Images of Old Hawaiʻi

You are here: Home / Categories

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Day 128 – February 27, 1820

February 27, 1820 – Lords Day. – This morning our little church solemnly renewed their covenant with God and with one another.
At 12, Brother Thurston preached, on deck from Ps. At 4 P.M., after a sermon from Br. B. from Matth. 25: 26, 27, 28, on the significancy, the nature, and the tendency of that holy ordinance, the church was allowed to sit down at the Lord’s table, and to commemorate his dying love in the communion of his body and blood. It was a favored season. The day was truly interesting and happy. Seldom if ever have we been invited to this supper under circumstances more truly interesting and affecting. We chose the cabin where our little church of 17 members were like the family of Christ at the institutuion of the supper, furnished with comfortable seats around a large semicircular table, on which the elements and covenant vessels were placed and easily passed round, while the light propitious breeze bearing us gradually onward with the unsearchable riches of Christ, the peaceful sea, and the very gentle motion of the vessel could scarcely be considered as the least inconvenience. We have reason to believe that he who thus kindly ordered every circumstance was graciously present at his table and grantng us answers to the prayers of sister churches in America, and also to our unworthy petitions. A lecture on self-examination preparatory to the celebration of the supper had been given Friday evening preceeding from I Cor. 11:28, and it is believed that every member made special efforts to be in readiness and we hope it will promote our growth in piety, cement our union and increase our strength and our preparation for our work which seems now ready to employ our hands. Our next communion may be in the midst of the worshipers of Akooah. May they soon be prepared for a worthy participation. (Thaddeus Journal)

Feb. 27th. We feel as if we might, in our present situation, consider ourselves neighbors to our brethren, the dear Missionaries and converts at Otaheit, being in the same lat. with them and only what we term a little space of water between us in long. We did greatly desire that if it were the will of GOD, we might, in our journey, pass by them and be thus helped on our way.
But it has not been thus. Since passing the Cape we have been sent on in one swift, direct course towards the scene of our anticipated labors. The manner in which we passed those dreaded tempestuous regions and have since proceeded, is considered very unusual. Prom day to night, and night to day, we speed our way as an eagle through the air. We hope GOD has a work for us to do there soon. But, known to himself alone, is his eternal, wise and holy plan. If we are hastening to suffer, my soul would say, his glorious will be done. 0, to be daily encreasing in inward preparation for toil, suffering and defeat, or, for toil, suffering and victory, as shall seem to Him good 1 But faith would take hold of GOD’s blessed promises, believing victory shall yet be shouted, tho the sound reach not our ears on earth.
Every view, my dear sisters, taken of the picture before us, to human perception, darkens as we look. As we approach nearer, we are more particular in our enquires of the Capt. and Officers who have repeatedly visited the Islands. They state to us facts. Every conversation with them makes nature tremble, but (I hope) faith to grasp a firmer hold of her Anchor, Confidence in the lord GOD of Hosts. If He be as a wall of fire round about us, we may go undauntedly into the heart of the Enemy’s camp. The cause is his, and tho we, a little feeble band, go forth as Jesse’s youngest son from the sheepfold, with only sling and stone, still the cause shall prevail. And if He give us grace to go in David’s spirit, feeling that “the battle is the Lord’s,” and desiring that the earth may know that there is a GOD in Zion, I believe He will let our eyes, as He let David’s eyes behold Philistia’a champion fall, behold Owhyhee’s Idols totter till they fall to rise no more. (Sybil Bingham)

Sabbath 27th. Lat. 15. This has been a day replete with the mercies of the choicest kind. In the morning we convened in the cabin to hear and renewedly assent to our covenant with God and each other. At 12 public service, on deck. Brother T. preached from Ps. 17.15. The ships company made an interesting appearance, while they listened to the word of life.
At 4 in the afternoon this little church met around our family board, to partake of the symbols of the broken body, and flowing blood of a crucified Saviour. Probably this is the first time that this sacred ordinance was ever administered on the bosom of the Pacific; if not on any ocean. Many circumstances combined to render the scene peculiarly interesting, and in some respects, I think the most so t that I ever experienced. Here in the midst of the vast ocean, this ‘ little band of Christian Soldiers, who, a few months since, were for – the most part entire strangers, but now most tenderly allied to each other. (Nancy Ruggles)

Feb. 27th. This has been a precious, interesting one to us. Though surrounded by an ocean of water and floating on its surface, God has permitted us to enjoy a feast of love. He has kindly spread for us his table here on the great deep. This day we have enjoyed the first communion season since we left our native land. It is probably the first time this ordinance was ever administered on the bosom of the Pacific & perhaps on the ocean. Brother B preached from Mat, 26, 26, 27, 28. “Jesus took bread & blessed it & broke it & gave it to the disciples & said, Take eat: this is my body. And he took the cup & gave thanks & gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it, for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. He remarked that this was a season peculiarly interesting to him, it being the first time we had enjoyed a communion by ourselves, & the first in which he had been called to administer. (Mercy Partridge Whitney Journal)

27. – This has been an interesting sabbath. At 9 in the morning we met in the cabin & formally renewed our covenant. At 12 brother T preached on deck; in the afternoon brother B in the cabin. After sermon the Lords supper was administered. (Samuel Whitney Journal)

Follow Peter T Young on Facebook 

Follow Peter T Young on Google+ 

Follow Peter T Young on LinkedIn  

Follow Peter T Young on Blogger

© 2020 Hoʻokuleana LLC

by Peter T Young 2 Comments

Smallpox Epidemic – 1853

Smallpox was introduced to Hawai‘i by an American merchant ship, the Charles Mallory, sailing from San Francisco and arriving at Honolulu Harbor on February 10, 1853.

Displaying a yellow flag indicating a serious infection on board, the ship berthed in isolation on a reef off Kalihi.

One of the passengers had smallpox.

When the period of quarantine ended in late-March, no new cases had been reported, the smallpox patient was recovering and the ship set sail and left.

In May 1853, the disease reappeared.

Two native women were stricken; their homes and the adjacent properties were cordoned off and their infected clothing and grass huts were burned.

This time smallpox spread rapidly; cases were reported from most of Honolulu’s districts.

In response to the growing impacts, June 15, 1853 was declared a national day of mourning, prayer and fasting.

The epidemic was at its worst in July – August with the island of O‘ahu recording more than 4,000-cases and 1,500-deaths.

Despite efforts to contain it, smallpox spread to Kaua‘i, Maui and Hawai‘i, killing at least 450-people.

The people on Ni‘ihau, Moloka‘i and Lāna’i remained protected because of their remoteness, stricter quarantine and better vaccine quality.

Missionary Dr. Dwight Baldwin was the government physician for Maui, Moloka‘i and Lāna’i during the smallpox epidemic. Due to his vigilance, the number of smallpox deaths on these islands was only 200 deaths.

Statewide, during an eight-month period, about 8% of Hawai‘i’s population died of the disease.

When the epidemic ended late in January 1854, the estimated number of statewide cases was 6,400 – 9,100 and an estimated 2,500 – 5,750 deaths.

The intensity of the epidemic led the Hawaiian legislature to make vaccination mandatory for both residents and visitors in 1854.

Smallpox is a serious and contagious disease due to a virus, causing illness and death wherever it occurred. It mainly affected children and young adults. Family members often infected each other.

Smallpox localizes in small blood vessels of the skin and in the mouth and throat. In the skin, this results in a characteristic rash, and later, raised fluid-filled blisters.

After a twelve-day incubation period, patients developed severe headaches and backaches, a high fever, and chills, followed by a severe rash, a return of the fever, and bacterial infection. Death came by infection of the lungs, heart, or brain. The entire course from infection to death usually took five or six weeks.

Smallpox spreads easily from one person to another from saliva droplets. It may also be spread from bed sheets and clothing. It is most contagious during the first week of the infection. It may continue to be contagious until the scabs from the rash fall off.

It is reported that the Honuakaha Smallpox Cemetery (near South Street and Quinn Lane in Kakaʻako) has more than 1,000 burials from the 1853-1854 smallpox epidemic.

This is near the present Honolulu Fire Department Headquarters stands, adjoining the former Kakaʻako Fire Station. (Some suggest, because of this, the Kakaʻako firehouse is haunted.)

Because of the smallpox epidemics a Small-Pox Hospital opened. Likewise, over the years a small island in the reef across from Downtown Honolulu was used as a quarantine site.

Follow Peter T Young on Facebook 

Follow Peter T Young on Google+ 

Follow Peter T Young on LinkedIn  

Follow Peter T Young on Blogger

© 2019 Hoʻokuleana LLC

'View_of_Smallpox_Hospital',_oil_on_canvas_painting_by_Paul_Emmert,_c._1853-59
‘View_of_Smallpox_Hospital’,_oil_on_canvas_painting_by_Paul_Emmert,_c._1853-59
Honolulu_Harbor-Reef_Titles-Reg1471 (1885)-Note_'Quarantine_Island'-(present_day_Sand_Island)
Honolulu_Harbor-Reef_Titles-Reg1471 (1885)-Note_’Quarantine_Island’-(present_day_Sand_Island)
Smallpox
Smallpox
Kakaako Fire Station, Hook & Ladder Building, 620 South Street, Honolulu-LOC-218878pv
Kakaako Fire Station, Hook & Ladder Building, 620 South Street, Honolulu-LOC-218878pv
Kakaako Fire Station, Hook & Ladder Building, 620 South Street, Honolulu
Kakaako Fire Station, Hook & Ladder Building, 620 South Street, Honolulu
Hawaii_Small_Pox-tally
Hawaii_Small_Pox-tally
Hawaiian officials documented statistics of the smallpox epidemic, O‘ahu, 1854
Hawaiian officials documented statistics of the smallpox epidemic, O‘ahu, 1854

by Peter T Young 3 Comments

Moana Hotel

Waikīkī was once a vast marshland whose boundaries encompassed more than 2,000-acres (as compared to its present 500-acres we call Waikīkī, today).

In the late-1890s, with additional steamship lines to Honolulu, the visitor arrivals to Oʻahu were increasing.  In 1896, Walter Chamberlain Peacock, a wealthy Waikīkī homeowner at the time, proposed to build Waikīkī’s first major resort to provide a solution to the area’s main drawback – the lack of suitable accommodations on the beach.

Often called the “First Lady of Waikīkī,” the Moana Hotel has been a Hawaiʻi icon since its opening opened on March 11, 1901.

The original wooden center structure of the Moana Hotel is the oldest existing hotel in Waikīkī. As such, it deserves recognition as a landmark in Hawaii’s tourist industry.

Designed in the old colonial style architecture of the period, it boasted 75 rooms and was the costliest, most elaborate and modern hotel building in the Hawaiian Islands at the time.

Each room on the three upper floors had a bathroom and a telephone – innovations for any hotel of the times.  The hotel also had its own ice plant and electric generators.  The first floor had a billiard parlor, saloon, main parlor, library, office, and reception area.

The Moana was one of the earliest “high-rise” buildings in Hawaii and was the costliest hotel in the islands. In spite of numerous renovations and changes, it has retained its tropical openness and is a welcome change from the more modern high-rises that surround it.

The original four story wood structure, designed by OG Traphagen, a well known Honolulu architect, features an elaborately designed lobby which extends to open lanais and is open to the Banyan Court and the sea.

By 1918, Hawaii had 8,000 visitors annually and by the 1920s Matson Navigation Company ships were bringing an increasing number of wealthy visitors.

This prompted a massive addition to the hotel.  In 1918, two floors were added along with concrete wings on each side, doubling the size of the hotel.

In the 1920s, the Waikīkī landscape underwent a dramatic re-development when the wetlands were drained with the construction of the Ala Wai Canal.  The reclaimed lands were subdivided into 5,000-square foot lots.

Matson Navigation Company bought the Moana in 1932; it paired with Matson’s other Waikīkī property, the Royal Hawaiian.

From 1935 until 1975, the Moana Hotel courtyard was home to the “Hawaii Calls” worldwide radio show, with its trademark sound of waves breaking in the distance.

The 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor and Second World War interrupted the flow of visitors to Waikīkī and the region becomes a rest and recreation area for soldiers and sailors coming and going to the war in the Pacific.

After the war, tourism thrived in the late-1940s and 50s, with the introduction of regularly scheduled airline service from the West Coast.

1959 brought two significant actions that shaped the present day make-up of Hawai‘i, (1) Statehood and (2) jet-liner service between the mainland US and Honolulu (Pan American Airways Boeing 707.)  (That year, the Moana was sold to the Sheraton hotel chain.)

These two events helped guide and expand the fledgling visitor industry in the state into the number one industry that it is today.  Tourism exploded.  Steadily during the 1960s, 70s and 80s the millions of tourists added up, as did the new visitor accommodations in Waikīkī.

The Moana remains a constant reminder of the old Waikīkī.

In the center of the Moana’s courtyard stands a large Banyan tree. The Indian Banyan tree was planted in 1904 by Jared Smith, Director of the Department of Agriculture Experiment Station (about 7-feet at planting, it is now over 75-feet in height.)

In 1979 the historic tree was one of the first to be listed on Hawaii’s Rare and Exceptional Tree List. It has also been selected by the Board of Trustees of America the Beautiful Fund as the site for a Hawaii Millennium Landmark Tree designation, which selects one historic tree in each state for protection in the new millennium.

In 1905, the Moana Hotel was at the center of one of America’s legendary mysteries. Jane Stanford, co-founder of Stanford University and former wife of California Governor Leland Stanford, died in a Moana Hotel room of poisoning.

After several renovations and additions, the hotel now accommodates 794 guest rooms, two restaurants, spa and a bunch of other hotel amenities.