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By Alton Exzabe  After attending the two-day Trades Training Workshop, Maintenance & Repair of Historic Structures, at Kōke‘e Civilian Conservation Corps Camp, on Kaua‘i  in September 2023, I was fortunate to be a part of a team that conducted restoration work at the historic Pua Akala Cabin located at the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) on Hawai‘i Island. The cabin is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Built in 1883, the cabin is constructed almost entirely of native Koa wood. As an Archaeologist for the USFWS, I had no prior experience performing this type of work but was able to employ the methods taught during the Workshop and work with colleagues to repair and reinstall several damaged windows from the cabin. The windows had been previously removed from the cabin, so we conducted the repair work at the Hakalau Forest NWR Station workshop. Tasks entailed cleaning and preparing the windows by removing deteriorated putty, light sanding, and the application of linseed oil. We removed broken glass panes and replaced them with new ones, installing glazing points and new glazing putty to secure the panes. Once the windows were assembled, we reinstalled them in the cabin. We also reglazed the two front porch windows without taking them off the cabin. Additional linseed oil was applied to parts of the exterior window frames to afford protection from the weather. The wide range of techniques I learned at the Workshop proved practical for these repairs and will come in handy for similar future efforts. Alton Exzabe, a Wai‘anae native, is Zone Archaeologist on the Cultural Resources Team, Hawai‘i and Pacific at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [...]

HHF volunteer, Lexi Smith, set out to experience the charming architecture and history of Waikīkī's Gold Coast firsthand. She downloaded HHF's  Historic Homes in Waikīkī Walking Tour Map and followed the self-guided itinerary stopping to sketch and write along the way.  Lexi shares her experience and a bit of the history and some of the architecture she encountered in her blog post below. Note: The self-guided itinerary is suitable for individual travelers rather than group tours, and focuses on sites of historic or cultural significance that are either open to the public or visible from the public way. The walking tour includes reminders on how to be a good visitor, including not to trespass on private property or to cause any harm to historic sites. Quaint Architecture, Open Space and Diamond Head Create a Special Neighborhood By Lexington Smith The War Memorial Natatorium The first “living” war memorial in the United States rests where the water meets the land. This Memorial calls for people to interact with the water, whether it is the swimming pool within or the surrounding ocean. The soft pink color of the main entryway, an elaborate sculpture and triumphal arch entablature, catches your eye in the sun’s heat and mutes the city traffic behind. The Memorial is dedicated to those from Hawai‘i who served in World War I. Whether you are spending the day at Kaimana Beach Park or just parking your car off Kalākaua Avenue, The War Memorial Natatorium offers a reminder of those who served.  The Tahitienne Tucked away at the ends of Kalākaua Avenue, the Tahitienne, a nine-story apartment building rendered in 1950 modern, utilitarian style, stands at the shoreline hidden by trees. Built in 1957, [...]

Hala is happy when birds can fly through. ~Emily Claspell, kumu ulana lauhala According to Aunty Emily Claspell, you know that hala is happy when birds can fly through its branches and leaves. Hala is a resilient plant that withstands drought, winds, fires and salt sprays. Each part of the tree has uses critical to the cultural heritage of the people in Hawai‘i: fruit and flowers to eat and to make lei, poles and branches for construction, leaves for weaving, medical use, erosion control, windbreak, as well as shade and shelter. The Kohala Center—an independent research, education, and ʻāina stewardship nonprofit for healthier ecosystems established in 2000—was gifted 48 acres of historically significant conservation and agricultural land on the North Kohala coast on Hawai‘i Island. Many practitioners agree that the variety and quality of Niuliʻi hala is the best in all of Hawai‘i. Niuliʻi  hala is the strongest and best, the salt air strengthens and thickens the lauhala. There are very special and rare hala on site that have not been seen in other areas. ~Uncle Maʻulili Dickson, crewmember on the Nā Kālai Wa‘a. The Kohala Center developed a plan to preserve and perpetuate Niuli‘i by restoring the overgrown and neglected hala groves. Through cultivating and nurturing hala, TKC was able to cultivate their knowledge and enlarge it with the support of cultural practitioners and community stewards. With funding support from the Freeman Foundation in cooperation with Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, TKC spent two years conducting an ecosystem health assessment with a team of lauhala practitioners and specialists in order to identity the best section of hala in which to focus preservation efforts and restoration planting activities and to target invasive plant species for [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]