Preservation – Page 2 – Historic Hawaii Foundation

History and Art Merge at Maui’s Historic Hui Noeau Visual Arts Center

PRESERVATION IN THE NEWS: Magical Hui Noeau Visual Arts Center offers guided walking tours of the 25 acre historic Kaluanui Estate rife with history, botanical gardens and art studios. Maui estate celebrates visual arts and history By Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi Honolulu Star Advertiser August 2, 2015 COURTESY MIEKO PHOTOGRAPHY Artist Stephen Fellerman instructs students in a glass-blowing class. Classes are held in the studios, and artists often can be found working there. Visitors, both on the guided and self-guided tours, are welcome to take a quick peek at what’s going on in the studios. Potter's wheels spin; paintbrushes sweep across canvases; beads, shells and wire turn into pretty rings and bracelets. On any given day, creativity blooms at Hui Noeau Visual Arts Center. Art and history go hand in hand on these 25 Upcountry acres overlooking the West Maui Mountains and the verdant north shore. East Maui Plantation opened on the site in 1850. When it closed in 1885, entrepreneur Henry Baldwin bought the property. Three decades later his son and daughter-in-law, Harry and Ethel Baldwin, retained famed architect C.W. Dickey to design a home for them there. The elegant two-story mansion was completed in 1917; its name, Kaluanui, means "big pit," referring to nearby Maliko Gulch. HUI NOEAU VISUAL ARTS CENTER Built in 1917, Kaluanui, Harry and Ethel Baldwin’s estate, is now the home of Hui Noeau Visual Arts Center. Ethel Baldwin founded the hui in 1934. Ethel and her daughter, Frances Baldwin Cameron, were patrons of the arts, and in 1934 they formed Hui Noeau ("coming together for the development of artistic skill"), a group of 20 women who initially met at Kaluanui to pursue their shared passion for [...]

HistoricHawaii2017-04-21T01:01:16-10:00August 19th, 2015|Categories: Blog|Tags: #Historic, #Makawao, #VisualArts, Historic Walking Tour, Hui Noeau, Preservation|

Preserving the Kona Way of Life

Living History in Kona by Christine Thomas At its root, Kona remains a committed farming and ranching community. While the coast may be dotted with visitors and resorts, the mauka region is dedicated to growing crops,raising cattle and working the land. Housed in the old H. N. Greenwell general store in Kealakekua, the Kona Historical Society (KHS) upholds the mission of preserving Kona’s past to share it with future generations. It manages a robust Kona-centered archive and two historic sites--the Greenwell Store and adjacent Uchida Coffee farm, both run as living history museums. When KHS acquired the 7-acre coffee farm that had been run by the Uchida family for three generations in 1996, preservation was the goal. KHS decided to not only preserve the coffee mill, but the entire farm as a second living history museum to showcase the way of life of generations of Kona residents. Historic Hawaii Foundation (HHF) helped KHS find consultants and conservators to help bring the farm back into working order, restore the orchards and 100-year-old trees, and create an unforgettable experience that brings visitors back to the 1920‘s-1940‘s era of the farm during the coffee heyday. The property was painstakingly repaired to ensure historical accuracy, and today even includes chickens and a donkey, which would once have been used to pack and deliver bags of coffee. HHF continues to help celebrate and acknowledge volunteers and community members who actively preserve the Kona way of life, the way generations of Kona residents were raised. Farms provided a lasting foundation and ethic of hard work that can be seen in such pioneering families as the Uchidas. What was a way of life then, for many Kona residents, still is. Fast [...]

HistoricHawaii2017-04-21T01:01:17-10:00August 12th, 2015|Categories: Blog|Tags: #Historic, #Kona, #KonaCoffee, #restoration, Hawaii, Kona Historical Society, Preservation|

Disappearing Lanai – A Pictorial Essay

Preservation in the News: This stunning pictorial and historical account of Lanai will leave you breathless. Disappearing Lanai by: Derek Paiva, Photography by Grant Kaye | Hawaii Magazine - Jun 25, 2015 Lanai has always been the definition of home for Grant Kaye. Of his 36 years, the Oahu-born photographer has been a full time resident of the island for only four—from the days following his birth up until his parents, Robin and Sally, moved the family to Pennsylvania just as Kaye was about to begin school. Now living near Lake Tahoe, Kaye returns several times annually to visit his parents who, a decade ago, finally moved back to retire in the home they long ago bought, moved away from, but always kept on Lanai. Ultimately assuring Kaye could call nowhere else in the world home, however, were the summer vacations he’d spend on Lanai from grade school through his high school graduation—times spent reconnecting with friends, his extended hanai ohana (adopted family) and the island itself. On Lanai, the Pennsylvania kid would revel in days and nights spent spearfishing, camping, beaching and exploring with his summer buddies. Guided and educated by family friend “Uncle” Albert Morita, a game warden who was raised on Lanai, Kaye found the little-populated, largely undeveloped 140-square-mile island an undiscovered country ripe for exploration. “Every trip back, my dad and I would spend as much time as we could with Uncle Albert, who would always want to take us to somewhere that we’d never been before,” remembers Kaye. “His family had lived on [Lanai] forever and he had such a deep love for the island and still does. We’d go to see petroglyphs or a heiau, always someplace different.” Those summers [...]

HistoricHawaii2017-04-21T01:01:17-10:00July 23rd, 2015|Categories: Blog|Tags: #fishpond, #Historic, #Lanai, #restoration, Hawaii, Preservation|

Community Workshop Scheduled to Revisit Vision for Pearl Harbor Historic Trail

Preservation in the News: Imagine an 18-mile shoreline trail from Aiea to Nanakuli incorporating historic sites, recreation areas and various other related attractions? Come to the community meeting and workshop at Aiea Elementary School on Wednesday, July 22 to discuss and help form the vision. Pearl Harbor Historic Trail meeting set By Jayna Omaye, Honolulu Star Advertiser Jul 16, 2015 The vision of the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail took root nearly 15 years ago when Aiea and Pearl City residents helped to compile a master plan for a trail along the shoreline to Nanakuli from Aiea that would host, among other things, improved bicycle and pedestrian paths, boat tours and a cultural learning center. City officials are now making efforts to relaunch the project that seeks to drive economic development and establish historic preservation plans on an 18-mile trail linking neighborhoods to various attractions, historic sites and recreation areas along the old Oahu Railway & Land Co. corridor. The master plan, developed in 2001 through community input and adopted by the City Council in 2003, serves as the basis for the revitalization of the shoreline that currently features a city-run bike path from Pearl Harbor to Waipahu and Ewa Beach, with the hope of extending it into Nanakuli. A long-term goal was to operate a steam train along the entire historic railway by extending a route that the Hawaiian Railway Society currently operates from Ewa Beach to Kahe Point. In 2005, then-Gov. Linda Lingle signed a bill that officially recognized the path from Halawa Landing near the USS Arizona Visitors Center through Waipahu as the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail, which was seen by proponents as a breakthrough in moving forward with the master plan. Officials [...]

HistoricHawaii2017-04-21T01:01:17-10:00July 20th, 2015|Categories: Blog|Tags: #fishpond, #Historic, #Lanai, #restoration, Hawaii, Preservation|

800 year old Lanai Fishpond to be Restored

Preservation in the News: Multiple generations come out to help with the restoration of an 800 year old fishpond on the island of Lanai. Nonprofit group to restore ancient Lanai fishpond July 15, 2015 By Associated Press WAILUKU >> A fishpond on the coastline of Lanai that is believed to be 800 years old is being restored this summer by children and adults. The Maui News reports that the nonprofit Lanai Culture & Heritage Center began work to restore the Waiopae fish pond last month with the help from some 140 children and teens. The restoration project is a public-private partnership between the nonprofit and landowner Pulama Lana'i. The group hopes to restore the pond's barrier by building a 2,000-foot long, crescent shaped wall that will be 500 feet from the shore at its farthest point. The restoration project is the first program under a new bill that passed this year which simplified the permitting process for groups applying to restore and maintain Hawaiian fishponds.

HistoricHawaii2017-04-21T01:01:17-10:00July 15th, 2015|Categories: Blog|Tags: #fishpond, #Historic, #Lanai, #restoration, Hawaii, Preservation|

Development and Redevelopment in a Historic District

By Kiersten Faulkner, Executive Director With the advent of the City and County of Honolulu's transit oriented development (TOD) project spurring many questions from the community, we wanted to take a moment to share some of our thoughts on development and redevelopment in a historic district. The best type of redevelopment in a historic district is to use rehabilitation and adaptive use of existing structures. There are opportunities for hidden density by increasing use of currently vacant second floors in existing buildings. Many of the second floors of historic buildings could be used for housing, office, small-scale manufacturing or even retail. There are also a few underutilized lots or surface parking lots scattered in the area (especially mauka of Beretania Street) that could accommodate low-scale, new development that would fit with the scale and character of the area. Maintaining, preserving and upgrading existing buildings would also utilize the existing fabric in a way that respects the heritage and character, and also is more affordable and less environmentally damaging than new construction. Both Chinatown and Downtown Honolulu are already transit-oriented developments, so any additions or changes to the districts should use a light touch, polishing or investing in the existing urban fabric rather than trying to re-invent the entire area. The City’s transit oriented development (TOD) zoning overlay district specifically calls for plans, development and implementation actions to preserve individual and groupings of historic and cultural resources through the application of architectural and other design guidelines and standards for development; and also requires that TOD zones and implementing regulations include objectives addressing neighborhood character, unique community history, and protection of historic resources. The draft Downtown TOD plan includes specific goals and objectives to protect and preserve [...]

HistoricHawaii2015-07-14T10:36:38-10:00July 14th, 2015|Categories: Ask an Expert|Tags: #Historic, #HistoricHawaiiFoundation, #HistoricSites, #TOD, Preservation|

Preservation Tips: Removing Graffiti from Historic Buildings

Safely Removing Graffiti from Historic Buildings July 1, 2015 Building owners, professionals and concerned community members joined us at Lyon Associates on 45 N. King Street yesterday for the first of 3 presentations in our Sustaining Chinatown: Historic Preservation Summer Series 2015. The series is co-sponsored by Historic Hawaii Foundation, Chinatown Improvement District and Lyon Associates. A tip for removing graffiti from historic buildings from yesterday's presentation: always use the gentlest means possible to avoid harming the underlying material. Chinatown brick is soft and will powder if the hard exterior layer is removed. Make sure the mortar is well-pointed before using pressure washing to avoid water damage. Chemical cleaning tests found that “Dumond Smart Strip Pro” was most effective for spray paint and silver coating on brick (but not for use on softer materials, like limestone or marble substrates). For more information and availability go to www.dumondchemicals.com A report on the results of a study on Graffiti Cleaning and Prevention on Historic Chinatown Buildings with useful information on graffiti prevention and treatment approaches will be available soon. Email outreach@historichawaii.org to request a PDF copy when it's published. Though the study's focus is buildings in Honolulu's Chinatown, the information is applicable to buildings made of similar construction materials located throughout Hawaii. Upcoming sessions will cover water damage & repair and tax credits & permitting in a historic district. Click here for more information and to register.

HistoricHawaii2017-04-21T01:01:17-10:00July 1st, 2015|Categories: Blog|Tags: #Historic, #HistoricCemeteries, #HistoricHawaiiFoundation, cemeteries, Hawaii, Preservation|

Architecture and Preservation Communities Mourn the Passing of Spencer Leineweber

Spencer Leineweber and her husband, Michael, were charter members and stalwart supporters of Historic Hawai‘i Foundation and heritage protection efforts for over 40 years. Spencer received HHF’s Haines Award for lifetime achievement in historic preservation in 2013. Her preservation projects included restoration of notable sites such as Hawai‘i Mission Houses; Lyman Museum; Hawai‘i Plantation Village; and ‘Ewa Village. She was a Professor and Director of Graduate Programs at the School of Architecture at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, and oversaw the Heritage Center at the university. She authored the Campus Heritage Report for UH-Mānoa, and oversaw the preservation work at the Charlot House. She also served as one of the Hawai‘i Advisors to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and on the Committee for Historic Resources for the American Institute of Architects. Less than a week before her death, Spencer attended a meeting of historic homeowners about a bill being considered by the Honolulu City Council that would reduce preservation incentives, lending her expertise and authority to the advocacy effort. We will miss her deeply, and our sympathies go to her family.

HistoricHawaii2017-04-21T01:01:18-10:00June 29th, 2015|Categories: Blog|Tags: #Historic, #HistoricCemeteries, #HistoricHawaiiFoundation, cemeteries, Hawaii, Preservation|

Preserving Hawaii’s Historic Cemeteries

Preservation in the News: This past week, UH Students and community members learned best practices for grave marker restoration and documentation from experts including Richard Miller who oversees the restoration of thousands of burial sites at Kalaupapa National Historic Park on Molokai. ********* Bruce Asato / basato@staradvertiser.com University of Hawaii architecture student Lin Whipkey used shaving cream Thursday to make out lettering on a gravestone that was otherwise unreadable in Ma‘e¬ma‘e Chapel Cemetery in Nuu¬anu. UH students in American studies and architecture joined community members to gather and re¬cord information at the cemetery. Of grave concern: Protecting cemeteries A historic cemetery receives care as community members and students work to document the people buried there By Dan Nakaso Honolulu Star Advertiser, Jun 6, 2015 One half of an ancient grave marker lay in a hole at Ma‘ema‘e Chapel Cemetery in Nuuanu among a pile of rocks. The other half had been left nearby. Both pieces were discovered Thursday during a University of Hawaii and community effort to document the condition of the half-acre cemetery and its 120 or so burial sites. Richard Miller, who oversees the restoration of thousands of burial sites at Kalaupapa National Historic Park on Molokai, on Friday showed the UH students and community members how to seal the two pieces of the weather-worn headstone back together with masonry epoxy. After spending two days cleaning and documenting the conditions of the grave markers and burial sites at Ma‘ema‘e, the 20 or so American-studies students and community members will do similar work cleaning and cataloging grave markers Wednesday and Thursday at Pauoa Hawaiian Cemetery in Pauoa. Then they'll give detailed information about the state of the burial sites at both locations [...]

HistoricHawaii2017-04-21T01:01:18-10:00June 8th, 2015|Categories: Blog|Tags: #Historic, #HistoricCemeteries, #HistoricHawaiiFoundation, cemeteries, Hawaii, Preservation|

Kauai Lighthouse Shines a Beacon on the Past

Preservation in the News: a captivating tour spotlights the lighthouse at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge renamed the Daniel K. Inouye Kilauea Point Lighthouse after the late Senator. ********* PHOTO: HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY A view of the lighthouse’s dramatic location overlooking the ocean. Tours illuminate Kauai lighthouse's beauty, past By Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi Honolulu Star Advertiser, May 24, 2015 Old and worn — like a fisherman who's spent too many days in the wind and sun." That was Louise Barnfield's impression of the lighthouse at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge when she saw it on her first visit to Kauai in January 2008. The senior manager for Oracle Corp. and her husband, who were then living in the San Francisco Bay area, visited Kauai five times after that before retiring there in August 2012. On four of those trips, they returned to the lighthouse and were happy to see restoration work underway. "I started volunteering at the refuge the week after we moved to Kauai," Barnfield said. "By then, the lighthouse was shrouded in scaffolding and tenting. A sign said the work would be completed for its centennial on May 1, 2013." COURTESY JILLIAN COSGROVE/USFWS The Daniel K. Inouye Kilauea Point Lighthouse, left. In 1909, the U.S. government purchased the 31-acre site for it from Kilauea Sugar Co. for $1 and allocated $75,000 for the project. Construction began in July 1912, and the station was dedicated on May 1, 1913. Its beacon could be seen from 20 miles at sea, 90 miles from the air. Kilauea Point Light Station, later called Kilauea Point Lighthouse, guided ships past Kauai's rugged north coast for more than 60 years (see sidebar). During its centennial [...]

HistoricHawaii2017-04-21T01:01:18-10:00June 2nd, 2015|Categories: Blog|Tags: Hawaii, petroglyphs, Preservation, Volcano|