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October 9, 2019 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Fernhurst

“In the block on King street, bordered by Alapai and facing makai, there stands a garden. It is an old garden because the royal palms tower so high, and only ancient palms attain so majestic a height.”

“For many years the owner of this garden, Mrs. Juliette M. Atherton, planted and tended the shrubs, vines and ferns with loving care. She named her home embowered in the shade of growing things, Fernhurst.” (The Friend, November 1921)

Let’s step back a bit and get some context.

William Richard Castle and Amos Starr Cooke founded the Castle and Cooke Company in 1851. Joseph Ballard Atherton began his career as a clerk with Castle and Cooke after coming to Hawaiʻi in 1858.

He married Amos’ daughter Juliette Montague Cooke and rose to the presidency of the company, one of the “Big Five” firms that had a major influence on the economy of Hawaiʻi.

The Atherton’s home was ‘Fernhurst,’ described above.

In 1921, the Atherton family gifted their near-downtown residence, Fernhurst, to the YWCA in memory of their daughter, Kate, and in tribute to her deep interest in the welfare of girls.

The YWCA of Oʻahu is the oldest continuous service organization devoted to women and children in Hawaiʻi; in 1900, a small group of women met at Mrs. BF Dillingham’s home at Arcadia on Punahou Street to organize the YWCA.

From the beginning, the YWCA was organized to provide the working women of Honolulu a safe place to build friendships, develop or maintain solid values and learn skills to become more productive members of the community; but over the years, the vehicles for accomplishing those goals have changed in response to the times.

Earliest classes included English, Bible and lace-making. By 1906, when it joined the YWCA of the USA, recreational and athletic programs including tennis and swimming classes had been added.

The first YWCA residence for young working women, The Homestead, was opened and addressed community concerns over the lack of safe and affordable housing accommodations in Hawaii.

Then, in 1921, Fernhurst was added to the YWCA. The original Fernhurst served as a temporary home for as many as 10,000 young working women.

In the 1940s, when housing was at a premium due to the arrival of civilian war workers, Fernhurst was one of the most active gathering places in the city.

‘The Friend’ recorded the house blessing: “Another generation will pass in and out the noble driveway and occupy the inviting rooms and broad lanais of the commodious white building, risen on the site of the family home of the Athertons, as if it grew there like the protecting trees that shield it from the glare of our Island sunlight.”

“Perceiving the need of a new YWCA home for girls who come from their own far-off homes, the Atherton family have built this sheltering roof tree, and have presented it to the Association, a fitting memorial to their sister, Kate Marion Atherton.”

“It bears the same name as the former Fernhurst, home of Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Atherton, that Christian home of cheer and friendliness, where the latch-string was always out for friend and stranger alike.” (The Friend, November 1921)

Three years later, in 1924, Julia Morgan was retained to design a new main YWCA facility on Richards Street and “Laniākea,” as it was aptly named, was dedicated in 1927.

Later, in 1952, the Fernhurst property was sold to the Honolulu Rapid Transit Authority (the site is now the bus transit depot at Alapai and King Streets) and another ‘Fernhurst’ opened at its present location on Wilder Avenue, near Punahou School in Makiki.

Today, the facility is entirely mission oriented and dedicated to empowering women successfully transitioning from prison back into the community.

Homebase is offered as an extended affordable housing option for women who complete the Ka Hale Ho‘āla Hou No Nā Wāhine furlough program. (YWCA)

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Fernhurst-(YWCA)-1921
Construction - Fernhurst-(YWCA)-1921
1917 Queen Liliuokalani's YWCA Membership Card-(YWCA)
Fernhurst-Porch-(YWCA)-1921
Early YWCA Luau-(YWCA)
Fernhurst_Makiki-(YWCA)
Fernhurst-Makiki-(YWCA)
1st_Meeting_at_Dillingham_house_to_form_Hawaii_YCWA-(YWCA)
Sanborn Fire map illustrates HRT car barn and electric power house-1927

Filed Under: Buildings, General Tagged With: Atherton, Fernhurst, Hawaii, Laniakea, YWCA

December 19, 2013 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Laniākea

The YWCA of Oʻahu is the oldest continuous service organization devoted to women and children in Hawaiʻi; in 1900, a small group of women met at Mrs. BF Dillingham’s home at Arcadia on Punahou Street to organize the YWCA.

From the beginning, the YWCA was organized to provide the working women of Honolulu a safe place to build friendships, develop or maintain solid values and learn skills to become more productive members of the community; but over the years, the vehicles for accomplishing those goals have changed in response to the times.

In 1904, the headquarters was housed in the Boston Building on Fort Street.  YWCA girls’ basketball team competed with teams from Oʻahu College (Punahou Schools) and Kamehameha.   Engleside (the first boarding home located at 251 Vineyard) opened and was jointly operated with the YMCA.

By 1906, when it joined the YWCA of the USA, recreational and athletic programs including tennis and swimming classes had been added.  The first YWCA residence for young working women, The Homestead (the former Castle Estate on King Street,) was opened and addressed community concerns over the lack of safe and affordable housing accommodations in Hawaiʻi.

“The YWCA of Honolulu has its rooms in the Boston building, on Fort street, and while not as aggressive as their bretheren, are nevertheless filling a much-needed niche in the community for the comradeship and comfort of an increasing body of young women coming as strangers in a strange land. In connection with its work a home is maintained on King street, of the Castle Estate, designated the Homestead, for the benefit of members and other bachelor maids.”   (Thrum, 1914)

In 1914, the first Business Women’s Club was established.  By 1917, even the Queen was a member of the YWCA.  The Red Cross had moved into the YWCA and a worker had been hired to help Japanese picture brides.

In 1921, the Atherton family gifted their near-downtown residence, Fernhurst, to the YWCA in memory of their daughter, Kate, and in tribute to her deep interest in the welfare of girls.  The original Fernhurst served as a temporary home for as many as 10,000 young working women.

As membership and programs grew, a headquarters was needed.  Several downtown locations were considered.  They settled on a site on Richards Street across from the ʻIolani Palace grounds.

Noted architect, Julia Morgan (best known as the architect of Hearst Castle in California,) was hired and the new headquarters, Laniākea, “was designed and erected from two thousand miles away.”

Laniākea was the first building of architectural significance in Hawaiʻi to be designed by a woman.  Constructed in 1927, it was developed and designed by women at a time in history when there were few opportunities for females to excel in male dominated professions.

Ms. Morgan designed over 700-buildings during her 47-year career and ranked the Honolulu YWCA as one of her top ten favorite projects.   It immediately became a Honolulu landmark.

The building’s construction was a crowning achievement for the YWCA of Honolulu, inspiring successive generations of women to rededicate themselves to the cause of community service.

The building features the tile floors, roofs, courtyards, and arches characteristic of the Mediterranean style, which the architect chose to adapt to the climate, conditions and materials of Hawaiʻi.

Morgan regarded the structure as architecturally “frank and sincere.”  She was not given to meaningless ornamentation, yet there is considerable attention to detail, such as the metal ironwork in the balconies overlooking the courtyard and the pool.

Sara Boutelle (an architectural historian) judged the Laniākea swimming pool “the most effective of all her YWCA pools,” attributing its success to the architect’s understanding of the contribution of public recreational space to the civic culture and busy lives of women.

The “Richards Street Y,” as it is affectionately known, was a meeting place for women of all generations.  Popular activities were sewing and lace-making lessons, Chinese cooking classes, girls basketball and ballet.

From a place to make tea, eat safely and quietly in the city, and take naps, to a place to make the teapot, close a deal over lunch and swim laps, the YWCA of Oʻahu has been the place for women in Hawaiʻi to find support and encouragement for over 100-years.

Today, the YWCA of Oʻahu is still guided by the core concepts of the YWCA’s mission.  Those concepts are to create opportunities for growth, leadership and power for women and girls, and to work for peace, justice, dignity, respect and the elimination of racism for all people.  (Lots of information and images here came from the YWCA website.)

The image shows Laniākea in 1927 (YWCA.)  In addition, I have added some related images and maps in the Photos section on my Facebook and Google+ pages.

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© 2013 Hoʻokuleana LLC

Filed Under: Buildings, Economy, General, Prominent People Tagged With: Atherton, Fernhurst, Hawaii, Julia Morgan, Laniakea, Oahu, YWCA

Images of Old Hawaiʻi

People, places, and events in Hawaiʻi’s past come alive through text and media in “Images of Old Hawaiʻi.” These posts are informal historic summaries presented for personal, non-commercial, and educational purposes.

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