Lyman Herbert Bigelow was born August 16, 1878 in Charlestown, MA; he was the son of Lyman Haven and Elmira J. (Bond) Bigelow. He went Bunker Hill grammar school, Charlestown, MA, 1893; Mechanics Arts high school, Boston, 1896, post graduate 1897; and then Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), B. S Civil Engineer degree, 1901.
Began work as an instructor in surveying at MIT in the summer of 1901. He then worked at a variety of places: as a civil engineer for Merrimac Paving Co of Lowell, MA 1901-02; structural steel draftsman for Phoenix Bridge Co, Phoenixville, PA, Jan.-Sept. 1902.
He then got into government work as sub-inspector of government buildings, US Navy Dept League Island Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA, 1902-05 and as a civil engineer and superintendent of construction, US Quartermaster Dept, US Army (initially at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, following which he was assigned to Hawaii).
Bigelow came to Hawaii as a civil engineer and construction superintendent in the United States army quartermaster corps in 1911, resigning the next year to become construction superintendent for the Honolulu Planing Mill.
In that role he assisted in the building of the Fort Kamehameha Barracks, Fort DeRussy buildings, Pearl Harbor coal station and Kaimuki reservoir on Wilhelmina Rise. On July 14, 1914 he married Henrietta M Tucker in Honolulu.
In 1918, he resigned the federal work and took a position for the Territory of Hawaii as Superintendent of Public Works through an appointment by Gov. Charles McCarthy for a four-year term. During that time, he served as 1st Lieutenant with the Hawaii National Guard. He was reappointed by Governors Wallace Farrington and Lawrence Judd.
Among the projects under Mr. Bigelow’s supervision were the renovation and rehabilitation of Washington Place, the official gubernatorial mansion, the Territorial Capitol, the former Iolani Palace of monarchial days; construction of the Territorial Hospital at Kaneohe and Girls’ Industrial School at Kailua.
He oversaw the Waikiki reclamation and Ala Wai Canal improvements. Bigelow stated, “In 1918 when I was appointed in charge of Public Works, Governor (Charles J. McCarthy told me he wanted me to get busy on the Ala Wai project. We had no money appropriation for the job but we knew something had to be done.”
“Every time there were heavy rains in Makiki and Kaimuki, the whole area was flooded. We found $150,000 in a sanitation fund and decided we would initiate the drainage as a sanitation project.”
“We had the area from Kapahulu Road to Keʻeaumoku St. and from King St. to the sea condemned as unsanitary and began work. The value of the canal and the surrounding filled land has proved itself many times over.” (Bigelow, Hnl Adv, Dec 29, 1965)
The Territorial harbor development plan embracing the modern Honolulu piers, and development of Kapalama basin and wharves; and the modern piers on Hawaii, Maui, Molokai and Kauai.
In other construction across the Islands, he built Waimano Home; Honolulu, and Hilo armories; new Territorial office buildings on Oahu, Maui and Kauai; extension to Honolulu library; new Territorial Normal School; new buildings of Bureau of Agriculture and Forestry; addition to Archives building; reconstruction and additions to Kapuaiwa building.
He oversaw development of Territorial airports, Animal Quarantine Station, Kalakaua Avenue bridge, Volcano road on Island of Hawaii, Haleakala road on Island of Maui, portions of Waianae road, Kalanianaole highway, Kamehameha highway, twin bridges at Waialua and Waimea bridge, all on Oahu; Waimea Canyon road on Kauai, and many other minor projects. (Lots of information here is from Nellist & Siddall)
“Because of the mandatory retirement age, he had to retire on June 30, 1950, but then he was immediately rehired as superintendent on a temporary basis. When that expired, he was given the monumental task of writing a new building code for Honolulu.” (Star Bulletin, June 20, 1966)
Bigelow was on the Hawaiian Homes Commission from August, 1952, to August, 1957, serving most of that time as chairman. While a member of the commission, Mr. Bigelow was an advocate of the Molokai irrigation project of homesteads on Kauai and Maui, and of extension of the Waimanalo program. Through his efforts, they were put into effect. (Star Bulletin, June 20, 1966)
“Years later Mayor Blaisdell paid tribute to Mr. Bigelow in these words: ‘Mr. Bigelow had the difficult and important task of beading the City’s Building Department during and following World War II.’”
“‘In directing the City’s tremendous construction program to catch up with the backlog of building needs and to provide the many new facilities needed after the war, he contributed much to the building of present day Honolulu.’”
“‘The City was indeed fortunate to have had a man like Mr. Bigelow in its service during such a critical period. He gave generously of himself to his work and won not only the high respect but warm regard of his associates.’” (Blaisdell, Star Bulletin, June 20, 1966)
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