Waikiki | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

October 19, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Waikīkī Beach Agreements

Waikīkī Beach was eroding.

As early as 1901, both the government surveyor and Lili‘uokalani had residences at Waikīkī Beach with walls across their seaward frontages that were in the ocean, blocking public passage along the beach.

Another Waikīkī residence and the Moana Hotel also had portions of their structures similarly situated in the water. By the late-1920s, walls were common along Waikīkī Beach.

A 1927 report by the Engineering Association of Hawai‘i pinpointed seawalls as the primary cause of erosion in Waikīkī. The report concluded that beach nourishment and groins could be used to rebuild the beach.

During the same time period, plans were underway to turn Waikīkī district wetlands into an urban community. The Ala Wai Canal was dredged from 1922 to 1928.

In 1927, the Territorial Legislature authorized Act 273 allowing the Board of Harbor Commissioners to rebuild the eroded beach at Waikīkī. By 1930, the Board of Harbor Commissioners reported on construction progress, which included 11 groins along a portion of the shoreline.

On October 19, 1928, property owners at Waikīkī signed the Waikīkī Beach Reclamation Agreement between the Territory of Hawai‘i and Property Owners – an agreement with the Territory of Hawai‘i to not build any obstructions on what would become Waikīkī Beach.

The agreement was to “forever thereafter keep the beach free and clear of obstructions and open for the use of the public as a bathing beach and for passing over and along the same on foot.”

The Beach Agreement illustrated the need to control and limit seaward development on Waikīkī Beach. The agreement establishes limitations on construction along the beach in response to the proliferation of seawalls and groins in Waikīkī.

The 1928 agreement consists of a) the October 19, 1928 main agreement between the Territory and Waikīkī landowners, b) the October 19, 1928 main agreement between the Territory and the Estate of Bernice Pauahi Bishop and c) The July 5, 1929 Supplemental Agreement between the Territory and Waikīkī landowners.

The agreement provides that the Territory was to use “best efforts” to construct beach area 180-feet seaward for the purpose of beach erosion control together with “maintenance, preservation and restoration thereof as may be necessary from time to time.”

The expanded beach would “be deemed to be natural accretion attached to the abutting property, and title there to shall immediately vest in the owner or owners of the property abutting thereon in proportion to their sea-frontage, subject only to the easement in favor of the public as above stated.”

The private landowners agreed they “will not erect or place on any part of such beach so to be constructed as aforesaid within seventy-five (75) feet of mean highwater mark of such beach as it may exist from time to time …”

“… any building, fence, wall or other structure or obstruction of any kind unless such mean highwater mark shall be more than seventy-five (75) feet from the present line of mean highwater mark.”

The agreement covers the Waikīkī beach area including the area from the Ala Wai Canal to the Elks Club at Diamond Head. The Waikīkī Beach Reclamation Agreement of 1928 gave property owners title to beach fronting their seawalls.

According to the 1928 Waikīkī Beach Reclamation Agreement, no commercial activities are permitted to take place on Waikīkī Beach. All commercial activities originate from private property and people traverse the beach to gain access to the water.

As part of the 1928 Beach Agreement, eleven groins composed of hollow tongue and concrete blocks were built along Waikīkī Beach with the intent of capturing sand. (SOEST)

A lot of the sand to build the beach was brought in to Waikīkī Beach, via ship and barge, from Manhattan Beach, California in the 1920s and 1930s.

As the Manhattan Beach community was developing, it found that excess sand in the beach dunes and it was getting in the way of development there. At the same time, folks in Hawai‘i were in need for sand to cover the rock and coral beach at Waikīkī.

In addition, the segment between the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and the Moana Surfrider (Surfrider-Royal Hawaiian Sector Beach Agreement) is the subject of a separate agreement between the Territory and the subject Waikīkī landowners entered into on May 28, 1965.

State law states that the right of access to Hawai‘i’s shorelines includes the right of transit along the shorelines. (HRS §115-4)

The right of transit along the shoreline exists below (seaward of) the private property line (generally referred to as the “upper reaches of the wash of waves, usually evidenced by the edge of vegetation or by the debris left by the wash of waves.”) (HRS §115-5)

Waikīkī Beach is unique because the State does not own all of the land in front of the Royal Hawaiian, Outrigger Waikīkī and Moana Surfrider hotels.

The 1965 agreement between the State and the hotel landowners gave the owners of the abutting hotels 75-feet of the beach in exchange for cooperation with the State’s proposal to extend Waikīkī Beach up to 120 feet from the existing shoreline.

The abutting private beach land is subject to a 75-foot public right of way for the public to pass along the Beach, sunbathe or do other beach activities. The easement in favor of the public restricts commercial activities in the right-of way.

According to the agreement, the State is responsible for maintaining and policing the easement. This easement would be extinguished upon the State building 75-feet of beach seaward of the existing beach, but since that has never happened, the easement remains in effect. (DLNR)

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Waikiki-Moana_Hotel-1920

Waikiki-fronting_old-Seaside_Hotel-seawall-1915

Royal_Hawaiian-rice-taro-duck_ponds-in-background-1929

Royal_Hawaiian_Hotel-Aerial-December 5, 1928

Moana_Hotel-Aerial-1929

Royal_Hawaiian_oceanside_construction-(HSA-HHF)-1926

Seaside_Hotel-noted-(Moana_Hotel-Apuakehau_Stream-marshland_behind)-1920

Waikiki_Beach_Houses_(UH_Manoa)-1924

Natatorium-1928

Honolulu_and_Vicinity-(portion)-(UH_Manoa-Hamilton_Library)-1923

USGS_Map-Waikiki-1927

July 10, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Big Dipper

Nāhiku (the seven) is the asterism (pattern of stars) consisting of seven bright stars found in the constellation Ursa Major, the Great Bear. It is prominent in the northern sky in the summer, and is one of the first star patterns we learn to identify.

The Big and Little Dippers swing around the north star Polaris (the North Star) like riders on a Ferris wheel. They go full circle around Polaris once a day – or once every 23 hours and 56 minutes.

Wait … this isn’t about ‘that’ Big Dipper’ …

This is about the “two trains, 3,500 feet of track, two tunnels” of Big Dipper in the Aloha Park (aka Waikiki Park). (Honolulu Star Bulletin, September 14, 1922)

“Honolulu takes another step toward the metropolitan class with the opening tonight of the Aloha Amusement Park. … The park corporation has made good on its promise that Aloha Park would be outwardly attractive.” (Honolulu Star Bulletin, September 14, 1922)

“On the top of the 75-foot high incline the opening ceremony was held and at the close Mrs Cory boarded the front car of the train and with a dainty bet well directed swing brought the bottle of near wine, it must have been down, crashing it against the iron guard rail of the car and at the same time wishing bon voyage to the train and all who may ever ride the big dipper.”

“Mark Hanna, under whose personal direction and supervision the Big Dipper was built, was the recipient of many congratulations.”

“Director General Cory was the first one to congratulate him, which he did with generous abundance of praise, and vouched his appreciation many time for the excellent workmanship and detailed construction of the Dipper.” (Honolulu Advertiser, September 3, 1922)

“The dipper was designed by a California company which owns and operates three of the largest attractions of the kind in the world.”

“This Big Dipper is my special pet. It is an improvement over anything that has yet been built and there are only three as large on the mainland, at Venice, Idora Park, Oakland, and on the beach at San Francisco.”

“This one is better than any others. The first drop is 10-percent steeper, the cars run faster and the safety devices are more carefully worked out. There are no straightaways, thus making the ride faster, and more of a thriller.”

“The cars are specially designed and were made in San Francisco particularly for Aloha Park. They are two-passenger carriers and there are none cars to a train. Two wheels on each car instead of four, permits the trains to take sharper curves at greater angles.”

“At first the public seemed skeptical about the proposition. They seemed to fear that the park would not be the type that the city would want. … The buildings are put up to stay as anyone can see if they take the trouble to look. (Cory; Honolulu Star Bulletin, September 14, 1922)

Apparently, however, the Big Dipper and Aloha Park were not supported by the community. In less than ten-years, the Bank of Hawaii …

… “has owned the Waikiki park on Kalakaua Avenue, formerly Aloha Park, and the roller coaster, declared unsafe and unfit for further operation, has become something of a white elephant.”

“Officials of the bank say they want to realize as much as they can on the coaster, and wile thee has been a prospective buyer here and another there, the bank has refused to sell to anyone planning to operate the contrivance, and will only consider on a proposition from the standpoint of wood and metal.” (Honolulu Star Bulletin, December 1, 1930)

Aloha Park was adjacent to Fort DeRussy, an American army base and was opened by the Aloha Amusement Company, a group of local investors.

While Honolulu only had a permanent population of 90,000, it also had a transient population of 30,000 soldiers, sailors and tourists. And its mild climate was perfect for year around operation. The park’s entrance was designed after the Palace of Fine Arts arcade at the 1915 San Francisco Exposition.

The park’s rides included the Big Dipper roller coaster designed by Prior and Church of Venice, California, a Noah’s Ark fun house, a 70 foot high Traver Seaplane, a ten-car Dodgem, a carousel built by Arthur Looff, and a miniature railroad.

The dance hall had a floor 120 x 150 feet, with a 20 foot lanai, where refreshments were served, and contained boxes for private parties. Music was provided by the Hawaiian brass band, that played at the band pavilion where a big musical revue was staged nightly.

The Aloha Amusement Park, Ltd was “a locally financed. Locally-built and locally-managed concern.” Running into financial difficulties, the Aloha Park went into bankruptcy in 1924.

Then, “Court Lunalilo No 66000, Ancient Order of Foresters, on Thursday of this week closed a deal with the Bank of Hawaii whereby the lodge purchased for $15,000, a six-year lease on the Waikiki Park”.

“The dance pavilion at the park is being transformed into a meeting hall … The big dipper, the merry-go-round and the dance pavilion were included in the lease.”

“The Foresters intend to hold periodical carnivals at the park in addition to renting the grounds out for private use and to other organizations for dances, should, fairs and carnivals for the next six years.” (Honolulu Advertiser, April 3, 1926)

Eventually, as noted by the bank, the “ungainly ‘White Elephant’ is valuable only for metal, wood”. (Honolulu Star Bulletin, December 1, 1930)

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Big Dipper-Hnl SB, Sept 14, 1922-page 2

Big Dipper-Hnl SB, Sept 14, 1922-page 20

Big Dipper-Hnl SB, Oct 14, 1922

Aloha Park-Hnl Adv, August 20, 1922

Big Dipper-Hnl Adv, Sept 3, 1922-page 11

Waikiki Amusement Park-Ilikai

Aloha Park-Hnl SB-Sept 14, 1922

Aloha Amusement Park-Hnl SB-Sept 14, 1922

1925 Entrance to the Waikiki Amusement Park-Ilikai

Honolulu and Vicinity-Map-1934-(portion-noting-Waikiki_Park)

Honolulu and Vicinity-Map-1934-(portion-noting-Waikiki_Park)-Waikiki_Park-Honolulu-Map-1927

May 11, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Hui Nalu

When Duke Kahanamoku, Kenneth Winter and William ‘Knute’ Cottrell decided to form a boat club, one of the names they initially came up with for it was the ‘Very Lazy Surfers.’ They later settled on ‘Hui Nalu’ (the club of the waves, or surf club.) (Davis)

The club was loosely organized in 1905 and officially formed in 1911. (Walker) (Others suggest it was formed in 1908.) Based at the Moana Hotel in Waikiki, swimming was the primary activity of the club in the early years; it expanded into surfing and canoe paddling.

They met daily under the hau tree near the Moana Hotel and used the hotel’s basement bathroom for a changing room. They decided that dues were one dollar per year. ‘It was a poor man’s club, but it was made up of dedicated surfers.’ (Kahanamoku; Davis) Membership was by election.

(Founded before (1908,) Outrigger Canoe Club had previously snubbed Duke Kahanamoku, but later asked him to join. He accepted the invitation in large part because his good friend, George ‘Dad’ Center.) (Davis)

(Outrigger, the world’s oldest surfing organization, was a social club, as well as an athletic club; membership was almost entirely foreign-born haole, or white, and the ranks contained an ever-growing number of nonathletic Honolulu businessmen.)

Composed primarily of surfers of full or partial Hawaiian blood. Hui Nalu was a longtime rival to the 1908-formed Outrigger Canoe Club, the world’s oldest surfing organization.

The Outrigger was a social club as well as an athletic club; membership was almost entirely foreign-born haole, or white, and the ranks contained an ever-growing number of nonathletic Honolulu businessmen. Membership to Hui Nalu, in contrast, was by election, and the club, while social in its own way, was for athletes only. (Walker)

In 1915, Hui Nalu surfers opened lucrative beach concession businesses in Waikīkī. Through these concessions, Hui Nalu surfers found regular and profitable work and became known as Waikīkī beachboys.

The beachboys were lifeguards, bodyguards, instructors, entertainers, and tour guides for visitors in Waikīkī. For a relatively high price, they took customers out into their Waikīkī surf to ride waves on canoes and surfboards.

One beachboy recalled, “[You] could make as much as five dollars a day. Oh, boy, was that big money. . . . We go out and catch three waves. But we fill the boat up with as much as six paying customers. Six dollars!”

By the late 1920s and early 1930s, the beachboy concession evolved into a bigger business, catering to higher-paying customers, as some beachboys became constant companions/tour guides for visiting families and made very good money.

Louis Kahanamoku explained, “Us boys would go down the ship. And we’d buy leis for them. . . . We come out of there, twenty, thirty, forty bucks by the time we got out”. (Walker)

By the end of 1946, the two main original Waikiki surf clubs had changed considerably. The native Hui Nalu had limited its activities mostly to outrigger canoe racing.

The haole-influenced Outrigger Canoe Club had become more of an exclusive prestige-type establishment, “with a wide range of social and athletic interests.”

So, in 1947, the Waikiki Surf Club was formed for the same reasons that the other two had originally been put together. “Its purpose,” wrote surfing historian Ben Finney, “was to promote surfing as well as other Hawaiian water sports.”

“It provided board lockers and clothes changing facilities near the beach, for anyone who could pay the small initiation fee and monthly dues.” (Ian Lind)

Today, members of Hui Nalu O Hawai‘i share the vision ‘To come together as a family who shares and cares’ and mission ‘To promote and provide educational and personal achievement opportunities which strengthen family, community and individual relationships’.

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Hui_Nalu-shirt image

Hui Nalu-1915

Hui Nalu-1920

Kahanamoku_and_the_Hui_Nalu_Club

Kahanamoku Brothers

Hui Nalu-trophies

Hui Nalu Cofounder Dude Miller-1921

December 26, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Remembering, Through Street Names

People, places, events and times continue to live through various symbols found around us. One such reminder of the past can be found by the name on a street sign; they help us remember people and places of the past.

As an example, Waikiki is rich in history, pre-contact and modern – as George Kanahele once noted, “Waikīkī’s significance is as a place of history, not destination.”

Because Waikīkī is predominantly built-up, some may suggest that we are past our time and opportunity to share this past, and the stories they tell, with others.

While many of the sites and structures are gone, there are numerous reminders of Waikīkī’s and Hawai‘i’s past, even in this modern constructed environment.

Several Waikīkī streets remind us of Place Names and carry the names of the ʻili in Waikiki, as illustrated by:
• Kālia Road
• Helumoa Road
• Hamohamo Street
• Kāneloa Road
• Kapuni Street
• Pa‘ū Street & Pa‘ū Lane
• Uluniu Avenue

Waikīkī was Home to Hawaiʻi’s Ali‘i and Chiefs (street names call attention to these people:)
• Kalākaua Avenue (King David Kalākaua)
• Lili‘uokalani Avenue & Nohonani Street (Queen Lydia Liliʻuokalani and reference to Lili‘uokalani “sitting beautifully”)
• Kapiʻolani Boulevard (Queen Ester Kapiʻolani)
• Kūhiō Avenue (Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole Piʻikoi)
• Prince Edward Street (Prince Edward Abnel Keliʻiahonui Piʻikoi)
• Koa Avenue (Prince David (Koa) Kawānanakoa Piʻikoi)
• Kaʻiulani Avenue (Princess Victoria Kaʻiulani Cleghorn)
• Kapili Street (Princess Miriam Kapili Likelike – Sister of King Kalākaua & Queen Lili‘uokalani and mother of Princess Kaʻiulani)
• Pākī Avenue (Chief Abner Pākī – High Chief of Maui and father of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop)
• Kuamoʻo Street (Mary Kuamoʻo Ka‘oana‘eha – Niece of Kamehameha I and wife of John Young)
• Kalanimōku Street (Chief William Pitt Kalanimōku – Prime minister under King Kamehameha I, II & III)

Llikewise, some streets names remind us of the names of royal residences:)
• Ke‘alohilani Avenue (Queen Liliʻuokalani’s residence at Kūhiō Beach & earlier Kamehameha V’s beach home at Helumoa)
• Paoakalani Avenue (Queen Liliʻuokalani’s residence)

We are reminded of Prominent People through names of streets:
• Cartwright Road (Alexander Joy Cartwright Jr.; “The father of Modern Baseball”)
• Cleghorn Street (Archibald Scott Cleghorn – Father of Princess Kaʻiulani and Governor of O‘ahu)
• Duke’s Lane, Kahanamoku Street & Paoa Place (Duke Paoa Kahanamoku – Father of Modern and International Surfing; Olympic Gold medalist)
• Don Ho Lane (Don Ho – Entertainer)
• ‘Olohana Street (John Young – Advisor to Kamehameha I and Grandfather of Queen Emma)
• Keoniana Street (John Young II – also known as Keoni Ana ʻOpio) – Kuhina Nui under Kamehameha II and Minister of Foreign Affairs under Kamehameha IV)
• Makee Road (Captain James Makee – Scottish rancher and developer)
• McCully Street (Lawrence McCully – Associate Justice during the reign of Kalākaua)
• Tusitala Street (Robert Louis Stevenson- His Samoan name – writer)

Other People and Places are remembered in Waikiki Street names:
• Dudley Street (Battery Dudley at Fort DeRussy – General Edger S. Dudley)
• Dudoit Lane (Captain James Dudoit – French Consul, founder of Catholic Mission)
• ‘Ena Road (John ‘Ena – Member of Queen Lili‘uokalani’s staff)
• Hobron Lane (Captain Coit and Thomas Hobron – Property owners)
• Lemon Road (James Silas Lemon – French land developer)
• Lewers Street (Robert Lewers formed Lewers and Cooke, they supplied lumber for construction)
• Monsarrat Avenue (Judge James Melville Monsarrat – Advisor to the monarchy)
• Ala Wai Boulevard (Ala Wai Canal)
• Ala Moana Boulevard (Coastal trail then road)
• Royal Hawaiian Avenue (Royal Hawaiian Hotel)
• Seaside Avenue (Waikiki Seaside Hotel, which preceded the Royal Hawaiian Hotel)
• Saratoga Road (Saratoga Bathhouse)

Of course, it is not just Waikīkī street names that remind us of stories about people, places, events and times – look around you, the signs noting stories of history and remembering the past are everywhere.

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Kalakaua-Uluniu

Kanekapolei-Kuhio

Kalakaua-Paoakalani

Don_Ho-Lewers

Uluniu-Koa

December 23, 2016 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Kūka‘ō‘ō Heiau

According to legends, the Menehune built a fort and a temple at the top of the hill ‘Ulumalu. They were driven away from their fort by the high chief Kuali‘i during his reign (sometime in the 1700s). Kuali‘i rebuilt it after his seizure of the fort. (Cultural Surveys)

This heiau was the center piece of a string of heiaus that strung across the Kona district. The existence of such an important heiau at the mouth of the valley could be taken as an indication of the early importance of Mānoa.

Because the plain that Honolulu proper is situated on tends to be a hot, dry environment, the Alii or Hawaiian Royalty of the early 1800s were known to use Mānoa as a retreat to get away from the hustle and bustle of the town’s dusty streets. (DeLeon)

Another legend says that the menehune were driven from their fort and temple by the owls, who became their bitter enemies.
The legends say that the fairy people, the Menehunes, built a temple and a fort a little farther up the valley above Pu‘u-pueo, at a place called Kukaoo.

Some people say that the owl-god and the fairies became enemies and waged bitter war against each other. At last the owl-god beat the drum of the owl clan and called the owl-gods from Kauai to give him aid.

With the aid of the Kaua‘i owls, there was a great battle and the “fort and temple” were captured; the menehune were driven out of the valley. (Cultural Surveys)

“(O)n a vast rock pile, still stands a walled enclosure known as the heiau of Kūka‘ō‘ō, now overgrown with lantana and night blooming cereus. This … temple dates back many hundred years. Its erection is credited to the Menehune’s … but was rebuilt during the reign of Kuali‘i, who wrested it from them after a hard fought battle.”

“The Menehune’s fort was on the rocky hill, Ulumalu, on the opposite side of the road, just above Kukaoo. Previous to the battle, they had control of all upper Manoa.”

“After Kūali‘i obtained possession, he made it the principal temple fort of a system of heiaus, extending from Mauoki, Puahia luna and lalo, Kumuohia, Kaualaa, Wailele, and one or two other points between Kaualaa and Kukaoo.”

“There were also several Muas in the system they controlled — sacred picketed trench enclosures, and altogether, the scene must have been one of priest-ridden despotism.”

“Kūka‘ō‘ō heiau and hill is connected also, in legend, with that of Punahou Spring, as the place where the twin brother and sister Kauawaahila and Kauakuahine obtained temporary shelter from the persecutions of a cruel step-mother, as shown in the following extract.”

“The children went to the head of Mānoa valley, but were driven away and told to return to Ka‘ala, but they ran and hid themselves in a small cave on the side of the hill of Kūka‘ō‘ō, whose top is crowned by the temple of the Menehunes.”

“Here they lived some time and cultivated a patch of potatoes, their food meanwhile being grass-hoppers and greens. The latter were the tender shoots of the popolo, aheahea, pakai, laulele and potato vines, cooked by rolling hot stones around among them in a covered gourd.”

“When the potatoes were fit to be eaten, the brother made a double imu, or oven, having a kapu, or sacred, side for his food and a noa, or free, side for his sister.”

“The little cave was also divided in two, a sacred and a free part for brother and sister. The cave, with its wall of stone dividing it in two was still intact a few years ago, and the double imu was also to be seen.” (Thrum)

The heiau is mentioned in Land Commission records as “LCA 3906 to K. Neki, Heiau of Kūkaō‘ō, fence; house in”. “I, Neki hereby state my claims /at/ the land fence, mauka in Manoa, at the heiau of Kukaoo on the side below the heiau.”

“These two fences of which I tell you were from my makuas – they expended a great deal of revenue in making these fences, and I also did, and they are mine at this time – no one else has a right to them. That is my explanation to you. I am, with thanks. Neki” (Cultural Surveys)

The heiau has been restored and is part of the Mānoa Heritage Center, a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote stewardship of the natural and cultural heritage of Hawai‘i. The site consists of Kūka‘ō‘ō Heiau, a Native Hawaiian garden and Kūali‘i, a Tudor-style house, built in 1911.

Currently, Kūka‘ō‘ō Heiau and garden tours are available, guided by volunteer docents ($7 per adult.) Reservations are needed with two-week advance notice preferred. It was created through the efforts of Sam and Mary Cooke.

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