Events – Past

Announcing the 30th Annual Free Lunchtime Lecture Series featuring "Experts at the Cathedral" Winter 2017, January 26-March 2 The tradition continues! This year's theme is “House Museums and Their Role in Preservation and Education.” The free weekly lunchtime lectures will be held on Thursdays from January 26 – March 2, from 12-1 p.m. at St. Andrew's Cathedral, Von Holt Room, 229 Queen Emma Square, Honolulu This year's sessions include: January 26: Teresa Valencia, Curator, ‘Iolani Palace, “‘Iolani Palace: Challenges and Opportunities in the Care and Interpretation of Historic Homes” February 2:  Dr. Thomas Woods, Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives, “Mission Houses: The Improbable Partnership Between American Protestant Missionaries and Hawaiian Ali‘i” February 9:  Paige Donnelly, Associate Curator of Programs, Shangri La, A Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design, “Programming at Shangri La: New Approaches to Curation” February 16: Mahealani Bernal, Docent Coordinator, Daughters of Hawai‘i, “Queen Emma Summer Palace: New Directions in Curation and Interpretation”   Changed to House Museums, Here & Around the World. What are They? What Makes them Unique? Presented by Dr. William Chapman, Director of the Historic Preservation Program, Department of American Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa. February 23: Robert Liljestrand, Principal and Director, Liljestrand House, “The Liljestrand House: Preserving a Mid Twentieth-Century Masterpiece” March 2: Jenny Eagle, Education Director, and Jenny Leung, Collections Manager, Mānoa Heritage Center,  “Master Campus Planning: Integrating Kuali‘i and Mānoa Heritage Center” The annual series is sponsored by the Historic Preservation Program, Department of American Studies, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa; the Friends of ‘Iolani Palace; and Historic Hawai‘i Foundation.                     Stop by on your lunch hour and feel free to bring a brown bag [...]

Join Historic Hawai‘i Foundation for an open house and reception at Laulima House in Makiki to see a success story of a threatened place that has been saved and to learn about other Endangered Places that can be preserved with thoughtful and timely action. (Photo courtesy of David Croxford: Laulima House, built in 1924, in the popular Beaux-Arts style in Makiki.) Most Endangered Pau Hana Wednesday, November 9 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Historic Laulima House 1802 Ke‘eaumoku Street, Honolulu Tickets: $15 HHF Members/ $20 General General street parking available TICKETS Download Flier Watch for HONOLULU Magazine's November issue with the complete 2016 Most Endangered list due out November 1st! The annual list spotlights historic and cultural sites in Hawai‘i that are at risk of destruction or irreparable damage. The goal is to make the public aware of the threats facing these sites and galvanize action to preserve them. The event will include: Tours of the historic Laulima House (now being used for programs and services at Catholic Charities Hawaii) begin at 5:30 p.m. Presentation of the 2016 Most Endangered Places at 6:15 p.m. Updates from past years' lists Light refreshments Hosted by:

Join Historic Hawai‘i Foundation and National Park Service for a free class on how to preserve and rehabilitate historic places to protect their authentic character and sustain them for future generations. The three-hour classes will help owners, managers and others with responsibility for historic buildings and sites learn best practices and guidelines for historic preservation. ATTENDEES WILL LEARN: How to determine if a property is eligible for the Register of Historic Places. The treatment options for historic properties and how to select which is appropriate for a particular place and use. How to identify and describe character-defining features of a historic property. Standards and criteria for rehabilitation of historic properties. How to include special considerations for code compliance, accessibility, sustainability and hazardous materials abatement in preservation projects. Presenters: Kiersten Faulkner, Executive Director, Historic Hawaii Foundation; Tanya Gumapac-McGuire, Preservation Associate, Historic Hawaii Foundation and guest presenter, Elaine  Jackson-Retondo, National Park Service. Dr. Elaine Jackson-Retondo works for the National Park Service and is currently the Acting Branch Chief for the National Historic Landmarks Program in D. C.   Jackson-Retondo’s permanent position is in the Pacific West Regional Office San Francisco, CA. She currently serves as the Pacific West History Program Manager and has worked in the National Park Service since 2002. Jackson-Retondo earned her Doctorate in Architectural History and Masters of Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley and her Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Jackson-Retondo’s current and past work has included the National Park Service’s American Latino Heritage Initiative, Asian American Pacific Islander Initiative, Japanese American confinement during World War II, Cesar Chavez and the Farm-worker [...]

On a calm summer evening, 80 lucky guests and our staff and volunteer team explored the remarkable history, architecture and modern ingenuity of the local Chinatown scene from the second story. We saw the sites and heard the challenges and benefits of reworking the spaces from the owners. With so much happening at street level it's easy to see why so few know about the hidden charms of upstairs venues. Our tour included 5 venues paired with delectable eats from 4 local eateries. Mahalo nui to our co-sponsor, Chinatown Improvement District, and our volunteers, building hosts and food vendors who helped to create a truly unique experience: Tita and Lee Stack, Mat D'Ascoli, Pegge Hopper, Celine Casamina of ROC, Dusty Grable, Epic, Fete, Senia and Tchin Tchin! Historic Hawaii Foundation & Chinatown Improvement District present: Chinatown Upstairs: An Exclusive Discovery of History, Architecture & Food Thursday, June 23, 2016 5:30pm-8:30pm Learn more about how Honolulu Chinatown, a mixed use urban historic neighborhood, is creating a vibrant and diverse community of businesses on the second floor of historic buildings.  See examples of adaptive re-use projects, learn about the architecture and history from event docents along with the current owner or business owner’s insights into renovation of the building and space. The evening will include an exploration of 5 upper levels in historic Honolulu Chinatown buildings with docent-led tours and small plates from partner eateries.  The tour will include one restaurant, two private loft spaces, and two co-operative office spaces.  Small tasting plates will be provided at four of the locations by: Chris Kajioka, Epic Restaurant, Fete, and Tchin Tchin. Cash bar at two of the locations. Click here to purchase tickets: [...]

Historic Hawai‘i Foundation and the Chinatown Improvement District are pleased to announce the historic preservation summer series for 2016. The 3-part series provides information about methods, techniques and resources to preserve historic commercial buildings. The seminars provide practical, specific information on maintaining and rehabilitating historic structures, helping them to continue to provide benefits to the owners, the historic district and the greater community. The 2016 series will be held on the second Wednesday of the months of June, July and August from 12 – 1 p.m. at Lyon Associates, 45 No. King Street, 5th Floor. The one-hour classes are free and open to the public. Download Flier (PDF) Wednesday, JUNE 8: Building System Upgrades: Mechanical Systems and Energy Conservation Presented by: Allana Buick & Bers Inc. Click on the title below to download the presentation: Building System Upgrades: Mechanical Systems and Energy Conservation Wednesday, JULY 13: Hazardous Materials Abatement: Lead Paint, Asbestos, Canec and Pesticides Presented by: EMET Wednesday, AUGUST 10: Zoning and Special District Design Guidelines in Chinatown Presented by: City & County of Honolulu Dept. of Planning & Permitting Click on the title below to download the presentation: Zoning & Special District Design Guidelines in Chinatown CLICK HERE TO REGISTER This series is proudly sponsored by: Historic Hawaii Foundation, Chinatown Improvement District and Lyon Associates.

Historic Hawai‘i Foundation is pleased to announce that the 2016 Preservation Honor Awards ceremony will be held on Friday, May 27, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. in the Pōmaika‘i Ballrooms at Dole Cannery Square, 735 Iwilei Road, Honolulu, Hawai‘i. This special event will include dinner, presentation of the Honor Awards, and silent auction of Hawaiiana art and memorabilia.

The Board of Trustees invites current Historic Hawai‘i Foundation members to attend the 2016 Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at 5:30 p.m., at Aloha Tower Marketplace/Hawai‘i Pacific University in Honolulu.

Successful preservation efforts begin with community engagement. At our April event we learned about the history of our urban parks and the worldwide playground movement and Mother Waldron and her namesake park. Our presenters also broached the subject and significance of open space in an urban environment. After the formal presentations we broke into groups, dug deep and answered some questions: 1. Are historic parks and open spaces relevant to you and, if yes, what makes them so? 2. What would you like to see more of in terms of open spaces in Honolulu (i.e., community gardens, parks, access to the coast, etc.)? 3. What are some of the challenges facing our open spaces in Honolulu? 4. Are you involved in stewarding Honolulu’s parks and other open spaces? Take a peek at the photos where you can find some of the answers. Mahalo nui loa to our presenters:  Wendy cAllaster, HHF Planners; Adele Balderston, UHERO and Annie Koh, UH Department of Urban & Regional Planning (both Adele & Annie were instrumental in the creation of the Kakaako Our Kuleana series).  Mahalo too, to our event co-sponsor, Tina Aiu and the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust & Stanford Carr for providing a perfect venue. The event was followed by a park clean-up at Mother Waldron led by the Halekauwila Place Apartments management team. Historic Urban Parks Presentation & Talk Story Saturday, April 9, 2016 \ 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. Free & open to the public* Halekauwila Place Apartments Community Room 665 Halekauwila St, Honolulu, HI 96813 LEARN about the history and significance of Honolulu’s historic parks (Mother Waldron Park, Ala Moana Park, Irwin Park, Walker Park and Thomas Square), and their relevance as community gathering [...]

Join Historic Hawai‘i Foundation on Saturday, February 13, 9-11:30 a.m. for a tour of four historic churches in downtown Honolulu. Docents will provide information about the history and architecture of The Cathedral of St. Andrew, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Our Lady of Peace Cathedral, and Kawaiaha‘o Church. Self-guided tour* with docents sharing fascinating bits of history and architecture: *Arrive for your self-guided tour anytime between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Docents will be available during this time. Check-in at: The Cathedral of Saint Andrew 229 Queen Emma Square Downtown Honolulu Tour is rain or shine. Come prepared to walk up to 1.5 miles with some uneven surfaces and steps. Dress: Casual modest attire. Please bring your own water bottle or container. Special add on option: Visit Mission Social Hall & Café for lunch (open 11:00 – to 2:00) & stay for a guided house tour of Hawaiian Mission Houses including the Preservation Honor Award winning, Judd Dispensatory. Admission sold separately. Tickets Tickets are $10 for HHF Members and $15 general admission Reservations RSVP on EventBrite Flier Download (PDF)

Cultural Tour Rich in Mo‘olelo of the Kaneohe-he'eia Ahupua'a Delights HHF Members! On Saturday, October 24, twenty-two people took part in a specially arranged “HHF members only” cultural tour hosted by Mahealani Cypher and Rocky Kaluhiwa of the Ko‘olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club. The walk/drive event offered numerous examples of Wahi Pana or “storied places”, a recurring theme throughout 2015. This docent-led cultural tour of the Kāne‘ohe-He‘eia ahupua‘a is one of many offered by the Civic Club as part of their cultural awareness program with the goal being to educate people about the history, heritage and culture of the Hawaiian people. The day was bright, the mountains green from recent rain and the mo‘olelo and personal antidotes shared at each site fascinating. Our tour headsets on loan from our friends at Pacific Islands Institute (PII) were amazing and helped the group stay cohesive and informed at each stop. The 3 hour tour included 5 stops: Pu‘uwaniania Heiau on Pali Highway; Nu‘uanu Pali lookout; Kawa‘ewa‘e Heiau; Naoneala‘a and St. Ann’s Cemetery. A delicious lunch of local fare catered by chef Davina Day of Gourmet Day capped the extraordinary day in Kāne‘ohe. Mahalo to our docents, Ko‘olaupoko members Mahealani and Rocky, for sharing the history, to Rocky and HHF Board Member Rick Houck for driving the rental vans and to PII for sharing their technology! Enjoy some pictures from our tour below!