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Nancy Bannick & Her Passion for Preservation Looking back to the first Honor Awards in 1975, it's hard to believe it was 41 years ago!  The very first recognition was awarded to dedicated preservationist and community activist, Nancy Bannick, who passed away in 2008. For 60 plus years, Bannick was a supporter, dedicated volunteer and an inspiration not only to Historic Hawaii Foundation but to the entire preservation community. A charter member of Historic Hawaii Foundation, Bannick was a committed and tireless advocate for preserving architecturally significant and historically important buildings, as well as exceptional trees, landscapes and natural resources. She is especially well known for her decades long fight to save Honolulu Chinatown, which was declared a historic district in 1973.  You can read more about the saving of Chinatown in Bannick's book, "A Close Call" co-authored by David and Scott Cheever, which was published in paperback in 2005. Bannick moved to Hawai‘i in 1948 and worked for more than 20 years as the editor of the travel publication Sunset magazine. A close friend said it was her time at Sunset writing and photographing Hawaii's treasures that kindled a deep passion and sincere interest in preserving Hawai‘i’s unique history.  Bannick played a leading role in helping to save and document not just Chinatown but also the Waikīkī War Memorial Natatorium and Kapi‘olani Park. She also dedicated herself to numerous community organizations and was the voice and driving spirit behind many. Thank you Nancy Bannick for charging and fighting to preserve Hawai‘i’s historic places and their stories!  

2016 Marks 50 Years since the National Historic Preservation Act was Signed into Law President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the NHPA into law on October 15, 1966   The National Historic Preservation Act (Public Law 89-665; 16 U.S.C. 470 et seq. was signed into law on October 1966 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. It was created to in response to nationwide destruction brought about by federally initiated programs.   What served as a catalyst to prompt it's creation? In 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower signed into law the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act which prompted the construction of 41,000 miles of the interstate highway system. Due to the new construction, many people were displaced from their homes, communities were cut in half, and historic properties and sites were destroyed, left to decay or abandoned entirely. Then in the 1960’s the Kennedy administration pushed for the Urban Renewal Program hoping to rejuvenate cities. The program provided federal funding to cities to cover the cost of acquiring areas perceived to be "slums". However, the program's unintended consequences included the gutting of historic centers of towns and cities across America. This created a rapid change in lifestyle. Population was booming, cars were being manufactured at break neck speed and urbanization, tear downs and the rebuilding of America was taking place. Many people felt a negative impact as the physical evidence of their past, culture and stories were disappearing.   What Happened Next In 1964, the United States Conference of Mayors undertook a study of historic preservation. The resulting report, "With Heritage So Rich," revealed a growing public interest in preservation and the need for a unified approach to the protection of historic resources. This report influenced Congress [...]

Hawaii's Backyard| Travel By Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi for the Honolulu Star Advertiser April 17, 2016 COURTESY FLUMIN’ KOHALA Visitors exit one of Kohala Ditch’s tunnels on a tour with Flumin’ Kohala. COURTESY FLUMIN’ KOHALA Be prepared to get wet while kayaking through Kohala Ditch. COURTESY FLUMIN’ KOHALA Kids stroll across a catwalk on their way to the kayaks’ launch site. Bernelle Camara is a proud daughter of Kohala. Her roots in that rural district of Hawaii island run deep — four generations, to be exact: Her paternal and maternal great-grandparents moved there from Maui and the Philippines, respectively, seeking a better life. “My paternal great-grandfather worked for Hawaii Railway Co., which ran the ‘Sugar Cane Train,’” Camara said. “The train carried processed cane from the mills to the wharf at Makukona, 7 miles west of Hawi town. My maternal great-grandfather worked for Kohala Sugar Co. as a truck driver.” Kohala Sugar closed in 1975, six years before Camara was born. When she was growing up, the Kohala Ditch (see sidebar) was on privately owned land that was not open to the public. Her mother, however, shared many fond memories about that irrigation system, including swimming there with her two brothers. The ditch was a 2-mile bike ride from their Hawi home. “If it weren’t for the ditch, my family, like many others, would not have made Kohala their home,” Camara said. “The ditch supplied water for sugar cane cultivation, which provided jobs for them.” Today Camara is general manager of Flumin’ Kohala, which takes visitors on a leisurely kayak ride down the historic ditch. Flumin’ Kohala is the operating name of Kohala Eco Ventures, whose executives also run the Kohala Ditch Co., the manager and [...]