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April 20, 2019 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Loko Nui o Wailupe

In ancient Hawai‘i, fishponds were an integral part of the ahupua‘a. Hawaiians built rock-walled enclosures in near shore waters, to raise fish for their communities and families. It is believed these were first built around the fifteenth century.

The ancient Hawaiian fishpond is a sophisticated land and ocean resource management technique. Utilizing raw materials such as rocks, corals, vines and woods, the Hawaiians created great walls (kuapā) and gates (mākāhā) for these fishponds.

It is reported that there were 488 fishponds statewide, however only about 60 fishponds remain recognizable today.

Thirteen fishponds have been restored statewide, with six ponds currently in use: three on Molokai, one on the island of Hawai‘i and two on O‘ahu.

Reportedly, O‘ahu alone had 97 fishponds, but only six accessible ponds remain today and all are located on the windward side.

In 1848, when King Kamehameha III pronounced the Great Māhele, or land distribution, Hawaiian fishponds were considered private property by landowners and by the Hawaiian government.

This was confirmed in subsequent Court cases that noted “titles to fishponds are recognized to the same extent and in the same manner as rights recognized in fast land.”

Some coastal fishponds are privately owned. Over the years, many of them have been filled and, typically, developed with houses.

Loko Nui o Wailupe, the large fishpond at Wailupe, was simply called “Wailupe fishpond” or “big pond” in Boundary Commission records (it was also referenced as Punakou Pond).

The pond covered an overall area of approximately 41-acres. Its perimeter wall was approximately 2,500 feet long; it had four mākāhā (sluice gates.) The typical section of the wall was approximately 2-feet thick.

It was claimed as Crown land together with the Punakou spring (Punakou spring was formerly on the mauka side of Wailupe fishpond.)

Wailupe Pond is an example of an ancient fishpond that was subsequently filled and developed. It was one of a few historic fishponds that were built on the shore of Maunalua Bay.

Some of the others include Niu, now Niu Peninsula and Kuapā at Hawaii Kai, now Hawaii Kai Marina.

The pond lay within the Wailupe ahupua‘a owned by the Hind family. Apparently, the tsunami of 1946 severely damaged the seaward walls of the pond.

The Hinds then sold the property to Lowell Dillingham (owner of Hawaiian Dredging Company) who lived nearby.

In 1947, Robert Hind, Ltd began developing Wailupe Valley as the residential community of ‘Āina Haina. In 1948, in conjunction with the development of the valley, the Hawaiian Dredging Company, owner of the historic fishpond, converted it into a residential subdivision.

A deep channel (depth of approximately 12 to 20 feet) was dredged around the pond, as well as a channel through the reef to the open ocean) and dredge material filled in the pond, creating what is now Wailupe Peninsula (commonly referred to Wailupe Circle.)

The fishpond was filled with more than half a million cubic yards of coral (the at-grade elevation of the Peninsula is approximately five feet above mean sea level (msl.))

When the boat channel was dredged, a narrow margin of shallow reef (approximately 10 to 20-feet wide) was left to remain between the perimeter seawall and the boat channel.

Times and land uses have changed. What once was a fishpond is now a residential community; Wailupe Pond is an illustration of that.

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Maunalua-(Wailupe)-Aerial-(2448)-1952-portion

Wailupe_Pond-Hind-Clarke_Dairy-(BishopMuseum-CulturalSurveys)-1933

MaunaluaBayCirca1935

Oahu-Population_Centers-Map-1853-(note_relative_population_at_Wailupe)

Diamond_Head_to_Koko_Head-Jackson-Reg1293 (1883)-portion

South_Shore-Barbers_Pt-Diamond_Head-Hawaii_Kai-Kailua-Heeia-Reg1834 (1892)-portion

Wailupe_Pond-Reg2167-tracing-(1903)

Wailupe_Pond-USGS_Map-1934

Map of the island of Maunalua, O’ahu from 1938

April 19, 2019 by Peter T Young 4 Comments

Manini

“The number of foreigners residing at the islands is far greater than I supposed. Four American mercantile houses – two of Boston, one of New York, and one of Bristol, Rhode Island – have establishments at this port, to which agents and clerks are attached.”

“Their storehouses are abundantly furnished with goods in demand by the islanders; and, at them, most articles contained in common retail shops and groceries, in America, may be purchased.”

“There is another class, consisting of fifteen or twenty individuals, who have dropped all connexion with their native countries, and become permanent residents on different islands; and who hold plantations and other property under the king awl various chiefs.”

“Of these, Marini (Don Francisco de Paula y Marin) a Spaniard, interpreter for the government; … “Marini (has) been at the islands more than thirty years; and (was a companion and counsellor) of Tamehameha.”

Marin “accumulated much property, holds many plantations, and owns extensive flocks of goats, and herds of cattle; and is said to have money in fund, both in the United States and in England.”

“He has introduced the grape, orange, lemon, pine-apple, fig, and tamarind trees, but to a very limited extent; and seemingly from a motive entirely selfish: for he has perseveringly denied the seeds, and every means of propagation, to others, and been known even secretly to destroy a growth that had been secured from them without his knowledge.”

“A considerable quantity of wine is yearly made from his vineyard; and his lemons and pines, by sales to ships and in the town, bring quite an income.”

“He has a numerous breed of mules; and several horses, some twenty or thirty of which have within a few years been brought from the coast of California, and are now rapidly increasing.”

“Flocks of beautiful doves, also an importation, are domiciliated at his establishment; and some few miles from the town, along the coast, there is an islet, covered with the burrows of English hares, belonging to him.” (CS Stewart.)

Don Francisco de Paula Marin (known to the Hawaiian as “Manini”) was a Spaniard who arrived in the Hawaiian Islands in 1793 or 1794 (at about the age of 20.) Manini’s nickname appears to be the closest way that the Hawaiians could pronounce his name.

His knowledge of Western military weapons brought him to the attention of Kamehameha, who was engaged in the conquest of O‘ahu. Marin almost immediately became a trusted advisor to Kamehameha I.

Marin spoke four languages (he arrived fluent in Spanish, French and English, and learned Hawaiian) and was employed by Kamehameha as Interpreter, Bookkeeper and part time Physician (although he had no formal medical training, he had some basic medical knowledge.) He also served as purchasing agent for the arms that proved decisive to Kamehameha’s victory of the Battle of Nu‘uanu (1795.)

Kamehameha granted Marin a couple acres of land Ewa of the King’s compound on the Honolulu waterfront (near Nu‘uanu Stream.)

Marin then proceeded over the next several years to erect the first stone house built in Hawai‘i on the property, pre-fabricated wooden houses imported from New England, a cut coral breakwater wall, a wharf, storehouses, bullock pen and stone perimeter fencing.

Kamehameha also rewarded him with large tracts of land, including Ford Island in Pearl Harbor, which Marin used to raise cattle.

He was known for his interest in plant collecting and brought in a wide variety of new plants to Hawai‘i. His gardens were filled with trees, vines and shrubs.

He turned this hobby into a “ship supply” business and provided fresh fruits and vegetables to the crews of ships docked at Honolulu Harbor.

Marin was responsible for introducing and cultivating many of the plants commonly associated with the Islands. To name only a few, here are some of the plants he introduced and/or cultivated in Hawai‘i: pineapple, coffee, avocado, mango and grape vines.

He also successfully cultivated and raised oranges, figs, roses, beans, melons, turnips, tobacco, wheat, barley, cloves, tomatoes, saffron and cherries.

Marin also planted lots of potatoes, yams, breadfruit, melons, cabbage, onions, celery, and garlic, as well as wheat, rice and Indian corn. He made castor oil, soap, molasses, pickles, sugar, butter, cigars, coconut oil, candles and hay.

Hawai‘i’s first accommodations for transients were established sometime after 1810, when Marin “opened his home and table to visitors on a commercial basis … Closely arranged around the Marin home were the grass houses of his workers and the ‘guest houses’ of the ship captains who boarded with him while their vessels were in port.”

He fermented the first wine in Hawai‘i and distilled brandy. He also made rum from sugarcane and brewed beer, all of which he sold at his boarding house-saloon near the waterfront.

Marin Street near Honolulu Harbor was named for him and the Marin Tower, built in 1994, occupies the site of his boarding house.

His “New Vineyard” grapevines were located Waikiki side of Nu‘uanu Stream and makai of Vineyard Street; when a road was cut through its mauka boundary, it became known as Vineyard Street.

In April of 1819, Marin was summoned to the Big Island of Hawai‘i to assist Kamehameha, who had become ill. Marin was not able to improve the condition of Kamehameha, and on May 8, 1819, King Kamehameha I died. Marin died in Honolulu on October 30, 1837.

Marin’s contributions are best noted by Robert C. Wyllie, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, when addressing the Royal Agricultural Society of Hawai‘i in 1850, saying:

“From the brief accounts of the life and works of the don in 1809 to 1820, few of you will doubt that most of the present wealth of these islands is owing to the seeds, roots and plants introduced by Francisco de Paula Marin, and to whom the Hawaiian people are so greatly indebted.”

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Marin Compound-Interpretive Sketch-Lydia Pulsipher

Francisco_de_Paula_Marin_Drawn_by_Masselot-1837

Francisco_de_Paula_Marin-signature

Chest believed to have belonged to Don Francisco de Paula y Marin-PP-37-4-005

Chest believed to have belonged to Don Francisco de Paula y Marin_PP-37-4-004

Francisco_de_Paula_Marin-plaque

April 19, 2019 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

After 5 Days Moored Offshore, the Missionaries Move onto the Land

April 15, 1820 “Renewed our researches on shore but could not do much business, in consequence of the continued absence of the Governor, the Brig Neo, from Owhyhee, the King’s vessel, arrived with a messenger, bringing the general orders of government with respect to us. Tamoree, also, who left the Thaddeus at Owhyhee, arrived on the Neo with his newly set ‘Rib’ . We are told that a native who had stolen a piece of calico from the King was put on board the neo in irons, and then thrown overboard on her passage and drowned. Death is the penalty for stealing the King’s property. (Thaddeus Journal)

April 16, 1820 “Lord. Day. – Enjoyed the privileges of public worship probably for the 1st time on board the Thaddeus. Boka [Boki] arrived in port this afternoon but we shall not seek an interview with him till tomorrow.” (Thaddeus Journal)

April 17, 1820 “Obtained permission to enter the harbor, the Governor came on board. He is a young chief and apparently mild and easy in his disposition, less sprightly than some of his countrymen and distinguished for his moderation, says but little and appears by no means unfriendly to us or our object but somewhat indifferent to the message from Owhyhee; but, as the people are naturally and habitually slow in their movements we hope that he may yet bestir himself with more efficiency to promote our design. (Thaddeus Journal)

April 18, 1820 “Entered the harbor in safety and anchored within a few yards of the shore. We have concluded to occupy one or two houses belonging to Capt. Winship, who by letter to Mr. Marin has kindly favored us with the refusal of them. Mr. Scovill, an officer of Capt. Louis has also very politely offered us the use of Capt. L’s house which we shall occupy for a season, Capt. Adams and Mr. Nevano have each offered us a house.
Capt. Balcock and Mr. Oliver also, have both offered us the temporary use of their store rooms for our effects. Thus the Lord raises up friends for as at the moment when most we feel the need of them. The sisters went on shore to see the houses which we intend to occupy, – were surrounded with crowds of natives, and they walked along the plain upon which the village is built and excited great curiosity and returned.” (Thaddeus Journal)

April 19, 1820 “Having at length succeeded in making the necessary arrangements casting ourselves again on the oars of divine providence, and putting ourselves in the power and possession of uncivilized pagans and strangers, on this Interesting day we disembarked from the board that had borne us in safety across the mighty waters, from our dear native land, and here took up our abode in this dark heathen land, which will be the scene of our labors and sufferings, and probably the resting place of our bones when our toils are over and our pilgrimage is ended.

“Capt. C. and his family take their lodgings in Capt. Winship’s house. Bros. B. R. and L. with their wives, in Capt. Louis’s, about 40 rods distant from the other, and Bro. W and his wife in a house between belonging to Mr. Novano. As a specimen of the slyness of our new neighbors the key of Capt. Louis’ house was stolen from the door immediately after we entered it this afternoon, probably by some of the natives who crowded around to gratify their curiosity.”

“Capt. Pigot and Mr. Green, with their usual kindness, anticipating our wants, provided for us a supper in the American style, which we were unable to do for ourselves. As soon as the bustle of landing was over, and our belongings in our straw-thatched cottages, comfortably fitted up, we built an altar to the Lord our God, and agreeably to a previous engagement with our brethren at Owhyhee who landed a week before, presented our united offerings of thanksgiving and praise to Jehovah, that he had preserved our lives and graciously delivered us from the ‘perils in the sea,’ given us so prosperous a passage and ministered to us so propitious an entrance among the heathen, that in answer to the prayers of his people, of our friends and patrons, he had wonderfully prepared the way before us, by destroying the temples of idols and the institutions of Idol worship, abolishing the priesthood of superstition, overturning the altars of abomination, and bringing their idle Taboos and sacrifices into general contempt. The Lord be praised forever for his goodness and for his wonderful works unto the children of men.” (Thaddeus Journal)

“April 19, 1820 – By the friendly exertions of Capt. Picket and several other American gentlemen, we have obtained three of the most convenient houses in the village, and today left the Thaddeus, and taken us our residence on land. I hardly know how it will seem to sleep on a bed and not be obliged to brace myself, to keep from rolling out.” (Nancy Ruggles)

“19th, ‘the ladies belonging to the mission all landed to see the houses which have been provided for them. I went on shore to try to procure a house to store our goods in, but did not succeed in getting one to my mind.’” (James Hunnewell)

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April 18, 2019 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Hawaiian Flags

The American flag consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton (referred to specifically as the “union”) bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars.

The 50-stars on the flag represent the 50-states and the 13-stripes represent the thirteen British colonies that rebelled against the British monarchy and became the first states in the Union.

The first flags were used to assist military coordination on battlefields. National flags are patriotic symbols with varied wide-ranging interpretations, often including strong military associations due to their original and ongoing military uses.

Since contact, various flags have flown over Hawai‘i.

The first “official” Hawai‘i flag was adopted in 1845, however prior to that various flags flew at various times.

All of the flags were hand-made back then; so, there might have been rather large variations in appearance.

Even in the late-Monarchy period, the appearance of flags varied a lot. Likewise, there is a possibility that some observers were wrong in what they saw and reported.

Visitors to Hawai’i pre-1845 reported different types of flags flying, including varying numbers of stripes, sometimes 7 or 9, for example. Observers also reported the colors of the stripes in different orders.

It is reported that Captain Vancouver gave a British Red Ensign to the king in the 1790s, which on later visits he found flying in places of honor.

Later, the Union Flag of Great Britain flew over Hawai‘i as its National Flag. The Union Flag (also known as the “King’s Colors”) of Great Britain was one of the flags used by the King’s forces during the American revolutionary War.

After that, the monarchy of Kamehameha I started to use a new flag, similar to the one used today by the State of Hawaii.

The flag’s origin can be traced to the War of 1812. At the time, King Kamehameha had been flying the British flag. American officers suggested the king show more neutrality.

Alexander Adams is credited with helping to design the Hawaiian flag – a new flag for Hawaiʻi was needed to avoid confusion by American vessels (prior to that time, Hawaiian vessels flew the British Union Jack.)

Family traditions also credit George Charles Beckley as being the designer of the Hawaiian Flag – they may have designed it together (Adams later served as executor of Beckley’s estate and guardian of his children.))

“The Hawaiian flag was designed for King Kamehameha I, in the year 1816. As the King desired to send a vessel to China to sell a cargo of sandal-wood, he in company with John Young, Isaac Davis and Alexander Adams … made this flag for the ship, which was a war vessel, called the Forrester, carrying 16 guns, and was owned by Kamehameha I.” (Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, January 1, 1862)

On March 7, 1817, the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi sent Adams to China to sell the sandalwood. When he sailed to China, it was the first vessel under the flag of Hawaiʻi.

The early Hawaiian flag looks much like the Hawaiʻi State flag of today, the apparent inspiration of the design being a melding of British and US flags, the most common foreign flags seen in Hawaiian waters at the time.

The original design had stripes (like the US flag) representing the eight major islands under one sovereign and the British Union Jack, representing the friendly relationship between England and Hawai‘i.

Then, Kamehameha and his advisers collaborated on a new flag design, which combines elements from both the American and British flags.

This design had the Union Flag in the upper left quadrant with nine horizontal stripes alternating red, white and blue from the top. This flag was observed by Louis Choris in 1816.

For a short period of time, in 1843, Lord George Paulet, representing the British Crown, overstepped his bounds, landed sailors and marines, seized the government buildings in Honolulu and raised the British Union Jack and issued a proclamation formally annexing Hawaii to the British Crown. This event became known as the Paulet Affair.

On July 31, 1843, after five-months of occupation, the Hawaiian Kingdom was restored and Admiral Thomas ordered the Union Jack removed and replaced with the Hawaiian kingdom flag.

That day is now referred to as Ka La Hoʻihoʻi Ea, Sovereignty Restoration Day, and it is celebrated each year in the approximate site of the 1843 ceremonies.

At the opening of the Legislative Council, May 25, 1845, the new national banner was unfurled, differing little however from the former.

Eight stripes: first, fourth and seventh are silver represented by the color white; second, fifth and eighth are red, and the third and sixth are light purplish blue.

The stripes represent the eight major islands under one sovereign. The Union Jack represented the friendly relationship between England and Hawai‘i.

Subsequent annexation, territorial and statehood status caused the Hawaiian flag to fly with the flag of the United States.

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1793-1794-British Red Ensign

1794-1816 Union flag (Kings Colors)

1801-Flag_of_the_British_East_India_Company_(1801)

1810-1895-Hawaiian_Royal_Standard

1816-1843 Flag of Hawaii , Ka hae Hawaiʻi as observed by Louis Choris

1843 (Feb) – July 1843 Union flag (during Paulet Affair)

1843 (July) – May 1845 Early version of the present flag

1845 (May) – Feb 1893 The current Hawaiian flag introduced in 1845

1894-1898 Hawaiian flag re-adopted by Republic of Hawaii

1893 (Feb) – Apr 1893 US Flag (after overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom)

1898–1959 Hawaiian flag used by U.S. territory of Hawaii (Hawaii)

1898–1959 Hawaiian flag used by U.S. territory of Hawaii (US)

1959–present Hawaiian flag used by state of Hawaii (Hawaii)

1959–present Hawaiian flag used by state of Hawaii (US)

1959-Flag_of_the_Governor_of_Hawaii

April 17, 2019 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Alick

Alexander “Alick” Cartwright worked as a clerk for a broker and later for a bank, and, weather permitting, played variations of cricket and rounders in the vacant lots of New York City after the bank closed each day.

Rounders, like baseball, is a striking and fielding team game that involves hitting a ball with a bat; players score by running around the four bases on the field (the earliest reference to the game was in 1744.)

“In New York City in the 1830s and ’40s, young Alick Cartwright grew up playing all kinds of games that used bats, balls and bases — but none of them were called baseball, for that game had not yet been created.”

“In his teens, Alick and his friends ventured into other neighborhoods to play various ball games, including at the grassy squares at Madison Square and Murray Hill, and he earns a reputation as one of the best players in the city …”

“… whatever the game, be it cricket, rounders, barn ball, burn ball, stick ball, soak ball, goal ball, town ball or several “old cat” games — one old cat (one base), two old cat (two bases), etc.”

“But one thing drove Alick crazy – every area played by different rules, sometimes using two bases, sometimes five, and the number of players on the field varied from just a few to more than 20.”

“Sometimes a base was a tall wooden stick in the ground, sometimes a rock, sometimes a barrel top or just an old hat. Plus, the distances between bases were always different.”

“Worse, because the rules were always different, they spent as much time arguing about the rules as playing the game. Alick played for one reason, to have fun, and arguing was not fun.”

“After a particularly contentious argument that nearly comes to blows until Alick intervenes, he sits down with pencil, paper and ruler to create a more perfect game.”

“After his best pal nearly dies after getting hit in the head by a thrown ball during a game of town ball, Alick writes down the rules of modern baseball.” (Chapman; Amazon)

Baseball was based on the English game of rounders. Rounders become popular in the United States in the early 19th century, where the game was called “townball”, “base” or “baseball”.

In 1845, Cartwright organized the New York Knickerbockers team with a constitution and bylaws, and suggested that they could arrange more games and the sport would be more widely-played if it had a single set of agreed-upon rules.

Many of these ball-playing young men, including Cartwright, were also volunteer firemen. They named their team after a volunteer fire department in which Alexander Cartwright and several other players belonged to.

One of these wrote in his notes, “We were all men who were at liberty after 3 o’clock in the afternoon and played only for health and recreation… and merely wanted to join a club to set up new uniform rules”.

Cartwright played a key role in formalizing the first published rules of the game, including the concept of foul territory, the distance between bases, three-out innings and the elimination of retiring base runners by throwing batted baseballs at them.

The man who really invented baseball spent the last forty-four years of his long life in Hawai‘i and laid out Hawai‘i’s first baseball diamond, now called Cartwright Field, in Makiki.

When he left Manhattan, Cartwright took with him a bat, ball and a copy of the old manuscript rule book, that he helped to draft. Fifteen years later, he sent a letter from Honolulu …

“Dear old Knickerbockers, I hope the club is still kept up, and that I shall some day meet again with them on the pleasant fields of Hoboken. I have in my possession the original ball with which we used to play on Murray Hill. “

“Many is the pleasant chase I have had after it on Mountain and Prairie and many an equally pleasant one on the sunny plains of Hawaii … Sometimes I have thought of sending it home to be played for by the clubs, but I cannot bear to part with it, so linked in it, is it with cherished home memories.”

Cartwright went on to teach people in Hawai‘i how to play the game; and, he did a lot more when he was here.

In Hawaiʻi, he continued the volunteer fire fighting activities he had learned as a member of the Knickerbocker Engine Company No. 12 in New York City – and, he was part of Honolulu’s first Volunteer Fire Brigade.

Shortly thereafter, the Honolulu Fire was established on December 27, 1850, by signature of King Kamehameha III, and was the first of its kind in the Hawaiian Islands, and the only Fire Department in the United States established by a ruling monarch.

Then, on December 27, 1850, King Kamehameha III passed an act in the Privy Council that appointed Cartwright Chief Engineer of the Fire Department of the City of Honolulu. Shortly thereafter, he became Fire Chief.

Aside from his duties at the Honolulu Fire Department, Cartwright also served as advisor to the Queen. Cartwright was the executor of Queen Emma’s Last Will & Testament, in which she left the bulk of her estate to the Queen’s Hospital when she died in 1885.

Cartwright also served as the executor of the estate of King Kalākaua.

As part of its customs and traditions, cornerstone ceremonies were held for the construction of new Hospital buildings. Cartwright participated in the first public Masonic ceremony on the islands at the laying of the Queen’s Hospital cornerstone in 1860.

He also was appointed Consul to Peru, and was on the financial committee for Honolulu’s Centennial Celebration of American Independence held on July 4, 1876.

A group of men, Cartwright among them, founded the Honolulu Library and Reading Room in 1879. In the local newspaper, the Commercial Pacific Advertiser, editor J. H. Black wrote, “The library is not intended to be run for the benefit of any class, party, nationality, or sect.”

Some of the founders wanted to exclude women from membership, but Cartwright disagreed, writing to his brother Alfred: “The idea keeps the blessed ladies out and the children. What makes us old geezers think we are the only ones to be spiritually and morally uplifted by a public library in this city?” It wasn’t long before the committee changed the wording of the constitution to make women eligible for membership.

Born in New York City on April 17, 1820, Mr. Baseball, Alexander Cartwright died at the age of 72 in Honolulu on July 12th, 1892. A large, pink granite monument in Oʻahu Cemetery marks the final resting-place of Alexander Joy Cartwright, Jr.

Many baseball greats, such as Babe Ruth, have visited this spot to pay tribute. Today, baseballs and notes can regularly be found lying at the foot of his large grave marker.