Images of Old Hawaiʻi

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Missionary Lands

At the same time that the Hawaiian Kingdom was addressing distribution of lands to the King, Chiefs and Maka‘āinana in the Great Māhele, they were also looking at land for the missionaries. Privy Council minutes note, “Some conversation then took place on the expediency and policy of granting lands to Missionaries at a price cheaper than lands are disposed of to other parties.” (Privy Council Minutes, November 23, 1849)

Non-Hawaiians were not permitted to own lands until 1850. In that year, the Privy Council noted “the important services of the missionaries” and determined that “as a bare acknowledgment of these services, every individual missionary who may have served eight years on the Islands, whether Protestant or Catholic, who does not already hold five hundred and sixty acres of land, shall be allowed to purchase land to that extent at a deduction of fifty cents on every acre from the price that could be obtained from lay purchasers …” They were also exempt from paying certain taxes and fees.

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Reviving Outrigger Canoe Racing

The improvement to a road project in West Hawai‘i was catalyst to revival of outrigger canoe racing in Hawai‘i. The Territorial government sought to improve the 39-mile Waimea to Kona roadway in the 1930s. EE Black, a contractor, built the road from Kailua-Kona to Waimea. He used the first bulldozer in the history of the Islands to do so. It opened July 22, 1933. Having just finished the road, Black approached Outrigger Canoe Club President Lorrin Thurston and asked what he could do to show his appreciation to his employees and the people of Kona for their patience during the road work.

“(Thurston) suggested perhaps we should have the rebirth of the canoe races and (Black) put up $3,000”. “They organized canoe crews from Kailua, Honaunau and Miloli‘i to compete against crews from O‘ahu: Hui Nalu, Outrigger and Queen’s Surf.” “The Inter Island Steamship Company ran a special excursion of the Waialeale for spectators to view the races.” “There were five races and Outrigger won three. The crews raced in Napo‘opo‘o. This was the first race that featured canoe racing only.” It was also the start of modern canoe racing for Outrigger women.

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Waimea-Kona Belt Road

It probably started as a foot path, then progressively improved. The 39-mile roadway was first constructed between 1916 and 1922. Using prison labor, they built the road setting rocks, rolling with a steam roller, and pouring tar heated in a pot. A camp for the prisoners who built the road was located on the down slope side of the Saddle Road intersection, where a grove of eucalyptus trees stands today.

Then, the Waimea-Kona road was rebuilt and straightened. “The formal opening of the new belt road on the island of Hawaii, July 22, 1933, was an important occasion, attended by the Governor and his party from Honolulu and many excursionists.” “The proposal has been made that the new road be named ‘Mamalahoe,’ commemorating the famous edict by King Kamehameha I, “the Law of the Splintered Paddle” making Hawaii’s highways safe for the traveler.”

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Kawaiahaʻo Steeple

The Reverend Hiram Bingham prepared plans for a stone building of two stories with cellar, galleries, pillars in front, and a bell tower. The final dimensions were 144 feet long by 78 feet wide, large enough to accommodate thousands. “March 12th, 1839. Work on meeting house commenced. June 5th. Cornerstone of church laid.” “The high chief Abner Paki furnished the corner stone which was laid in 1839. It was hewn out of the reef at Waianae and floated to Honolulu on a raft, some say on canoes.” “Rev. R. Armstrong succeeded (Hiram Bingham) as Pastor of the church, and under him it was completed and dedicated July 21, 1842 (before the steeple and gallery had been completed.)”

In 1850, the town’s first clock, presented by the King, was installed in the Kawaiaha‘o tower, having come around the Horn from Boston. It cost $1,000.00 and commenced running January 10, 1851. The tower chock has continued in operation to this date. Kawaiaha‘o Church ordered an organ in 1867 to replace the melodion then in use. Music was under the leadership of Mrs Lydia Dominis (later Queen Lili‘uokalani) and Mrs Bernice Pauahi Bishop. Pauahi died on October 16, 1884. Her will (Clause 13) “provide first and chiefly a good education in the common English branches”. But Pauahi’s will also provided funds to Kawaiaha‘o Church – $5000 for repairs to Kawaiaha‘o Church. With those funds, they built up the tower with coral stone to give it the square tower (at its present height) and removed the pointed spire.

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Bishop Bank – Waimea

Charles Reed Bishop became ‘Hawaiʻi’s First Banker’ and formed Bishop & Co Bank in 1858. In 1895, Samuel M Damon bought Bishop & Co; after the turn of the century the bank started opening neighbor island branches, including the Waimea branch on Kauai in 1911.

The Waimea branch at one time served the entire island of Kauai. As the economy of the island developed, however, additional branches on that and other islands were opened. The Bank incorporated as Bank of Bishop & Co. Ltd in 1919. After some mergers, in 1956 it was renamed Bishop National Bank of Hawai‘i; in 1960, First National Bank of Hawai‘i; then, in 1969, First Hawaiian Bank.

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Gilbert Conwall Wiltse

Gilbert Conwall Wiltse was born in New York on November 29, 1838. He was appointed to the Naval Academy from New York, and graduated on September 20, 1855. He became a midshipman on June 9, 1859, and was ordered to the frigate, Congress, the flagship of Admiral JS Sands, cruising on the Brazilian Station from 1859 to 1861. He was made Lieutenant on Aug. 31, 1861 and participated in naval war operations during the Civil War.

He was promoted to Captain on Jan. 20, 1887; he was assigned to the command of the USS Boston in 1891, and was in command of the Boston when the Hawaiian revolution occurred. At the request of United States Minister Stevens, he landed a detachment of marines. Following that, Captain Wiltse returned to New York City and died at his home, on April 26, 1893.

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Remond Grove

BF (Frank) Dillingham’s OR&L company, created in 1889, changed the landscape of west Honolulu. In the beginning, since there were as yet no real destinations along the line, Dillingham he created the concept of picnicking along Pearl Harbor and within days of the line’s opening began marketing excursions.

He held a contest that gave to Mānana the new name ‘Pearl City,’ and on its main thoroughfare, Lehua Road, he promoted a dance pavilion named Remond Grove (the large dancing pavilion had a capacity for 1,000 people.) It was built for the use of picnickers and dancing parties by the railroad company. It is seventy feet square, open on all sides, and a well-kept lawn, with a playing fountain in front, and provided with swings, croquet games, etc.