Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Aqua Marine

The area along the coast at the foot of Leahi (Diamond Head) between Waikiki and Kupikipiki (commonly called Black Point) is an area known as Kaluahole (‘the āhole fish cavern.’) A portion of Royal Patent Grant 3219 was deeded in June 1879 to Kahololio. The grant consisted of all the land at Kaluahole and comprised 19 acres. In 1889 Kahololio sold +/- 15 acres of the grant lands to Sanford B Dole. Between 1892 and 1912, Dole deeded various parcels to George Beckley which eventually were subdivided into various lots.

Sanford B Dole had a beach bungalow – he called it Aqua Marine. (It’s about where the Le‘ahi Beach Park is situated.) “‘Aqua Marine’ at Diamond Head is one of the prettiest places on the Island. … The Doles are thinking of living at their bungalow all the year round, for the sea air agrees so well with the Judge’s health. The Emma street house is large and comfortable, but little ‘Aqua Marine’ is always occupied the greater part of the year.”

by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Possibly the Last Human Sacrifice

“Kaʻahumanu was a woman of the chiefly stature and of celebrated beauty … her husband (Kamehameha) cherished her exceedingly. He had the indelicacy to frame and publish an especial law declaring death against the man who should approach her, and yet no penalty against herself.” “And in 1809, after thirty-four years of marriage, and when she must have been nearing fifty …”

“… Kanihonui, was found to be her lover, and paid the penalty of life”. Reportedly, Kaʻahumanu had seduced the boy while she was intoxicated; in addition, the boy was the son of Kamehameha’s half-sister – and, Kamehameha and Kaʻahumanu raised him. Kanihonui was put to death at Papaʻenaʻena Heiau on Leʻahi (Diamond Head) for committing adultery with Kaʻahumanu.

by Peter T Young 2 Comments

Mule Tunnel

Fortification of Diamond Head began in 1908 with the construction of gun emplacements and an entry tunnel through the north wall of the crater from Fort Ruger known as the Mule Tunnel. Originally, it was 5-feet wide and 7-feet high. Mules were used primarily to pull narrow gauge rail cars loaded with material in and out of the crater and to the various construction points.

The trail to the Diamond Head summit was built in 1908 as part of the US Army Coastal Artillery defense system. The battery emplacements were dispersed for concealment and to insure that a projectile striking one would not thereby endanger a neighbor. (Its name later changed to the Kapahulu Tunnel.) The headquarters of the Harbor Defenses of Honolulu came to Fort Ruger in January 1927.

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Na Lāʻau Arboretum

In 1950, George Campbell Munro started his efforts in the creation of a botanical garden of Hawaiian arid plant species. He received permission from the National Guard to plant on a 9-acre tract on the west exterior slopes of Diamond Head.

His work resulted in the Na Lāʻau Arboretum and its companion Ke Kuaʻāina garden of endemic plants, which eventually grew to over 100-acres; it became part of the Board of Agriculture park system on March 7, 1958.

by Peter T Young 3 Comments

“Take it all except the Cannon Club”

When the Vice-President of Kapiʻolani Community College visited the Army headquarters at Schofield Barracks in 1965 to ask for the former Fort Ruger lands, the general was said to have replied “Take it all except the Cannon Club.” (Cultural Surveys) Whoa … we’ve already gotten waaay too ahead of ourselves. Let’s look back. In 1884, […]