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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