Featured Homepage Top

Restoration Work has begun! Restoration work at the historic Gulick-Rowell House in Waimea, Kaua‘i officially began in March 2025, led by Chara Hoe of Kuleana Contractors. Chara—a native Hawaiian licensed contractor born and raised on Kaua‘i—brings a deep passion for local heritage to the project. The restoration is taking place under the guidance of leading historical architect, Glenn Mason. Hoe is joined by three New England-based restoration craftsmen experts: Matt Gillard and Hudson Turbity, and Hudson’s brother Brandon who came to lend a hand with the heavy lifting (pictured above). The three immediately recognized familiar New England building techniques adapted with native Hawaiian materials. Together, this team has uncovered powerful remnants of the past, such as mysterious chalk markings on a basement support beam—possibly left by prisoners once held in the cellar while awaiting transport to Kalaupapa. While unconfirmed, it is known that the cellar was used as a holding cell at one time for those diagnosed with Hansen's disease, and the carpenters have shared that the chalk marks have no significance from a carpentry perspective. The discovery has stirred reflection on the building’s layered history. Restoration efforts are now focused on rebuilding the concrete deck and two-story lanai. The damaged deck was carefully deconstructed by hand, revealing the use of local rock—pōhaku—that will be re-placed in the rebuilt structure out of deep respect, even if it will later be covered by cement. These thoughtful decisions—preserving pōhaku, saving original wood from the lanai, and honoring the hidden stories within the walls—are what make this project so special. The House Nestled in the heart of Waimea, Kaua‘i, the Gulick-Rowell Mission House is one of the oldest surviving examples of missionary architecture anywhere in the [...]

In August, the Hawai‘i Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) issued a Draft Environmental Assessment for public review and comment on the “Rehabilitation of Chambers Level Water Proofing System and Related Improvements” (aka “Hawai‘i Capitol Pools Improvement Project”) for the Hawai‘i State Capitol. DAGS stated that the proposed improvements and modifications are needed to resolve persistent issues presented by the Capitol reflecting pools, including algae growth, leakages into office and operational spaces, and damage to the building’s structural, mechanical, and electrical components. The Capitol is located at the center of the Hawai‘i Capital Historic District, a nationally-significant historic district listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Capitol is unique among U.S. State Capitols in its use of architectural elements to reflect Hawai‘i’s landscapes, natural features, and heritage. From the exterior of the structure, this is most exemplified by the two reflecting pools, representing the ocean, the conical shape of the legislative chambers, representing the volcanoes of the state rising from the sea, the perimeter columns representing palm trees and the eight main Hawaiian Islands, and the open-air rotunda, representing the open society. Historic Hawai‘i Foundation provided comments on the proposal with major concerns about the approach. The Capitol reflecting pools are a significant, unique architectural feature of the Capitol, and reference the relationship of Hawai‘i and the ocean and the project would permanently alter them. HHF noted that although the need for the project was presented as a maintenance issue, the alternatives eliminated the option to repair the existing system and correct the deficiencies. Instead of including an option to address chronic repair and maintenance problems associated with the water-filled reflecting pools, the environmental assessment only looked at alternatives that [...]

Hawai‘i Capital Historic District and the History of Postwar American Government Centers by Daniel M. Abramson Professor of Architectural History and Director of Architectural Studies, Department of History of Art & Architecture, Boston University I am an architectural history professor at Boston University currently researching a book focused upon postwar American government complexes, including the Hawai‘i State Capitol and nearby 1960s and 1970s municipal, federal, and state buildings in the Civic Center's landscaped setting. In 2023, when I contacted the Hawai‘i State Archives, I was fortunate that an archivist, Carol Kellett, drew my attention to the 2019 symposium, “Democracy by Design, The Hawai‘i State Capitol at 50," organized by a governor- and legislature-appointed task force that included the Historic Hawaii Foundation (HHF), Hawai‘i State Archives, State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, DAGS, local architects and planners, legislators and then-First Lady, Dawn Amano-Ige. The recorded presentations are available on the HHF website and YouTube. Prior to my recent visit to the Hawai'i State Archives, I was thus able to learn from the symposium's impressive speakers and their presentations.  The talks, especially by Don Hibbard, Bettina Mehnert, David Miller, Katie Stephens, and Kelema Moses, feature invaluable information, primary sources, and extensive images about the history of the State Capitol and Civic Center planning dating back to the 1930s; the evolution of the Capitol Building design; and the cast of significant politicians, businessmen, citizens, and architects involved in the process. The Historic Hawaii Foundation's online Capital Historic District story map is also a fantastic resource, as is the booklet by Don Hibbard, Democracy By Design: The Planning and Development of the Hawaii State Capitol, which makes accessible much of the Symposium's content. I was thus [...]

by The Kohala Center staff In April 2024, The Kohala Center (TKC) welcomed weavers, artists, scientists, and cultural managers to the hala grove at Niuliʻi, Kohala, Hawaiʻi Island for a co-learning session focused on lauhala. Supported by the USGS Pacific Island Climate Adaptation Science Centers, the project titled “Lauhala: Weaving Knowledges and Practices with a Climate Resilient and Culturally Significant Plant on Hawaiʻi Island” represents a collective of hala practitioners, scientists, and knowledge stewards. The project is supported by the USGS Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center and the Indigenous Cropping Systems Laboratory of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawai'i. Partner organizations are the Enlivened Cooperative, Indigenous Cropping Systems Laboratory of UH, Kū-A-Kanaka, and The Kohala Center. Together, they are celebrating hala (Pandanus tectorius) and envisioning hopeful futures that embrace the ecological and cultural resilience of this vital plant.. Ulana lauhala, the art of weaving hala leaves, is an important Hawaiian cultural tradition. This practice is sustained by a vibrant intergenerational community of weavers, their students, and caretakers of the lauhala trees. The craft goes beyond the weaving process to include the nurturing of hala groves, the harvesting and preparation of leaves, and the creation of specialized tools. The “Lauhala” project explores the impacts of colonialism and capitalism on the practice of ulana lauhala and the broader implications that they have on other Hawaiian arts and crafts. Investigating changes over the course of local history, it examines the destruction of hala groves due to human activities such as urban expansion and sugar plantations. Additionally, it highlights the potential for restoring hala through reforestation and revitalizing ulana practices, all while considering the effects of climate change on [...]

Celebrating 60 Years of  Plant Preservation and Research "We're all about perpetuating tropical plants, ecosystems and cultural heritage. Our approach is really biocultural and what we mean by that is we care deeply about the relationships between our ecosystems and our communities, between people and plants." ~Communications Director David Bryant (as quoted in Island News, May 19, 2024) Preserving Hawaii's Rare Plant Life The National Tropical Botanical Garden, headquartered in Kalāheo, on the island of Kauaʻi, turns 60 this year. Originally created as the Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden, NTBG was chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1964 as a not-for-profit institution, dedicated to tropical plant research, conservation, and education. In the years since, its diverse collection of living and preserved plant specimens, plays a crucial role in understanding and protecting the fragile ecosystems of the Pacific region. NTBG garden sites include McBryde Garden, Allerton Garden and Limahuli Garden and Preserve on Kauaʻi; Kahanu Garden near Hana, Maui which includes the 3-acre Piʻilanihale Heiau, a National Historic Landmark believed to be the largest ancient temple in the Hawaiian Islands; and The Kampong located in Biscayne Bay, Coconut Grove, Florida.  View the timeline and history. A Repository for Genetic Diversity NTBG's native plant collection is a vast repository of genetic information for rare Hawaiian plant species.  Their meticulous record-keeping and data management systems play a crucial role in guiding the institution's conservation efforts. Through a living collections database, NTBG maintains detailed information on all the collections that come in, which helps guide where to make additional collections to have good genetic representation of some of the rare species. Collaborating for a Greener Future The NTBG's commitment to plant conservation extends beyond its own borders, as the institution [...]

Explore the history of Chinatowns in the United States through a new storytelling collection and learn how they foster belonging and connections today. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has partnered with Google Arts & Culture and collaborated with over 14 organizations and eight individual artists and creators to create a unique collection of stories about Chinatowns across the United States. The partnership builds on the National Trust’s 2022 America’s Chinatowns Initiative*, created to address a growing need to support historic Chinatowns in the United States through researching and building coalitions for that purpose. "It is long past due to ask what more the national preservation community can do to amplify existing grassroots action to support Chinatowns now and in the future." ~Di Gao, senior director of research and development at the National Trust and leader of the America’s Chinatown initiative. The vibrant online storytelling hub, Welcome to America’s Chinatowns, launched May 9, 2024, chronicles the histories and threats facing Chinatowns nationwide. View the hub HERE. Historic Hawai‘i Foundation is honored to be a participating organization, sharing a glimpse of Honolulu’s Chinatown. View HHF’s page which includes photography by Cliff Kimura, historical interpretation by local historian Gary Coover and documentary shorts by filmmakers Kimberlee Bassford and Robin Lung as part of the collection. Often the gateways for new immigrants, Chinatown’s across the United States are an integral part of our shared history and yet are increasingly threatened by economic challenges, gentrification and development. To draw attention to their history and challenges, the Welcome to America’s Chinatowns collection sheds light on what makes each a unique cultural repository by sharing stories about the businesses, individuals and organizations that live, work and play in our Chinatowns. [...]

Editor's note: In March of 2023, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation shared a blog post by Waimea Valley staff introducing their new program, Kaʻapuni o Waimea, just after its debut. The program offers visitors cultural learning opportunities at three of the valley’s cultural sites. The objective of the program design, to allow the visitor to ground their experience in cultural values and engage directly with the valley’s mission: to preserve and perpetuate the human, cultural and natural resources of Waimea for generations through education and stewardship. HHF circled back for an update a year later (see article below). Read the original post describing the program and theme of the Kaʻapuni o Waimea, the Hawaiian cultural value of hoʻokipa, HERE.  Celebrating one year of program growth at Waimea Valley By guest contributor Waimea Valley staff Photos courtesy Waimea Valley  Waimea Valley leadership is proud to share that the Cultural Programs team has established the Kaʻapuni o Waimea initiative as a foundational component of daily programming in the Valley. Beginning with a daily average of 14 pin recipients (visitors completing the program) in the early months after its launch in March of 2023, the daily average of pin recipients is now holding strong at 130. In fact, from January through March of 2024, the pace of the program participation has grown dramatically in popularity, counting over 9,800 visitors earning their pins in the three months – already surpassing the annual total of 9,500 pin recipients in 2023! The takeaway for the Cultural Programs team is that visitors to Waimea Valley are eager to actively and respectfully engage in cultural discourse, if given the opportunity. The frontline staff of Waimea Valley receives special training to be experts in a personal [...]