Blog

Diamond Head Lighthouse, a Treasured Symbol on Oʻahu’s South Shore

The Historic Lighthouse on the Slopes of Lēʻahi Crater By Lexington Smith As you drive along Diamond Head Road on the south shore of Oʻahu on the southern edge of Waikīkī, the lowering sunset hits your eyes and tints the view with an orange haze. Bikers fly down the road as runners trek up it. To your left, Lēʻahi, an extinct volcanic crater and tuff cone, calmly rests, absorbing the last light of the day. To your right, waves break over a world under the sea. Surfers are rinsing their boards and couples are watching as the sun sets. As your eyes navigate through the trees, a white figure stands. The sun beams through its glass panels and its red roof brightens. There stands a lighthouse established as Diamond Head Light which was first lit July 1, in 1899. The present square concrete tower was built in 1917. In 1825, British sailors approached the cliffs of Lēʻahi. Light sparkled from the slopes and the sailors, spotting the clear calcite crystals, believed they had discovered diamonds and named the crater Diamond Head. As more travelers began to come to Oʻahu, Diamond Head became an integral point to report incoming vessels. On the night of October 2, 1893, the SS Miowera hit the shallow reef just off the shore. The captain had mistook the position of Diamond Head Crater. Similarly in 1897, the steamship China also ran aground. According to the Hawaiian Historical Society, this was the catalyst prompting the building of the original structure to guide incoming vessels and prevent their harm. The first version of the lighthouse was a 40-foot iron tower that emitted light 160 feet above the water. The great light [...]

2023-10-19T15:41:55-10:00October 19th, 2023|Categories: Blog, Featured Homepage Top|

The Matsumoto Store Building – A Story of Friendship

Submitted by the North Shore Chamber of Commerce’s Historic Preservation Committee; working to preserve and perpetuate the legacy of historic Hale`iwa. Reprinted with permission. The North Shore Chamber of Commerce, as part of its mission of historic preservation of significant sites in Hale‘iwa, recently installed a bronze plaque commemorating the Matsumoto Store building. Similar to seventeen other plaques that can now be found throughout Hale‘iwa, the plaque language depicts the architectural and entrepreneurial his­tory of the building. The iconic Matsumoto Store in Hale‘iwa on O‘ahu’s North Shore, has been making history since 1951. For all but a few early years as a grocery store, its popularity grew as a result of a single sweet commodity…shave ice. Seventy-two years and forty flavors later, the name Matsumoto has become synonymous with shave ice and recognized far beyond the town of Hale‘iwa. What makes the Matsumoto store one of the more unique buildings of old Hale‘iwa is that it is actually a tale of two families. It began with the arrival of Sego and Tayo Tanaka from Shikoku Is­land’s Ehime Prefecture in Japan at the turn of the century. The couple owned and operated a tailor shop and dry goods store in the wood frame build­ing constructed around 1904. When the Tanakas decided to return to Japan in the early 1920s, their son Kazuaki remained. He later married and he and his wife Shizuko continued to operate the dry goods store which became the K. Tanaka Store. By late 1940, Kazuaki Tanaka had established himself as a successful Waialua businessman. He served as the head of the Waialua Japanese Society and was part of a group of prominent community leaders that invested in a modern multi-story [...]

2023-11-02T16:22:20-10:00October 19th, 2023|Categories: Blog, Featured Homepage Top|

Nā’ anae Holo (travelling mullet) swim again in Maunalua

Anne Marie Kirk Reflects on Maunalua.net & the Nā ʻAnae Holo Murals If you've headed east on Kalanianaʻole Highway in Eastern O‘ahu in the recent past, you may recall being greeted by schools of swimming mullet, nā ʻanae holo in Hawaiian, on brightly painted murals along the roadside. You may have even passed through as community members were painting them. The project is part of Maunalua.net and the muse behind its origin is Anne Marie Kirk, a multifaceted creatrix, community member and educator in Maunalua.  Learn more about this unique project and significant place in our interview with Kirk below. Interview with Anne Marie Kirk Anne Marie Kirk Historic Hawai‘i Foundation:  Please introduce yourself in a way that feels appropriate. Ann Marie Kirk: My name is Ann Marie Nālani Kirk. I live in the ahupua‘a of Maunalua* in East O‘ahu. HHF: What is your professional work and what are some of your interests and hobbies? AMK:  I am a Director/Producer in Digital Media, and most of my work focuses on Hawai‘i and Hawaiian Culture. You can check out bluecratermedia.com to see some of my pieces. In Maunalua, the community groups I work with dedicate themselves to protecting and preserving cultural and natural resources. These groups are Livable Hawaii Kai Hui, Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center, the Kaiwi Coalition, and the Wailupe ‘Ohana Council.  I also serve as the Educational Kia‘i for Pahua Heiau in Maunalua. When I am away from my work or community work, you'll find me in the ocean waters of Maunalua. One of my favorite things to do in Maunalua Bay is Stand-up Paddling with my family and friends. HHF: Where is Maunalua* and what makes it special? AMK:  Maunalua [...]

2023-10-20T13:57:32-10:00October 18th, 2023|Categories: Blog, Featured Homepage Top|

Hilo Grantee – Pacific Tsunami Museum

Pacific Tsunami Museum Anchors Hilo Waterfront The Pacific Tsunami Museum in Hilo has a refreshed outlook after a major project was completed in Spring 2023. “Restoration of the Pacific Tsunami Museum building generates community pride. Staff members, visitors, residents, and nearby business owners have positively commented on the building's improved overall look and condition,” wrote Joshua Bell, Associate Director. The signature building at 130 Kamehameha Avenue fronts Hilo Bay. It was designed by C.W. Dickey in 1930 as Bishop National Bank, later First Hawaiian Bank. The former bank building withstood the disastrous tsunami waves that hit Hilo in 1946 and 1960. Architectural historian Don Hibbard described the building as, “Hawaiian Classical Revival at its most commanding, this reinforced-concrete, former bank building is clad in cast stone, manufactured on-site by Mario Valdestri. Its Hawaiian interpretation of classical forms includes distinctive coconut husk column capitals. The wrought-iron grillework above the entrance reveals an Art Deco influence” (Buildings of Hawai‘i, 2011). On May 22, 1997, First Hawaiian Bank donated the building to serve as a permanent site for the museum. By June 1998, the Pacific Tsunami Museum was open to the public. The Museum operates with the mission that through education and awareness, no one should ever again die in Hawai‘i due to a tsunami. It provides residents and visitors to the State of Hawai‘i with tsunami education programs by showcasing a series of permanent exhibits that interpret tsunami phenomena, the Pacific Tsunami Warning System, the history of tsunamis in the Pacific Basin, and public safety measures for tsunami disasters. “Efforts to restore and preserve the building are particularly important to the Pacific Tsunami Museum, as its historic exteriors lends to the museum’s mission of sharing of [...]

2023-09-06T16:40:18-10:00September 6th, 2023|Categories: Blog|

Comfort Station Reopened, Heiau Signage Being Installed at Pōka‘ī Bay

Historically significant Kū‘īlioloa Heiau located in the park’s Kāne‘īlio Point Re-published from the City and County of Honolulu Staff Reporter, Nate Serota. Following completion of renovations to security features and bathroom fixtures within the Pōka‘ī Bay Beach Park comfort station, the highly-utilized facility is now open to the public. The comfort station was closed at the end of February 2023 for the initial security improvement project. Completion of this project was delayed due to supply issues, and was followed by specialized maintenance staff with the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) renovating the inside of the bathrooms by: installing new fixtures, building new stall doors, masonry work to raise the height of the bathroom stalls, painting the floors, and providing the base coats for the community mural with paint donated by the Wai‘anae Moku Kūpuna Council. Once that work was finished, community members from the Council and Pu‘u Honua O Wai‘anae began repainting the murals adorning the bathroom’s interior. On the women’s side, flowers and birds (such as the ‘iwa and ‘ua‘u) will adorn the walls, while on the men’s side Maui’s hook and various island fish will be painted. The murals are expected to be completed in early September. In addition, in mid-August DPR began installation of signage indicating the site of the historically significant Kū‘īlioloa Heiau, located in Kāne‘īlio Point on the ‘Ewa-side of the nearly 15.5-acre beach park. The signage follows a long-standing community request and passing of Resolution 22-191, introduced by Councilmember Andria Tupola. This legislation affirms the name of the heiau, and requested the appropriate signage to indicate the cultural significance of the heiau, while encourage those visiting the site to respect the sacred location. Complementing this signage [...]

2023-08-30T10:46:30-10:00August 29th, 2023|Categories: Blog|

Daifukuji Soto Mission Refreshes the 110-Year-Old Campus

The sounds of taiko drumming, Baika chanting, and ukulele come from the newly painted Daifukuji Soto Mission in Kealakekua on Hawai‘i Island. Daifukuji means “The Temple of Great Happiness.” Besides being a center for Buddhist study and practice, this landmark site provides a place of peace and wholesome activities for local community. Thanks to an historic preservation grant from the Freeman Foundation, in cooperation with Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, this community mainstay has been refreshed. Established in 1914, Daifukuji is the oldest Soto Zen Buddhist Temple on the Kona side (and one of the oldest Soto Zen temples in the state). The Temple is listed as a Kona Heritage Building and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is exemplar of community efforts for its construction, maintenance and preservation. In 1914, the Reverend Kaiseki Kodama walked around the entire island twice in order to collect the donations needed to build a temple. The first contributions (financial, materials, and labor) were offered by merchants, tofu makers, coffee farmers - friends or business owners living near the temple. This communal care is still evident. Due to over twenty years of volcanic nature, weather, ocean salt and hot sun, it is time to work to preserve. One hundred-year-old buildings that are used by the community on a regular basis always need loving care and preventative care – just like people.  ~Community member Teri Hollowell Daifukuji Soto Mission’s rich history is reflected in its interesting architecture, art, and furnishings. The two rounded koa wood pillars at the front of the main altar were brought down from the mountain on sleds by a church member who was an immigrant from Hiroshima. His son and grandson made the [...]

2023-06-30T10:11:59-10:00June 30th, 2023|Categories: Blog, Featured Homepage Top|

Four Properties Added to the Hawai‘i & National Registers of Historic Places

The Hawai‘i Historic Places Review Board added three properties to the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places in November 2022. Learn more about their history, characteristics and significance. Properties are eligible for inclusion in the register if they meet one or more criteria of historic significance: A) association with broad patterns or events; B) associations with historic individuals; C) architecture and design; or D) likely to yield important information. Click on the links to access the Register nomination forms of each property. Wo Fat Chop Sui (Suey) House, O‘ahu Wo Fat as a corporate entity in its various permutations survived destruction in the Chinatown fires of 1886 and 1900, eventually moving to the corner of Hotel and Maunakea Streets in Honolulu’s Chinatown. The current iteration, the Wo Fat Chop Sui (Suey) House was built in 1937 by W.S. Ching and designed by Yuk Ton Char, a successful Chinese American architect practicing in Honolulu at the time. The property is significant under Criterion A in the areas of Ethnic/Heritage (Asian) and Commerce and under Criterion C in the area of Architecture. Stylistically, the building displays architectural motifs indicative of traditional Chinese architecture. Noteworthy elements include the curved green tile roof, decorative brackets, three-story pagoda, and distinctive signage with Hanzi script. The rare combination of architectural detailing draws inspiration from traditional Chinese motifs as well as the geometric forms associated with the Art Deco style. Part of a commercial block, Wo Fat Chop Sui was supported by Chinese and Japanese communities. The main floor housed a bar and specialty shop; the second floor was the main dining room while the Chinese pagoda on the third floor was reserved as the Dragon room for private parties. Though ownership [...]

2023-06-26T10:23:59-10:00June 22nd, 2023|Categories: Blog, Featured Homepage Top|Tags: |

Hanapēpē Bridge Replacement Includes Park Signage

A new display in Hanapēpē Community Park memorializes the history of the former Hanapēpē River Bridge on Kaumuali‘i Highway on Kaua‘i. The Federal Highway Administration and the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation moved forward with a bridge replacement project starting in 2016 after finding that the original timber piles had deteriorated due to marine borer infestation and decay. The reduced structural integrity compromised the bridge’s safety and the location of the piles made a targeted repair unfeasible, leading to the decision for a full replacement. Historic Hawai‘i Foundation participated in the review of the project’s effects on the historic bridge and signed a Memorandum of Agreement as a concurring party to the resolution of effects. Hanapēpē River Bridge was built in 1938 as part of the Kaua‘i Belt Road system as part of the work of master engineer William R. Bartels, who was Chief Highway Bridge Engineer for the Hawai‘i Territorial Highway Department. The railing and end monuments were designed to reflect the unique heritage of Hanapēpē. HDOT had previously declared the bridge to be of “high preservation value” and eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The MOA included a stipulation that FHWA and HDOT would salvage a portion of the original bridge to be incorporated into a historic display, along with signage about the history of the bridge and flood control measures, the development of Hanapēpē town, and the overall history of the community and surrounding area. After consultation with community members, the agencies decided that the community park would be the most accessible location for the displays. The display includes three interpretive signs as well as a portion of the concrete railing and end monuments. Images, top [...]

2023-06-26T12:13:42-10:00June 22nd, 2023|Categories: Blog, Featured Homepage Top|

Library restoration to result in new Kohala Heritage Center

By Linsey Dower, June 19, 2023 - Honolulu Star-Advertiser (Reprinted with permission.) A small group of volunteers in Kohala is working to raise funds to restore the town's nearly century-old Bond Memorial Library. The group is called the Bond Library Restoration Project, and they have been restoring the building across from the King Kamehameha statue in Kapaau to transform it into what will eventually become the Kohala Heritage Center. "It's really a very historical little corner," said Christine Richardson, one of the leading volunteers of the Bond Library Restoration Project. "It served as a library from 1928 until 2010, and it has rich and deep community memory." Sharon Hayden and Richardson, who are spearheading the project, initiated the restoration about a year after the library closed. They understood the historical significance of the building and sought to turn it into a heritage center rather than see it deteriorate. "We want to tell the history of Kohala," Hayden said. "There's also never been a repository for any of the items that the older folks have." Two nonprofits, the North Kohala Community Resource Center and Friends of the Future, have served as the project's fiscal sponsors, helping to process the grants and donations the project has received, Richardson said. The restored structure will house resources for the community to learn more about Kohala as a historic town and the birthplace of Kamehameha the Great. Funding aside, Richardson said that one of the biggest challenges throughout the process so far was transferring the title of the property from the state to the Bond family, who were the original property owners before the library's construction . The transfer took about 11 years and $45,000 in legal fees, which [...]

2023-06-20T10:43:11-10:00June 20th, 2023|Categories: Blog, Featured Homepage Top|

Preserving Old Lahaina Prison’s Perimeter Wall

Crumbling Walls Highlight Technical Challenges THE SITE In 1851, “an Act relating to prisons, their government and discipline” was approved by King Kamehameha III and authorized a new jail in Lahaina, Maui. The jail was to “keep entirely separate from each other the male and female prisoners, and to have a yard enclosed by fences of sufficient height and strength to prevent escapes…” What is now known as the Old Lahaina Prison was constructed in 1852 with jail cell buildings, a wooden gatehouse and a warden’s home. The perimeter wall was constructed in 1854 out of coral blocks reused from the old fort. Now an outdoor museum, the Old Lahaina Prison is a contributing site in the Lahaina National Historic Landmark. It highlights the laws of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i in the 19th century and shares stories of both sailors from whaling ships and Native Hawaiians who were held at this location. The jail was to “keep entirely separate from each other the male and female prisoners, and to have a yard enclosed by fences of sufficient height and strength to prevent escapes…” THE COLLAPSE AND REPAIR ANALYSIS In Summer 2022, a 40-foot section of the perimeter wall collapsed into the yard and was the subject of an emergency repair. In analyzing the collapse, the historic architects at MASON said, “We suspect that the two faces of the coral stone are separating due to insufficient tie stones (aka through stones or deadmen). This may have caused the walls to move out of plane and the mortar cap to split; water intrusion at the top of the wall has only exacerbated the problem. We suggest rebuilding the upper portions of the wall [...]

2023-06-16T12:17:29-10:00June 15th, 2023|Categories: Blog, Featured Homepage Top|
Go to Top