Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Liholiho – Kamehameha II

Liholiho was born circa 1797 in Hilo, on the island of Hawaiʻi, the eldest son of Kamehameha I and his highest-ranking consort Queen Keōpūolani.

Kamehameha the Great died in 1819, and Liholiho officially inherited the role of King; however, Ka‘ahumanu would serve as kuhina nui (the rough equivalent of the 19th-century European office of Prime Minister.)

His birth name was Liholiho and full name was Kalaninui kua Liholiho i ke kapu ʻIolani.  It was lengthened to Kalani Kaleiʻaimoku o Kaiwikapu o Laʻamea i Kauikawekiu Ahilapalapa Kealiʻi Kauinamoku o Kahekili Kalaninui i Mamao ʻIolani i Ka Liholiho when he took the throne.

Liholiho had five wives, Kamāmalu, Kekāuluohi, Kalanipauahi, Kekauʻōnohi and Kīna‘u; he had no children with any of his wives.

The new king was generally well-liked and admired.  As one American missionary observed, “There is nothing particularly striking about his countenance, but his figure is noble, perhaps more so than that of any other chief; his manners polite and easy, and his whole deportment that of a gentleman.”

Kamehameha II is best remembered for the ‘Ai Noa, the breaking of the ancient kapu (taboo) system of religious laws six months into his reign when he sat down with Kaʻahumanu and his mother Keōpūolani and ate a meal together.

The religious and political code of old Hawai‘i, collectively called the kapu system, was abolished.

While the islands were united by his father, after the abolition of the kapu, Keaoua Kekuaokalani (Liholiho’s cousin) led the forces supporting the ancient Hawaiian religion; Kekuaokalani, his wife Manono and his warriors were overwhelmed.  Lekeleke Burial Grounds, 7 miles south of Kailua, commemorates the battle.

Sandalwood was an important export at the time.  In 1819, Liholiho ended the controls on harvesting ‘iliahi initiated by his father.  In their rush to collect wood, the chiefs ordered even young trees to be cut down.

New trees were not planted to replace those cut down.  Soon there was little ʻiliahi worth gathering in Hawaiʻi.  As the supply dwindled the trading of ʻiliahi came to an end.

On April 4, 1820, the initial group of missionaries came to Hawai‘i and Liholiho granted them permission to stay in the Hawaiian Islands.

Later, in 1820, Liholiho bought a Royal Yacht known as Cleopatra’s Barge in exchange for reportedly 1-million pounds of sandalwood; he renamed the yacht Ha‘aheo o Hawaii (Pride of Hawaiʻi).

Kamehameha II was quite proud of his ship; in the words of Charles Bullard, the agent for the ship-owner: “If you want to know how Religion stands at the Islands I can tell you; all sects are tolerated but the King worships the Barge.”

Whaling soon replaced the sandalwood trade of ʻiliahi wood in economic importance.  It lasted about fifty years, from 1820 to 1870.  During this time Hawaiʻi provided support services to the whaling ships; people grew crops and sold fresh fruits, vegetables and salted-meat to the ships.

Liholiho’s reign was also noted for his efforts to ensure the lasting independence of the Hawaiian kingdom.  In 1823, Liholiho and his favorite wife, Kamāmalu, sailed to England to meet with King George IV, the first Ali‘i to travel to England.

King George IV scheduled a meeting for June 21, but it had to be delayed; Liholiho and Kamāmalu became ill.  The Hawaiian court had caught measles, to which they had no immunity.

It is believed they probably contracted the disease on their visit to the Royal Military Asylum (now the Duke of York’s Royal Military School).

Virtually the entire royal party developed measles within weeks of arrival, 7 to 10 days after visiting the Royal Military Asylum housing hundreds of soldiers’ children.

On the 8th of July the Queen died at half-past six in the evening from inflammation of the lungs.  A few days later, King Liholiho died.  His reign was approximately 5-years.

The moments just before he died, he said faintly: “Farewell to you all – I am dead, I am happy.”

Then upon their arrival back to Hawai‘i, in consultation between the Kuhina Nui, Ka‘ahumanu, and other high chiefs, and telling them about Westminster Abbey and the underground burial crypts they had seen there, it was decided to build a mausoleum building on the grounds of the royal palace.

The Sacred Mound (previously a stone mausoleum) – Pohukaina – was constructed in 1825 to house the remains of Kamehameha II (Liholiho) and his consort, Queen Kamāmalu.

The mausoleum was a small eighteen-by-twenty-four foot Western style structure made of white-washed coral blocks with a thatched roof; it had no windows.

Kamehameha II (Liholiho) and Queen Kamāmalu were buried on August 23, 1825.  The name ‘Pohukaina’ begins to be used to reference the site at the time of their burial.  (Pohukaina – is translated as “Pohu-ka-ʻāina” (the land is quiet and calm.))

For the next forty years, this royal tomb and the land immediately surrounding it became the final resting place for the kings of Hawai‘i, their consorts and important chiefs of the kingdom.

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Pua Akala

The Polynesian settlers of Hawai‘i brought with them their primary plants used for food and other uses, and four animals, the moa (chicken), ‘īlio (dog), pua‘a (pig), and, inadvertently, the ‘iole (rat). The first three animals were the primary meat of the Hawaiians.

It wasn’t until the arrival of Captain Vancouver in 1793 that cattle were introduced to Hawai‘i. Vancouver dropped one bull and one cow at Kawaihae, and took the remaining five cows to Kealakekua as a gift for King Kamehameha I. The bull died, so it was lucky that a year later Captain Vancouver returned with more cattle, four bulls and eight cows.

A 10 year kapu (taboo) was placed on introduced cattle to feed on the rich green grasslands of Hawai‘i Island. These first cattle, or bullocks, were longhorn cattle and soon grew very wild. The first “ranchers” were bullock hunters, who rode to the uplands of Mauna Kea to shoot cattle or trap them in pits. (DLNR) The meat was used for food and the hides for export.

By the 1820s, there were as many as 30,000 head of cattle on the islands.  Historically, agriculture has played a large role in the economy of the island, and the Islands as a whole. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the main industries were sugar cultivation and cattle ranching. (FWS)

As early as 1831, portions of the land on the slopes of Mauna Kea and neighboring forest lands were being worked by Daniel Castle; and, later, by the Castle and Hitchcock brothers for lumber milling and bullock hunting operations. (Kumu Pono)

The Hitchcock brothers, David Howard Hitchcock and Edward Griffin Hitchcock, were the sons of Harvey Rexford and Rebecca (Howard) Hitchcock, American Protestant missionaries who arrived with the 5th Company of ABCFM missionaries.

In 1875, the Hitchcock brothers purchased the ‘O‘ōkala sugar plantation.  In addition, DH Hitchcock was a land surveyor whose work focused not only on parcels of land being sold, but also on land divisions.

In 1883, the Hitchcock brothers built a house at Puakala at the upper boundary of the ahupua‘a, described as being “heavily timbered with ohia, koa, and other Hawaiian woods.  Wild cattle and hogs abound in the upper woods”. (Tuggle)

“The house is built almost entirely of Koa sawed in the neighborhood … it was put up by Messrs. Devereaux and Tenny, and was finished in July”. (Pua ‘Ākala Guest Book, Oct 16, 1883)

“But Puakala – what of that? It is situated in the hollow of an amphi-theatre of hills. The hills to the west are mostly barren of trees, but well covered … Puaakala grows the finest of koa wood found on the islands. It is far handsomer than mahogany, some of it beautifully dark, some knotted and some curly.”

“The cattle are fast destroying the koa trees with other trees of the original forests … Of this wood, then, the house is built. The boards were sawed by hand and excellently well done, straight and true.”

“There has been no attempt at planing the lumber except for the doors, and this little handwork sends the polish out and shows the hard smooth grain of the wood. The wide boards are battened to keep out the cold, but cracks enough are left to keep the air always fresh and sweet.”

“At one end of the living-room is a capacious stone fire-place 3 x 4 feet. The opposite end of the building is divided into two sleeping rooms.”

“But the sleeping capacity of the house is not limited to these two bed-rooms, for there is an attic and the living room has lounges and a cot-bed to be used in emergencies. In the fire-place a fire is kept burning day and night.” (Paradise of the Pacific, January 1890)

The private koa-plank cabin known as Pua ‘Ākala (also referred to as Puakala) was used as an aristocratic hunting retreat. (Mills) The cabin was in the area known as Puakala or Kapuakala, a place at the upper edge of Papa‘ikou and is also the name of a watercourse in the area.  The Hitchcock family mountain home eventually became known as Pua ‘Ākala Ranch. (Tuggle)

When staying at their mountain home at Pua ‘Ākala, the Hitchcocks hunted wild cattle and pigs, and “the occasional bills of fare written in the [guest] book by appreciative guests always included roast beef, usually pork as well”. (Tuggle)

As described by Kingdom land surveyor, ED Baldwin, “we … headed for Puu Oo, where we found the trail leading around the mountain towards Waimea, which we followed, reaching Puakala – Hitchcock’s mountain house – at five o’clock P.M.”

“This house is sixteen and a half miles in a direct line from Hilo, but about thirty-five by the trail. The Hitchcocks had kindly invited us to make this point our headquarters.”

“What a surprise it was to find, at this distance, such a large comfortable house, built of solid koa, all of which had been sawed out by hand! It was surely mountain luxury to lay off in comfortable rocking chairs before the large, open, old-fashioned fireplace. The elevation at this point is 6,325 feet. …”

“We lived high and well at Puakala; neither did our six cooks spoil the broth; but a specialty from each one helped to swell the bill of fare each meal. One made such fine biscuit, another such soup, another veal pies, another oyster fritters, and another still hit the climax by making akala (wild raspberry) pies.” (Baldwin, Kumupono)

An 1887 entry in the guest book of their mountain house recounts: “A series of hunts ⎯ all successful ⎯ gave the usual spice to the stay here of a short nine days.”

“No thrilling encounters with wild bulls this time but several racy runs after cattle resulted in a total of four bulls, three cows, three yearlings, killed ⎯ two heifers and two small bulls captured ⎯ (one since escaped) with a boar or lean sow shot here and there.” (D Howard Hitchcock, Tuggle)

By the end of the century, there were at least two major ranches in the upper Hakalau Forest area.  Kukaiau Ranch was started by Charles Notley in 1887 and was shortly thereafter sold to John M. Horner.  By 1929, it covered 35,000 acres between 2,300 to 7,600 feet.

The other ranch was Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō Ranch, which covered 23,000 acres between 5,000 to 6,500 feet.  John Baker started the ranch in 1896. (Tuggle)

In 1902, William ‘Willie’ Herbert Shipman secured leases on the lands of Pāpa‘ikou, Makahanaloa and other Hilo District lands, which were incorporated into the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō ranching operation.  (Kumu Pono)

WH Shipman was born on December 17, 1854, at Lahaina, Maui to William Cornelius Shipman and Jane Stobie Shipman. Willie’s parents had signed up as missionaries destined for Micronesia. They stopped over at Lāhaina, Maui because his mother was due to deliver within 2 months. His parents then took a mission station in Kaʻū, Hawaiʻi, based in Waiʻōhinu.

In 1920, WH Shipman, leasing Pi‘ihonua and operating out of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, extended his lease on Makahanaloa, and added the uplands of Pauka‘a and Pāpa‘ikou (the Pua‘ākala house and ranch of the Hitchcocks), to his Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō Ranch operation. (Kumu Pono)

Pua ‘Ākala Ranch served as a satellite operation to Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō Ranch. (Roy Shipman Blackshear, Tuggle) WH Shipman, Ltd sold its interest in the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō parcel in the 1970s. (Kumu Pono)

Pua ‘Ākala cabin and the surrounding property are now part of the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge.  The Refuge notes “The cabin is well-suited as a location for interpreting the refuge’s forest resources and Hawaii’s unique history.”

“The cabin’s ties with the land survey and divisions, missionary families, politicians, hunting, Koa forests, birds of the forest, and current management strategies provides a wealth of interpretive materials. It is frequently visited by special use permit holders as they lead guided tours on the refuge.” (Messer)

David Howard (D Howard) Hitchcock, son of David Howard (David) Hitchcock and grandson of American missionaries, has ties to Pua ‘Ākala.  He is perhaps one of the most important and loved artists from Hawaiʻi. Although born and raised in Hawaiʻi, he left the islands to study art in San Francisco and Paris.

Before his formal training abroad, Hitchcock was inspired by other Volcano School painters and was encouraged by Jules Tavernier to endeavor life as an artist. Hitchcock admits to following Tavernier and Joseph Strong around, ‘like a parasite.’  (NPS HAVO)

“Hitchcock was early hailed as ‘our island painter’ and his early canvases met an enthusiastic reception in Hilo and Honolulu. The Honolulu press commented on them at length. His early work, up to his European trip in 1890, shows great indebtedness to (Jules) Tavernier…” (Forbes)

He spoke fluent Hawaiian and traveled extensively throughout the islands, documenting the natural and cultural features in a sketch book and photographs, which he converted into paintings. During his long career he completed more than 1200 paintings, published 700 photographs. (Messer)

D Howard Hitchcock’s lasting mark at Pua ‘Ākala Ranch was a “charming study of akala berries” on a door which survives, well-preserved, in the possession of one of the Shipman descendants. (Roy Shipman Blackshear, Tuggle)

As described 1922 by Charmian London, wife of Jack London, “Puaakala, roofed in red corrugated iron, was otherwise even more picturesque, more hand-made in appearance than the PuuOO eyrie, even the washing-bowl and the bath-tub being dubbed out of koa. …”

“That night, when I shut the koa panel that was my bedroom door, I became aware that Gauguin had not been the only young painter who left his mark upon wood.”

“I found on the inner side an oil, manifestly not new, of a spray of akala berries and leaves. It had been done … by Howard Hitchcock, who has since attracted much attention by his fine canvases of Hawaii.” (Our Hawaii, London) (D Howard Hitchcock painted it on July 13, 1885.)

Click the following link for additional information on Pua ‘Ākala:

Click to access Pua_Akala-Hakalau_Forest_National_Wildlife_Refuge.pdf

© 2024 Ho‘okuleana LLC

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Billy

“David Douglas has no rival as a collector of Northwest plants. He introduced thousands of them to Europe, some 215 of which were new, and many were named for him.”

“He noted 7,032 in totaling his mileage for the two years of his first expedition, April 1825-April 1827, and another time mentioned adding some 7,000 distinct species of flowering plants to the collection—a plant a mile, it might be said.”

Of note, “He laid in specimens of pinus taxifolia (Douglas fir) with pine cones which were eventually distributed to nurserymen and to fellows of the Horticultural Society to plant on their estates. He even sent samples (two planks 20 feet long) of this durable, tough, straight-grained wood that is unsurpassed in the qualities that render lumber most valuable.”

“It has become on the one hand, the world’s greatest structural timber—the most important tree in the American lumber trade—and on the other, the favorite Christmas tree in millions of homes.” (Gould; Vassar)

Douglas’s little terrier, Billy, accompanied him on these trips and in all his travels. The botanist once wrote in his journal: “my old terrier, a most faithful and now to judge from his long grey beard, venerable friend …”

“… who has guarded me throughout all my journies, and whom, should I live to return, I mean certainly to pension off on four penny-worth of cat’s-meat per day.” (Memoir of David Douglas-in Companion to the Botanical Magazine Vol II-1836)

“You may judge of my situation, when I say to you that my rifle is in my hand day and night; it lies by my side under my blanket when I sleep, and my faithful little Scotch terrier, the companion of all my journies, takes his place at my feet.”

“We are now come to the most interesting period of Mr. Douglas’s life, when he was about to undertake a long voyage, and to explore remote regions, hitherto untrodden by the foot of any Naturalist.”

“In these situations, far indeed from the abodes of civilized society, frequently with no other companion than a faithful dog, or a wild Indian as a guide …”

“… we should have known little or nothing of his adventures, were it not for a Journal which he kept with great care, (considering the difficulties, not to say dangers, which so frequently beset him in his long and painful journeyings,) and which has been deposited in the library of the Horticultural Society of London. (Memoir of David Douglas-in Companion to the Botanical Magazine Vol II-1836)

“At the Stoney Islands (now Fort George Canyon) on the Fraser, his canoe was dashed to pieces while shooting the rapids. Douglas was in the whirlpool an hour and forty minutes before being washed unconscious onto the rocky shore.”

“He lost everything—notes—specimens and equipment. Sick and discouraged he took a ship via California for Hawaii.” (Gould) “In Hawai‘i, he was called kauka, the Hawaiian word for doctor.” (Greenwell)

“As Douglas recuperated from his rheumatism and eye troubles in Hawaii, he botanized again. In 10 days he had a ‘truly splendid collection’ of some 50 species. The giant ferns especially awakened his admiring comment.  In the crater of a volcano he found the Silver Sword plant which is named for him.”

“In his enthusiasm for Hawaii he wrote, ‘One day here is worth a year of common existence.’ It was while waiting for a ship to take him to England that Douglas met the Rev. John Diell. They enjoyed climbing and botanizing together and early in July agreed to meet in Hilo on the Island of Hawaii.” (Gould; Vassar)

As stated by Douglas, “my gun, which, with my faithful dog, always is placed under my blanket by my side, with the muzzle to my feet”. (Memoir of David Douglas)

Then, on “The morning of July 12, 1834, he was crossing the north side of Manna Kea, when about six in the morning he appeared at the hut of Ned Gurney who was an English runaway convict from Botany Bay.”

“After breakfast, Douglas walked for about three quarters of an hour along the path. Gurney claimed he had warned Douglas to watch out for three bull pits ahead.”

“It was a native custom to trap the wild long-horned Spanish cattle by digging pits and covering them with brush. Douglas passed safely by the three pits, then retraced his steps to the third pit. When some natives came by later in the morning, they first saw the feet of a man sticking out of a mass of rubbish and stones.”

“A bull was already entrapped in the pit and the angry beast was standing on the chest of the young plant-hunter. … “

“They went in pursuit of the guide, who returned, shot the beast in the hole, took out the corpse, and hired the natives at the price of four bullocks, which he killed immediately, to convey the body to the seashore.”

“After a few moments’ search, the dog was heard to bark, at a little distance a-head on the road to Hido. On coming up to the spot … the dog and bundle were found.”

“On further scrutiny, it appeared that Mr. D. had stopped for a moment and looked at the empty pit, … and also at that where the cow was; and that after proceeding about fifteen fathoms up the hill, he had laid down his bundle and returned to the side of the pit where the bullock was entrapped …”

“…which was situated on the side of the pond opposite to that along which the road runs; and that whilst looking in, by making a false step, or some other fatal accident, he fell into the power of the infuriated animal, which speedily executed the work of death.”

“The body was covered in part with stones, which probably prevented its being entirely crushed.” (Memoir of David Douglas-in Companion to the Botanical Magazine Vol II-1836)

“A suspicion of murder became so strong that it was eventually decided to pack the body in salt and take it to Consul Charlton at Honolulu, on Oahu. There was considerable evidence. The horns of the bullock were blunt and could not make such deep gashes.” (Gould; Vassar)

“A bullock hunter named Hall was so convinced of this that he took the head of the animal to show the missionaries. A large purse of gold seemed to be missing too. Yet Ned Gurney was finally let go for lack of evidence. “

The funeral was held August 4, and David Douglas was buried in the native churchyard of Kawaiaha‘o Church.  Thus ended 9 years of botanical adventure along the Pacific for David Douglas.

“His death at 35 is one of the tragedies of botanical history. But in his short span of life, as one scientist wrote, ‘No other explorer personally made more discoveries, or described more genera or species. No other collector of rare plants ever reaped such a harvest or associated his name with so many economically useful and beautiful plants as David Douglas.’” (Gould; Vassar)

“Gurney brought Billy, the faithful little terrier down from Mauna Kea and gave him to the missionaries. They, in turn, sent him to Honolulu in the care of a Captain Martin, to be delivered to the British Consul, Charlton.”

“Charlton had the dog sent back to England in charge of Captain Peter Corney of the brig Eagle. Billy was then given to James Bandinel.” (Greenwell)

© 2024 Ho‘okuleana LLC

by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Fire Power … to Fired Power

Camp Malakole (originally called Honouliuli Military reservation) was an anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery training facility … later, Kalaeloa’s Chevron fuel refinery took over the site (they later sold); just down the road is HECO’s oil-burning 651-Megawatt Kahe Power Plant.

Let’s look back.

On March 22, 1939, the North Shore’s Kawailoa military firing point was relocated to Honouliuli Military Reservation, on over 1,700-acres situated between Barbers Point and Nanakuli, Oʻahu; it then served as a Hawaiian Separate Coast Artillery Brigade.

Firing positions were prepared for six batteries along the shoreline and plans were prepared to add an additional three positions, allowing three battalions to conduct firing practice at the same time.

The location provided adequate space to exercise the searchlight and sound locator units to work with the guns in tracking targets that were towed off-shore by towing aircraft consisting mostly old bi-planes.  (Bennett)

The installation initially consisted of a tent camp on the southern half of the tract; officers were quartered on the east side with their mess, showers, and latrines. The post kitchen and bakery tents were located across the roadway from the officer’s encampment.

Closer to the beach were the ammunition storage tents. The camp’s primary observation station was located to the rear of the firing line atop a steel-frame tower.

The 251st Coast Artillery (AA,) California National Guard, was sent to Hawaiʻi in November 1940 and stationed at Honouliuli Military Reservation.  (army-mil) The facility’s peacetime strength was 1,200-men and the wartime strength was 1,800-men.

“(A)fter we’d been there for about a week or so, we had a tremendous rainstorm and the water got to be about two foot high and just washed us all out. And we had to move everything up on the higher ground because our foot lockers and our shoes, and everything else was pouring right down to the sea”.  (Anthony Iantorno)

As a result of the flooding, a large sand berm was built between the firing line and the beach that ran parallel to the beach.

With the 251st arrival came the plan to build more permanent facilities.  The regiment lived under canvas pending completion of their new quarters, which they were tasked to build under the supervision of engineers from Schofield Barracks.

The regiment spent every morning on the firing line, with the evenings reserved for clearing away the kiawe and building the camp improvements.  (Sebby)

Upon completion in early 1941, the camp consisted of temporary theater of operations-type structures.  There were 48 barracks structures (90 feet by 24 feet,) 12 mess halls, 9 magazines and storehouses, 5 officers’ quarters, 7 showers (equipped with only cold water) and latrines.

Other improvements included a dispensary, officers’ mess, headquarters building, post office, regimental day room, movie theater, laundry, motor repair shop, gasoline station, fire house, guard house, photo laboratory, quartermaster and engineers’ buildings. The majority of the buildings were built on piers with the footings buried in the coral ground.

With the improvements, on January 9, 1941, the facility’s name was changed to Camp Malakole.  (Bennett)  It was part of the growing presence in the Islands.

Back in 1941, the Hawaiian Department was the Army’s largest overseas department.  For more than three decades the War Department had constructed elaborate coastal defenses on Oahu.  The Hawaiian Department’s two main tasks were to protect the Pacific Fleet from sabotage and defeat any invasion.

The previous 18 months had seen the arrival of the Pacific Fleet, war scares, the start of selective service, numerous training exercises, the mobilization of the National Guard, and the doubling of the department’s strength to 43,000 soldiers (including Air Corps.)  (army-mil)

Besides carrying out extensive training (firing exercises, field maneuvers and gas attack drills,) several members of Camp Malakole participated in sports activities and entered the Hawaiian Department track meet on May 29, 1941, winning several first places and some second and third places.

Then, like other military installations in the Islands, things changed with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Sgt Henry C Blackwell, Cpl Clyde C Brown and Sgt Warren D Rasmussen were the first American casualties of the Pearl Harbor attack; they were stationed at Camp Malakole, F Battery.  (Kelley)

Licensed pilots, that morning, they had gone on pass to Rodgers Airport (now Honolulu International Airport) and rented a couple of piper cubs to practice flying over the water.  The Cubs took off to the northeast, then flew parallel to Waikīkī Beach toward Diamond Head before reversing direction and heading west.  (Harding)

They were about two miles offshore at an altitude of between 500 and 800 feet, headed toward Camp Malakole.  (Harding) They were out over the water just as the Japanese attacked. They were shot down.  (Kelley)  Guards at Camp Malakole shot down a strafing Japanese plane at about 8:05 am with small arms fire.

Newly arrived coast artillery units on Oahu in 1942 were quartered at the camp during the early months of the war.  Later in the war, the Hawaiian Antiaircraft Artillery Command (HAAC) took over operation of the camp, which was used completely as the principal facility for training antiaircraft units on Oʻahu during the war.

Camp Malakole served as a base camp for anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons training, and staging and temporary lodging for troops preparing for deployment to the Pacific during the height of World War II. During its years of service, 43,350 troops were billeted to Camp Malakole for staging and training purposes.  (Dye)

Today, the fuel refining facility sites on the former Camp Malakole grounds.  A reminder of the prior use is a steel turreted machine gun pillbox; it’s still there (in the lawn area on Malakole Street at the entrance to the refinery facility.)

© 2024 Hoʻokuleana LLC

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Harvey Rexford Hitchcock

Harvey Rexford Hitchcock, the oldest son of eleven children of David (a shoemaker and author of several books) and Sarah (Swan) Hitchcock, was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, March 13, 1800.

Hitchcock joined the Congregational church in Great Barrington, January 5, 1817. He entered Williams College as a Junior in 1826; he graduated on September 3, 1828.

After graduation, Hitchcock studied theology at Auburn Seminary, where he was graduated in 1831.  On August 26, 1831, he married Miss Rebecca Howard of Auburn, New York.

Within a couple of months, he sailed as a missionary with the Fifth Company of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.  They sailed aboard the Averick, leaving New Bedford, November 26, 1831 and arriving in Honolulu, May 17, 1832.

Others in the Fifth Company included Rev. William P Alexander, Richard Armstrong, John S Emerson, Cochran Forbes, David B Lyman (Hitchcock’s college classmate,) Lorenzo Lyons, Ephraim Spaulding (their wives and others.)

He was assigned to Molokai and established the first permanent Mission Station on the Island at Kaluaʻaha in 1832.  Rebecca Hitchcock noted shortly after their arrival that there was not a foreigner on the island and no horses except for a lame one belonging to a chief.  (Curtis)

In 1834, the Hitchcocks received additional help with the arrival of Rev and Mrs Lowell Smith (Smith was a college mate of Hitchcock – who arrived on the Sixth Company in 1833.)

 The expanding mission was growing close to 500 members and two outstations, one in the east and one in the west, had been established.

Smith gave this description of the Island and its people: “The people reside mostly on the eastern part of the island, on the north and south sides; but the greater number are on the latter.” (The estimated Island population was about 6,000.)

“Their houses, many of them, are no more than five or six feet long by four wide and five feet from the ridge-pole to the ground; and these are not unfrequently the habitations of two, three, and sometimes more individuals of both sexes.”  Each is “But one apartment, no floor, no window, no chimney, except the humble door at which you enter.”

“The name of the elation is Kaluaʻaha; it is owned by the best and one of the most pious high chiefs on the islands, who desired us to take it as our station, assuring us at the same time, that she would act the part of a parent to us. We have fenced off about two acres of land as a door yard and garden, and might have extended our limits much farther had we chosen. “

“There is a delightful cluster of shade trees before our door, which was formerly a favorite resort of the chiefs; and under it, for several successive weeks, we met for the worship … On our arrival, there was no house of any importance, and few of any kind in the vicinity.”

“During the year, however, many comfortable houses have been built, with sleeping apartments, and other accommodations which give to them an air of neatness and comfort hitherto unknown on the island.” (Smith; Missionary Herald)

Hitchcock preached his first sermon in Hawaiian the last week of September 1832 in the open air. In the Molokai Station Report, Hitchcock wrote, “in about two months a meeting house was finished 30 feet by 120.” It was probably built of thatch.  (HABS)

“A spacious school-house is nearly completed, so that the station begins to assume the appearance of a small village.”  (Smith; Missionary Herald)

Nearby was Pukoʻo; it had a natural break in the reef with a perfect beach for landing canoes.  Hitchcock’s early church records often mentioned this location as the most convenient for travel to Lāhainā.  (Curtis)

In a January 1840 letter from Hitchcock, we get a glimpse of his daily life, “I hope to continue without interruption my present system of labors; that is, to hold a Bible class Sabbath morning of twenty-five girls, preach at ten o’clock, have an adult Sabbath-school at noon, and preach again at four.”

“My week-day labors are as follows, – a Bible class daily with the above-mentioned company of females, who are committing Matthew to memory at the rate of six verses a day. I spend some time with them in teaching singing.”

“On Tuesday and Thursday mornings I preach at sunrise, and preach regularly on Wednesday afternoon. Saturday evening I have a lecture for the church. Once in two weeks on Friday I address the men’s benevolent society, or catechise them on the New Testament; and on Tuesday have a Bible class of adults.”

“I make it a point, as far as possible, to visit some parts of the parish daily, and hold direct religious conversation with the people. In these visits I am happy to say that I am received with respect, and listened to by the people. Rarely have I gone to one house and commenced conversation, without drawing around me others, particularly the aged.”

“My miscellaneous labors consist in conversing with those who resort to my study for the purpose, and giving out medicine for the sick. I am trying also to crowd in a weekly lecture on the most important points in theology, designed for several of the most pious and intelligent members of our church, in order to enable them to become more efficient helpers in the great work.”  (Hitchcock, Missionary Herald)

In the mid-1840s, they were working on building a new church; “Our main work the past year has been the erection of a permanent house of worship … Preparing most of the timber and getting it onto the ground from the distance of ten miles or more, procuring many of the stones for building …”

It was dedicated on April 3, 1844; “The house has been completed nearly two months. It is 100 feet long by 50 broad outside; walls 2-1/2 feet thick and 18 feet high. …. The thatching is pilimaoli. It leaks but little; has 4 doors three of which are 7 feet high and about as wide…”  (Hitchcock; HABS)  (Remnants of the church are still there; in 2009, a new roof was built inside the walls of the existing church.)

Hitchcock died August 29, 1855 … “for 23 years he has labored with unusual devotion, zeal and earnestness to enlighten, purify and elevate the people … He lived to see his labors crowned with wonderful success.”

“His great work was indeed the preaching of the gospel; yet in the infant state of the people, he had to superintend every thing, schools were to be created and managed; the sick, the aged and the destitute to be cared for; civil officers to be advised, the whole people clad and civilized and their souls saved.”

“He gave himself heartily to his work and made an unreserved consecration. … He did desire to live longer, not however for any selfish end, but that he might preach the gospel.”  (The Friend, September 29, 1855)  (His grandson was David Howard Hitchcock, the notable artist in Hawaiʻi.)

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