heritage.   May 19: Architectural historian Don Hibbard accepting the Frank Haines Award. Mr. Haines unexpectedly passed away this year. A memorial service is scheduled for December 27th at the Star of the Sea Church.                             July 1: Learning about the history and culture of Waimea Valley at our Volunteer Mahalo event.   July 12: Welcoming our 2017-2018 Board of Trustees at the Historic Hawai‘i Foundation Annual Meeting.    August 4: Community members working on a preservation case study at our Tools for Saving Places seminar on Maui. The seminars, a collaboration with National Park Service, were held between August 2 and August 11 on Kaua‘i, Maui, Hawai‘i Island (Hilo and Kona) and O‘ahu. August 17: Sean McNamara sharing Native Hawaiian History of Leahi Crater at our Diamond Head Unseen Walking Tour, a collaboration with Hawai‘i State Parks (photo credit: Denby Fawcett).