Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

“… no one could have been nearer to instant death …”

Then-Princess Liliʻuokalani was on a tour around Oʻahu. “I was accompanied by my sister, the Princess Likelike, who had with her the little child-princess Kaʻiulani, and that infant’s governess, Miss Barnes; Mr. JH Boyd was of the number of our attendants.”

“After a generous lunch at Waimanalo, on the estate of Mr. Cummins, we left for Maunawili, the country-place of Mr. and Mrs. Boyd”. (On a prior trip to that house, Liliʻuokalani was inspired to write ‘Aloha ʻOe;’ when leaving, she witnessed a particularly affectionate farewell between a gentleman and a young.)

This trip, on October 6, 1881, was different.

“We were descending the steep side of a hill, (in some unaccountable manner the reins of one of the horses became entangled in the bit of another) and the result was that the driver had no longer control of the animals.”

“Consequently the carriage came down the hill with such velocity that I was thrown violently out, and landed between two rocks; but fortunately there was a bit of marshy ground where I struck.”

“(T)he vehicle was overturned, falling upon the Princess who had been previously thrown out and furthermore, the royal lady was precipitated down a steep embankment a distance of about 50 yards. When the rest of the party joined the suffering lady, she was speechless for some length of time.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, October 8, 1881)

“Certainly no one could have been nearer to instant death.” (Liliʻuokalani)

“At first it was thought my back was broken by my fall; for when I endeavored to rise after recovering from the first shock, it was impossible to do so, nor could I change in any way my position until assisted by my followers”.

“Even then, when depending upon their strength of arm as they tried to raise me, the least exertion or motion gave me the greatest pain.”

“It was a matter of immediate wonder that my life had been spared.” (Liliʻuokalani)

“This had been witnessed from the homestead of our hosts; and Mr. Cummins, arriving on the scene almost immediately, sent for a stretcher, which was sent at once from the residence of Mrs. Boyd. On this I was placed, and the litter raised upon the shoulders of four men; thus was I carried all the way to Waimanalo.”

“Mr. Cummins, having preceded the sad procession, met us at the foot of the hill with a wagon.” (Liliʻuokalani) “Cummings, who was aware that the steamer Waimanalo, then anchored about four miles distant, was about to start for Honolulu. He dispatched a messenger to delay her.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, October 8, 1881)

“When all had been made ready, the word was given to proceed, and the procession started. To me it was a solemn moment, one which can never be forgotten, (the throngs of people watched in) respectful silence broken only by their smothered sobs or subdued weeping, and with it all the steady, measured tread of the soldiers who were drawing the wagon on which I had been laid by my devoted friends.”

“(U)nder the kind care of Mr. Cummins and Mrs. Kaae, the wagon was driven to the wharf, where the little steamer Waimanalo, belonging to Mr. Cummins, awaited me. All that tenderest care and kindest heart could suggest was done to make me comfortable by my kind hosts; and the cavalcade of retainers, with which I had come out so gayly, followed in demure silence.” (Liliʻuokalani)

“My return, thus to my people and my family from the very border of death left an impression upon me which is too sacred for any description.” (Liliʻuokalani)

“My physician, Dr. Webb … made a careful examination of my condition, and was relieved to find that the injuries to my back were no more serious than a very severe wrench and strain.”

“At the end of three weeks I was not yet able to raise myself, or even sit up in my bed; so finally it was the opinion of my medical advisers that I should make a great effort and persevere in spite of the pain, lest I should become bedridden.”

“These instructions were followed out with a result which proved the wisdom of the course recommended; for I was soon able to ride about in my buggy, still weak, but improving slowly.”

“But the process of recovery was very gradual, and only successful by the most constant care and great patience of my attendants. These were divided into watches of three hours each, and three persons were always at my bedside.”

“To one of these was assigned the duty of waving the kahili … to another that of using the fan for my comfort, both of these being women; while to the third, a male attendant, belonged the duty of doing any necessary errands, and of making my female attendants comfortable in whatever way their needs might require.”

“Whenever I was lifted, or even turned, it was done by the strong yet tender hands of six men, three on each side. Had these been nurses trained by years of experience to manage the sick they could not have proceeded with more skill and gentleness; so quietly and gradually was my position changed that I could scarcely perceive the movements, which were such as to give me the least pain.”

“All classes of adherents had been represented in the watchers about my bedside. … Most of these gentlemen were accompanied by their wives as assistants in their kind offices. Princess Ruth and my sister, the Princess Likelike, were daily visitors.” (Liliʻuokalani) The image shows then-Princess Liliʻuokalani.

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Crown_Princess_Liliuokalani-1870s-1880s

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Young Brothers Save Prince Kūhiō

On July 10, 1902, Prince Kūhiō left the Home Rule Party and, a few months later, on September 1, 1902, joined the Republican Party; he was nominated as their candidate for Congress and, on November 4, 1902, won the election to serve as Hawai‘i’s delegate to Congress.

“Prince Kūhiō, accompanied by a half dozen personal friends and the quartet club which sang Republican songs during the campaign just closed, left for Lihue, Kauai (November 14) in a special steamer.”

“They will return Sunday morning (November 16) and will at once proceed to Pearl Harbor where the Prince will sail his yacht Princess in the races on that day.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, November 15, 1902)

“Prince Kūhiō arrived at 4 o’clock Sunday morning from Kauai, and after breakfast and dressing at his home started for the harbor.”

“The two young men who make the crew were on hand when Prince Kūhiō and his friend Judge Mahaulu drove to the boathouse. There was little time lost in getting the boat away and with the Prince at the helm it stood out to sea.”

“The Princess is a staunch third-rater, and nothing less than a heavy blow makes the crew which sails the little craft think for a moment of reefing down or running for the harbor.”

“When the trip was arranged for yesterday morning there was nothing to suggest that there was any danger for such a boat and the four sailed out gaily as ever before they inaugurated as cruise.”

“The canvas was full and the crew was keeping a close watch for squalls as the wind was gusty and the prospect that there might be such a blow outside that some reefing would have to be done.”

“The little boat went off to the south east when approaching the outside reef, and was way between the spar buoy and the ball buoy when Prince Cupid saw a squall coming down upon them.”

“He ordered the main sheet slackened and was himself getting ready to bring the boat into the wind, when with lightning rapidity, before anything could be done to prevent it …”

“… the winds hit the little boat and over it went carrying every one of the men in the craft with it. Luckily the crew was in windward and all escaped being fouled in the lines as the boat went broadside into the sea.”

“They made themselves as secure as possible on the topside of the sailer’s hull and clung there while each wave broke over them and threatened to wash them away.”

“The minutes lengthened, and though their halloos might easily have been heard on the (nearby) battleship, the wind setting in that direction, there was no sign given that any one on board had seen the accident or noted the men struggling in the water.”

“For more than an hour … Prince Kūhiō Kalaniana‘ole and the three companions with whom he started to make the sail from the harbor to Pearl River …”

“… battled for their lives in the waves which swept over their heads and threatened each moment to wash them from the hull of the overturned boat, to which they clung. They were without the bell buoy and within three quarters of a mile of the battleship Oregon.”

“It was left for some young men on the galleries of the Myrtle Boat house to see, without a glass, the accident and the position of the sailors, and to rush an order to Young Brothers to send their fastest launch to the rescue.”

“This order was given in such time that the schooner and attending launch were just passing Young’s island when the little boat went out to assist the castaways.”

“When the men were reached they were all in fair shape though they felt the effects of the battering of the waves and were considerably exhausted by the strain upon them.”

“They were taken into the launch and a line passed to the yacht and she was towed to her anchorage off the club house. Last evening all the members of the party were in the best of shape.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, November 17, 1902)

“The Delegate elect, Prince Kūhiō, came pretty close to a fatal accident yesterday. Apart from the of a brilliant young Hawaiian, a fatal accident to the Prince have necessitated a fresh election …”

“… and the Territory having passed through one election struggle is not prepared to start out for another. The Prince belongs to the people now and his life and breath are matters of public importance.” (Hawaiian Star, November 17, 1902)

This wasn’t the only rescue of the time by Young Brothers, less than 2-weeks before, “The small island schooner Kauikeaouli … was just putting to sea with a cargo of general merchandise which had been taken from the disabled schooner Concord, which had to return from sea a few days ago after springing a leak.”

“It seems that the schooner had a fair wind and sailed away from the wharf, but would not steer. Her skipper thought this was because of her foul bottom, but a moment later the vessel swung over against the bow of the Alameda and had a small hole punched in her by one of the steamer’s anchors which was hanging half out of the water.”

“One of Young Brothers’ launches got hold of the schooner and took her bark to the wharf, where carpenters found the damage, to be light and easily repaired It during the day.”

“The captain of the schooner says that he had a shipsmith repair his steering gear, and that the wheel was put on in such a way that It steered the vessel in just the opposite direction from what was intended.” (Hawaiian Gazette, November 7, 1902)

The image shows the Young Brothers’ boathouse (center – structure with open house for boats on its left (1910), on what is now about where Piers 1 and 2 are, in the background is what is now Kaka‘ako Makai).

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Young_Brothers_Boathouse-center_structure_with_open_house_for_boats_on_its_left-1910

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Washington Place

Captain John Dominis was an Italian-American ship captain and merchant from New York who had been trading in the Pacific since the 1820s.

In the 1840s, he purchased property on Beretania Street.  There, he started to build a home for his family, Mary Lambert Dominis (his wife) and John Owen Dominis (his son.)

The original central portion, built in 1844-1847, was designed and executed in Greek Revival Style, with supplies ordered from Boston.

Captain Dominis reportedly embarked on several trading voyages while the house was being built, using the profits to pay off accumulated debts and resume operations (it’s not clear how many trips were required to build the new home.)

It is a two-story structure with partial basement. Various additions and alterations have occurred over the years.  Cellar walls and foundations are of coral stone; Walls are coral stone (approximately 2½-feet thick) faced with cement to simulate stone work.  The second floor is wood frame.

In 1847, on a voyage to the China Sea, Captain Dominis was lost at sea.

The grounds were said to have been planted “by Mrs. Captain Dominis as the first private garden in Honolulu, carefully watered until the yard was a handsome, cool retreat.” By 1848 the garden was sufficiently interesting for a visitor to ask for a list of the plants in the yard.

Mary Dominis then rented out the spare bedroom to American Commissioner Anthony Ten Eyck.  Impressed with the white manor and grand columns out front, Ten Eyck said it reminded him of Mount Vernon, George Washington’s mansion and that it should be named “Washington Place.”  He wrote a letter to RC Wyllie stating such.

King Kamehameha III, who concurred, Proclaimed as ‘Official Notice,’ “It has pleased His Majesty the King to approve of the name of Washington Place given this day by the Commissioner of the United States, to the House and Premises of Mrs. Dominis and to command that they retain that name in all time coming.”  (February 22, 1848)

In 1862, John Owen Dominis married Lydia Kamakaʻeha (also known as Lydia Kamakaʻeha Pākī.)  Lydia Dominis described Washington Place “as comfortable in its appointments as it is inviting in its aspect.”

Mary Dominis died on April 25, 1889, and the premises went to her son, John Owen Dominis, Governor of Oʻahu.

Lydia was eventually titled Princess and later Queen Liliʻuokalani, in 1891.  John Owen died shortly after becoming Prince consort (making Liliʻuokalani the second widow of the mansion.)  Title then passed to Queen Liliʻuokalani.

Liliʻuokalani continued to occupy Washington Place until her death on November 11, 1917.

Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole, one of the heirs to the estate of Queen Liliʻuokalani, suggested that the Territory acquire Washington Place as the Executive Mansion. The Legislature appropriated funds for the purchase, and in May, 1921, the property was acquired by the Territory.

In 1922, major additions were made. These included the glassed-in lanai, the porte-cochere and the rear one-story wing with Dining Room and Kitchen. Family bedrooms were added to the second-story of this wing, later.

Washington Place became the official home of the Governor of Hawaiʻi when it was formally opened on April 21, 1922, by Governor Wallace Rider Farrington.

In 1954, the large Covered Terrace was constructed and in 1959, the second-story TV room was built above the glassed-in lanai. An elevator and the metal fire escape were added in 1963.

The Beretania Street and Miller Street sides and a portion of the rear line are enclosed with a wrought iron fence set on a concrete base.

The original tract, as owned by the Dominis family and Queen Liliʻuokalani, comprised about 1.46 acres. The Territory of Hawaiʻi acquired additional property on Miller Street, making a total of about 3.1 acres.

Across the street from the State Capitol on Beretania Street, Washington Place was the executive mansion for the territorial governors from 1918 to 1959, and, after Hawaiʻi became the 50th state, the state governor’s mansion, from 1959 to 2002.

Washington Place remains the official residence of the governor however, a new house, built on the property in 2002, is now the personal residence of the Governor of Hawai‘i.  (governor-hawaii-gov)

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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Keōpūolani Baptism

On the arrival of the American missionaries in April 1820, all the chiefs were consulted respecting the expediency of their establishment in the islands. Some of the chiefs seemed to doubt; but Keōpūolani without hesitation approved their proposals. (Memoir)

Keōpūolani welcomed them. As the highest ranking ali‘i of her time, her embracing of Christianity set a crucial seal of approval on the missionaries and their god. (Langlas & Lyon)

Keōpūolani was the daughter of Kīwalaʻo. Kīwalaʻo was the son of Kalaniʻōpuʻu by Kalola (sister of Kahekili.) Her mother was Kekuiapoiwa Liliha, Kīwalaʻo sister. She was aliʻi kapu of nī‘aupi‘o (high-born – offspring of the marriage of a high-born brother and sister or half-brother and half-sister.)

Her ancestors on her mother’s side were ruling chiefs of Maui; her ancestors on her father’s side were the ruling chiefs of the island of Hawai‘i. Keōpūolani’s genealogy traced back to Ulu, who descended from Hulihonua and Keakahulilani, the first man and woman created by the gods.

In the year 1822, while at Honolulu, she was very ill, and her attention seems to have been then first drawn to the instructions of the missionaries. (Anderson)

In May 1823, Keōpūolani and her husband Hoapili expressed a desire to have an instructor connected with them. They selected Taua, a native teacher sent by the church at Huaheine, in company with the Rev. Mr. Ellis, to instruct them and their people in the first principles of the Gospel, and teach them to read and write.

The mission approved, and Taua resided until the death of Keōpūolani. He proved a faithful teacher, and by the blessing of God, we believe, he did much to establish her in the Christian faith. (Memoir)

Keōpūolani requested, as did the king and chiefs, that missionaries might accompany her. As Lahaina had been previously selected for a missionary station, the missionaries were happy to commence their labors there under such auspices. William Richards and Charles Samuel Stewart therefore accompanied her. (Memoir)

On the May 31, 1823, Keōpūolani arrived in Lahaina with Messrs. Richards and Stewart and their families. On their passage, she told them she would be their mother; and indeed she acted the part of a mother ever afterwards.

Immediately on their arrival, she requested them to commence teaching, and said, also, “It is very proper that my sons (meaning the missionaries) be present with me at morning and evening prayers.”

They were always present, sung a hymn in the native language, and when nothing special prevented, addressed through an interpreter the people who were present, when Taua, or the interpreter, concluded the service with prayer.

She spent a principal part of her time every day in learning how to read. and notwithstanding her age, numerous cares, constant company, and various other hindrances, made respectable proficiency.

She was indeed a diligent pupil, seldom weary with study; often spent hours over her little spelling book; and when her teachers rose to leave her, rarely laid it aside, but usually continued studying after they had retired.

She was apparently as diligent in searching for divine truth, as in learning to read, and evidently gave attention to her book, that she might know more of her duty to her Maker. (Memoir)

On the last week in August, Keōpūolani began to be seriously affected by a local indisposition, which soon seemed to relax her whole system, and in her view was a premonition of her approaching death.

On the first day of September, the chiefs began to collect in consequence of her illness. This was agreeable to their universal custom. Whenever a high chief is taken ill, although there may be nothing threatening in his illness, all the chiefs assemble from every part of the islands, and wait the result.

Thus, it was in Keōpūolani’s sickness. Vessels were dispatched to the different islands before there was any occasion for alarm. It was not many days, however, before it was seriously apprehended that the disease would prove fatal. (Memoir)

“They regarded her as a fit subject for baptism, but were unwilling to administer the ordinance without some means of communicating with her and with the people, so that there might be no danger of misunderstanding on so interesting an occasion.”

“They feared lest there should be erroneous impressions as to the place the ordinance held in the Christian system. Happily, Mr. Ellis arrived just in season, and the dying woman was thus publicly acknowledged as a member of the visible church.”

“The king and ail the heads of the nation listened with profound attention to Mr. Ellis’s statement of the grounds on which baptism was administered to the queen …”

“… and when they saw that water was sprinkled on her in the name of God, they said, ‘Surely she is no longer ours. She has given herself to Jesus Christ. We believe she is his, and death will go to dwell with him.’ An hour afterwards, near the close of September 16, 1823, she died.” (Anderson)

Keōpūolani is said to have been the first convert of the missionaries in the islands and the first to receive a Protestant baptism. (Kalanimōku and Boki had previously (1819) been baptized by the French Catholics. Kalanimōku later (1825) joined the Protestant Church, at the same time as Ka‘ahumanu.)

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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Ka‘ahumanu’s Kailua-Kona Home Site

For centuries, Kaiakeakua (also spelled Kaiakekua) was a favored place for royalty.  Kamakahonu Royal Center at Kailua Bay was the residential compound of Kamehameha I from 1813 until his death in 1819. It had previously been the residence of a high chief, and it was undoubtedly a residential area back into the centuries prior to European contact. 

During Kamehameha’s use of this compound reportedly 11 house structures were present. These included his sleeping house, houses for his wives, a large men’s house, storehouses and Ahuʻena heiau.  Kamehameha’s entourage (wives and chiefs, etc) had homes surrounding Kaiakeakua Bay (we now call it Kailua Bay in Kona).

Liholiho’s (Kamehameha II) house was where the Kona Inn is; Keōpūolani (mother of Kamehameha II and III) had her house on the south side, at Oneo Bay; and Ka‘ahumanu’s house was adjacent to (on the south side of) what is now Mokuaikaua Church property.

Fast forward … a couple pioneers in neighbor island hospitality helped form Hawaiʻi’s early fledgling visitor industry.  At the time, emphasis and facilities were focused in Waikīkī.  However, two locally-grown chains saw the opportunities and put their attention on the neighbor Islands.

The first, Inter-Island Resorts under the Child family, grew into a number of ‘Surf Resorts’ on the neighbor islands; the other, Island Holidays, under the Guslanders, had several neighbor island ‘Palms Resorts.’

With several smaller business-oriented hotels downtown Honolulu and spotted across the neighbor islands, on November 1, 1928, the Kona Inn in Kailua-Kona (at the place of Liholiho’s house), the first neighbor island visitor-oriented resort hotel, opened with great fanfare.  (Hibbard, Schmitt)

The Inter-Island Steam Navigation Co originally intended to build the Kona Inn on the site of Huliheʻe Palace.  The idea was met with considerable opposition and the Territory bought the Palace and the company erected its new hotel on a 4-acre parcel adjoining the former Royal Residence.  (Hibbard)

A Star-Bulletin editorial noted on February 7, 1928, “The land of the first Kamehameha; the land which cradled the old federation of the Hawaiian Islands, the storied land where an English ship’s captain was worshipped before natives found him human and slew him there …”

“… is to be opened at last to the comfort-loving tourists of the world. … Soon after the completion of the hotel, the territory will have cause to be grateful to the foresight and enterprise of Inter-Island.” (SB, Feb 7, 1928)

It wasn’t until 1955, in the area where Ka‘ahumanu lived, that Guslander brought his competing Palms Resorts to Kona, and was the third facility in the hotel chain that included the Maui Palms and the Coco Palms on Kauai. (HTH Sep 6, 1955)

“The former Kailua-Kona Hotel, now a part of the Kona Palms operation, provides an additional 16 rooms for a combined total of 38 rooms which will be available.” (HTH Aug 26, 1955) “A new restaurant and cocktail lounge, the Kona Marlin club will open between July 5 and 10 as a part of the Kona Palms development though operated by another lessee.” (Adv June 12, 1955)

At the dedication of the hotel and restaurant (Kona Palms and the Kona Marlin Club), “The Rev Abraham Akaka of Haili church gave the dedication prayer, anointed the old stone of King Kamehameha I and Queen Kaahumanu’s residence still at the site, and cut the cord which combined ‘the old and the new’ of Kona.” (Adv Sep 7, 1955)

In 1964, “The Kona Palms Hotel in Kailua-Kona has been sold to the former-publisher of the Honolulu Advertiser and his wife Mr. and Mrs Lorrin P Thurston … the property was sold because … [the owner] will make a substantial investment in the Outrigger Hotel being developed by Roy C Kelley between the Royal Hawaiian and Moana Hotels.” (SB July 11, 1964)

Then, in 1972, “HC [‘Pat’] Patterson … announced forthcoming development of The Dolphin Condominium in Kailua, Kona.  The four-story condominium apartment is planned as 75 residential units and some 10,600 square feet for retail specialty shops and office condominiums”. (HTH Feb 27, 1972)

“HC Patterson, the creator of the Dolphin Condominiums in Kailua, Kona, has lived on the Big Island since his return from Japan in 1962. In Japan, he had been involved in plywood manufacturing in Osaka and the logging industry in Fiji.

“Patterson built the Marlin Plaza in 1962, which was Kona’s first modern shopping center, and the Dolphin Plaza in 1964, which is adjacent to the Marlin.” (HTH May 8, 1975)

Unfortunately, “Glenn Construction Corp, one of the Big Islands’ contracting firms, has gone out of the active construction business.  The firm’s apparent financial demise leaves behind a tangled web of more than 80 unsettled lawsuits and countersuits [most involving subcontractors claims of not being paid] … The majority of these involve work on the Kona Dolphin condominium …” (SB Oct 31, 1974)

The Dolphin condominium property went into foreclosure and project lender, Independence Mortgage Trust Co of Georgia, was the only bidder and ended up with the property. (SB May 20, 1976) Shortly thereafter, the Dolphin project name was changed to Kona Plaza.

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