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October 14, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Charlie Chaplin

“You wish to write my impressions of Hilo. Very good. Here it is. I saw the volcano.” (Charlie Chaplin, Los Angeles; Volcano House Register, NPS)

“There are many charms in Hilo other than the Volcano. A maidenly diffidence forbids me suggesting the possessor of them.” (Edna Purviance, Los Angeles; Volcano House Register, NOS)

“Charlie in his honest-to-goodness self and personality today walked up the main street of Honolulu. So thousands of movie fans who have laughed themselves hoarse the antics and swagger of the jovial Charlie on the screen will have an opportunity for the next few week of occasionally bumping into that worthy the streets.”

“Charlie arrived on the Matsonia. In the Chaplin party also were Miss Eda Purviance, another well known screen star; Tom Harrington and Bob Wagner of the Saturday Evening Post staff.”

“Wagner is accompanying Charlie on his trip just for the sake of being with him and to record the personal side of the vacation.
Charlie is here primarily for rest and to see the sights of the islands.”

“His trip, at least at present, has nothing to do with the possibility of staging comic scenario the islands, though Charlie is not averse to picking up few hints that may serve him well in his business of making humanity laugh away dull care.”

“Charlie and his party were the life of the boat coming over and made things gay for the passengers, aided and abetted by R. J. Buchly of the First National bank, who as terpischore expert taught Charlie and Miss Purviance a few steps. The dancing lessons were the occasion for more merriment aboard the Matsonia.”

“Charlie visited the Young hotel this morning and called on Mr Van Loan, the movie photographer. This gave rise to the rumor that Chaplin was down here in Honolulu to take some films.”

“‘No sire!’ he replied emphatically. ‘You don’t catch me doing any work while I’m down here. I’m on vacation, and I’m going to rest.’”

“Charlie was asked what he thought of Honolulu. ‘Great,’ he exclaimed, enthusiastically: ‘I love every minute of it. I wish I could stay here longer. I’m tickled to death with the place. I was going to New York instead but, say, this has got anything I’ve seen beaten by a mile.’”

“Although the film star is minus his dinky moustache and cane, derby hat and huge shoes, he is still the same old Charlie, and could hardly get by in a crowd without being discovered. He is going to get out on a surfboard and be a regular kamaaina, he says.” (Star Bulletin, October 10, 1917)

“Charley Chaplin managed to see a good deal of Hawaii in the short week he stayed in the Islands, one reason being that while here he outfitted himself with new glasses. Pleased with his new outlook on things Hawaiian, Chaplin had his co-star Miss Purviance, also fitted with new glasses.”

“As a final result, Dr. RA Thompson has added a much prized letter of appreciation from Chaplin to the collection of other testimonials to his optician skill, letters written by former President Roosevelt, Former President Tuft, William Jennings Bryan, Elbert Hubbard, Billy Sunday and other celebrities.”

“The autographed letter from Charley Chaplin is a highly complimentary one and highly prized by its recipient. Doctor Thompson has definitely decided to make his home in Honolulu, opening an office here for the practice of his profession.” (Hawaiian Gazette, October 19, 1917)

“The famous Charlie Chaplin arrived in Honolulu October 10, and while he intended to come for a rest between custard pie throwing contests, he was kept extremely busy sightseeing.”

“Photographers camped on his trail and snapped him riding the surfboards on the beach at Waikiki, eating two-fingered poi, dancing with the hula girls and even flirting with Pele, the Goddess of Fire, on the edge of the volcano at Kilauea.”

“Charlie likes Hawaii’s style and he fain would stay a while, loafing on the sun-kissed sand, eating poi with either hand; listening to the ukulele played by Waikiki Bill Bailey; eating dog in guise of pig; practicing the hula jig.”

“But he’s got to get back home and with us may no more roam – back to make a nation smile in rare Charlie Chaplin’s way.” (Logan Republican, November 15, 1917)

Charlie & Edna Purviance in Hawaii, 1917. Charlie met Edna in a cafe in San Francisco in 1914. He said later that she was ‘more than pretty, she was beautiful’. She went on to appear in 34 films with Chaplin from 1915-1923. She is my favorite of his leading ladies.

They had a certain sweetness onscreen that Charlie didn’t have with any of his other leading ladies-in my opinion anyway. Charlie & Edna cared deeply about each other long after their romantic relationship ended and Charlie kept Edna on his payroll until her death in 1958.

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chaplin-hawaii
chaplin-hawaii
Charlie Chaplin en route to Hawaii 1917
Charlie Chaplin en route to Hawaii 1917
Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance and Robert Wagner-1917
Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance and Robert Wagner-1917
Edna Purviance, Charlie Chaplin and Robert Wagner-1917
Edna Purviance, Charlie Chaplin and Robert Wagner-1917
Charlie & Edna in Hawaii, 1917
Charlie & Edna in Hawaii, 1917
Charlie & Edna
Charlie & Edna
Charlie Chaplin, Robert Wagner and Edna Purviance-Volcano-1917
Charlie Chaplin, Robert Wagner and Edna Purviance-Volcano-1917
TheImmigrant-1917
TheImmigrant-1917

Filed Under: Economy, Prominent People Tagged With: Hilo, Volcano, Honolulu, Charlie Chaplin, Hawaii

August 30, 2016 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Honolulu Streets

Throughout the years of late‐prehistory, AD 1400s ‐ 1700s, and through much of the 1800s, the canoe was a principal means of travel in ancient Hawaiʻi. Canoes were used for interisland and inter‐village coastal travel.

Most permanent villages initially were near the ocean and at sheltered beaches, which provided access to good fishing grounds, as well as facilitating convenient canoe travel.

Royal Centers were where the aliʻi resided; aliʻi often moved between several residences throughout the year. The Royal Centers were selected for their abundance of resources and recreation opportunities, with good surfing and canoe‐landing sites being favored.

Ancient trails, those developed before western contact in 1778, facilitated trading between upland and coastal villages and communications between ahupua‘a and extended families. These trails were usually narrow, following the topography of the land; trails over ‘a‘ā lava were paved with water-worn stones.

In 1815, Kamehameha I granted Russian representatives permission to build a storehouse near Honolulu Harbor. But, instead, directed by the German adventurer Georg Schaffer (1779-1836,) they began building a fort and raised the Russian flag.

When Kamehameha discovered the Russians were building a fort he sent several chiefs (including Kalanimōku and John Young (his advisor,)) to remove the Russians from Oʻahu by force, if necessary.

The partially built blockhouse at Honolulu was finished by Hawaiians under the direction of John Young and mounted guns protected the fort. Its original purpose was to protect Honolulu by keeping enemy or otherwise undesirable ships out. But, it was also used to keep things in (it also served as a prison.)

Fort Street is named after this fort; it is one of the oldest streets in Honolulu. Today, the site of the old fort is the open space called Walker Park, a small park at the corner of Queen and Fort streets (also fronting Ala Moana/Nimitz.)

The missionaries, who arrived in April 1820, selected their key stations and localities based on their accessibility via the ala loa (long trail) and smaller ala hele (paths) from neighboring ahupua‘a. The mission stations generally coincided with the traditional chiefly centers, which by that time, were also developing as trade points with foreign vessels.

In 1838, a major street improvement project was started. Honolulu was to be a planned town. Kīnaʻu (Kuhina Nui Kaʻahumanu II) published the following proclamation: “I shall widen the streets in our city and break up some new places to make five streets on the length of the land, and six streets on the breadth of the land… Because of the lack of streets some people were almost killed by horseback riders …”

In 1845, Commander Charles Wilkes criticized the city of Honolulu by saying: “The streets, if so they may be called, have no regularity as to width, and are ankle‐deep in light dust and sand … and in some places, offensive sink‐holes strike the senses, in which are seen wallowing some old and corpulent hogs.”

“The boundaries of the old town may be said to have been, on the makai side, the waters of the harbor; on the mauka side, Beretania street; on the Waikiki side, the barren and dusty plain, and on the Ewa side, the Nuʻuanu stream. There were few, if any, residences other than the straw houses of the natives mauka of Beretania street.”

It wasn’t until 1850 that streets received official names. On August 30, 1850, the Privy Council first officially named Honolulu’s streets; there were 35‐streets that received official names that day (29 were in Downtown Honolulu, the others nearby.)

At the time, the water’s edge was in the vicinity of what we now call Queen Street. Back in those days, that road was generally called ‘Makai,’ ‘Water’ or Ali‘i Wahine.’ (Gilman)

‘Broadway’ was the main street (we now call it King Street;) it was the widest and longest ‐ about 2‐3 miles long from the river (Nuʻuanu River on the west) out to the “plains” (to Mānoa.) (It was also referred to as, ‘Chapel,’ ‘Halepule,’ ‘Church’ (due to Kawaiahaʻo fronting it) and ‘Ali‘i.’)

To date, 17 of those original names have survived the passage of time: Queen, Richards, School, Smith, Victoria, Young, Mauna Kea, Merchant, Mission, Nuʻuanu, Punchbowl, Beretania, Fort, Hotel, Kīnaʻu, King and Marin. (Gilman)

Some of the earlier-named streets that are no longer in use include, Garden, Crooked Lane, Printers Lane, French Place, Palace, Stone House, Eden House and Kaʻahumanu.

The Privy Council resolved “that the Minister of the Interior is instructed to have posts of solid durable wood, put down at the corners of all the streets that have been named … with the name of such streets … plainly printed in letters of the dimensions of one inch, painting said names in Hawaiian and English”.

In that same meeting, the Privy Council also “Resolved that Honolulu is declared to be a city, and the Capital of the Hawaiian Islands.” (Privy Council Minutes, August 30, 1850)

By the early-1850s, specific criteria were developed for realigning trails and roadways, including the straightening of alignments and development of causeways and bridges.

This system of roadwork, supervised by district overseers, and funded through government appropriations – with labor by prisoners and individuals unable to pay taxes in another way – evolved over the next 40 years.

Paved streets were unknown until 1881. In that year, Fort Street was macadamized (a paving process using aggregate layers of stone with a cementing agent binder – a process named after Scotsman John Loudon McAdam,) followed by Nuʻuanu Avenue.

In 1892, Queen Lili‘uokalani and the Legislature of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i signed into law an “Act Defining Highways, and Defining and Establishing Certain Routes and Duties in Connection Therewith,” to be known as The Highways Act, 1892.

Through this act, all roads, alleys, streets, ways, lanes, courts, places, trails and bridges in the Hawaiian Islands, whether laid out or built by the Government or by private parties were declared to be public highways; ownership was placed in the Government (typically, under the control of the Department of Land and Natural Resources.)

Then, adopted in 1978, “Street names within the city (of Honolulu) … shall consist of Hawaiian names, words or phrases and shall be selected with a view to the appropriateness of the name to historic, cultural, scenic and topographical features of the area.”

“Street names shall be selected so as not to exceed the space limitation of a standard street name sign of the department of transportation services (normally 18 spaces).” (Revised Ordinances of Honolulu, Chapter 22)

“The history of the islands are well preserved in our Honolulu streets… They are a people’s creation … Let us hope that our Lanes and Ways will continue to reflect the charm, the color, and the variety of life in Honolulu.” (Clark, 1939 HHS)

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Downtown_Honolulu-Land_Commision_Awards-Map-1847
Downtown_Honolulu-Land_Commision_Awards-Map-1847

Filed Under: General, Place Names, Economy Tagged With: Hawaii, Honolulu, Streets

August 27, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Ho‘iho‘ikea

In 1845, Kamehameha III established a permanent seat of government in Honolulu (moving from the prior capital at Lāhainā.) He acquired for his capitol the former Hanailoia (a home built by Governor Mataio Kekūanāoʻa for his daughter (Princess Victoria Kamāmalu)) and named it Hale Ali‘i, it was the palace used by Kings Kamehameha III, IV, V and Lunalilo.

Various residences were placed around the grounds, the Palace being used principally for state purposes. Kauikeaouli (Kamehameha III) built a large, old-fashioned, livable cottage on the grounds a little to ewa and mauka of the palace (near the Kīna‘u gate, opening onto Richards Street.) (Taylor)

He called his home ‘Ho‘iho‘ikea’ (most spell the house this way, some say Hoʻihoʻi ‘ea – for consistency, the former is used) in commemoration of the restoration of the sovereignty and independence of Hawai‘i by Admiral Thomas of the British Navy, on July 31, 1843. (Taylor and Judd)

(In 1843, Paulet had raised the British flag and issued a proclamation annexing Hawai‘i to the British Crown. This event became known as the Paulet Affair. Queen Victoria sent Rear Admiral Richard Thomas to restore the Hawaiian Kingdom. That day is now referred to as Ka La Hoʻihoʻi Ea, Sovereignty Restoration Day.)

It was a dwelling place, provided with the simpler comforts of a citizen, and greatly enjoyed by the sovereigns. This served as home to Kamehameha III, Kamehameha IV and Kamehameha V; the Palace being used principally for state purposes. (Taylor)

In Ho‘iho‘ikea were transacted some of the most important affairs connected with the history of Hawai‘i and within its walls were held many an important council to decide the interests of this nation, their advancement and their prosperity.

In 1834, Kīna‘u, Kauikeaouli’s half-sister, had given birth to a son, Alexander Liholiho. Kauikeaouli look Alexander as his hānai child and raised his young nephew as his own son, preparing him to be the next monarch of Hawai‘i. Kauikeaouli died at Ho‘iho‘ikea.

Kamehameha IV ascended the throne at age 21 and reigned for nearly nine years. Royal informality as well as strict protocol was recorded by Gorham D. Gilman, who attended a reception given by King Kamehameha IV:

“Having received an invitation to attend one of the receptions of King Kamehameha IV, a friend and myself entered the grounds at the mauka gate, intending to pass around and enter at the front of the building.”

“As we were passing the bungalow (Ho‘iko‘ikea) a friendly voice, somewhat familiar, hailed us and asked us to come up on the veranda. We accepted the invitation and were welcomed by the King himself, who invited us to seats and cigars.”

“While chatting upon social events the King, suddenly, looking at his watch, said hastily, ‘Excuse me, gentlemen, I am due in the throne room in five minutes,’ and disappeared within.”

“Passing to the front entrance of the palace, up the broad steps, and across the wide veranda to the brilliantly lighted rooms, we found a large company gathered. In a short time the band announced the arrival of His Majesty and presentations began.”

“These were made by the officers of the court, dressed in full uniform, and with great formality. When our tum came, my friend Mr. Bartow, and myself were escorted by two of the officers to the presence of the King.”

“We were announced with much formality by the stereotyped expression, ‘Your Majesty, permit me to present to you Mr. Gilman.’ With a formal bow on the part of both, we passed on, as if it were the first time we had ever been in the royal presence, while really it was only a few minutes since we had been smoking together.” (Gilman; Judd)

“During the reign of Kamehameha V, cabinet councils were frequently held there. There was held the council which called the Constitutional Convention, the result of which was the abrogation of the constitution of 1852 and the promulgation of the present one.”

“There Kamehameha V, he of the strong mind, humbly succumbed to his fate, and thus passed away the last of the Kamehameha dynasty.”

“In that house also the present reigning family met with their first great grief, and far distant be the day when they shall be called to mourn another void in the family.” (Thrum)

(Prince Albert (Ka Haku O Hawaiʻi (‘the Lord of Hawaiʻi,’)) the only son of Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma died there on August 27, 1862.)

The palace building was named Hale Ali‘i meaning (House of the Chiefs.) Kamehameha V changed its name to ʻIolani Palace in honor of his late brother and predecessor.

(ʻIo is the Hawaiian hawk, a bird that flies higher than all the rest, and lani denotes heavenly, royal or exalted.) Although the old palace was demolished in 1874, the name ʻIolani Palace was retained for the building that stands today.

This image is from Burgess’ No. 2 – View of Honolulu From the Catholic church (c. 1854) – on the right side you can see a church steeple (Kawaiahaʻo,) in front of it is Hale Ali‘i, with the flag to its right (it was renamed ʻIolani Palace in 1863.) In and around there are the respective houses of the aliʻi, including Ho‘iho‘ikea.

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No._2._View_of_Honolulu._From_the_Catholic_church._(c._1854)-center image
No._2._View_of_Honolulu._From_the_Catholic_church._(c._1854)-center image

Filed Under: General, Ali'i / Chiefs / Governance, Buildings, Place Names Tagged With: Lahaina, Hoihoikea, Hawaii, Honolulu, Maui, Ka La Hoihoi Ea, Kauikeaouli, Kamehameha III, Hale Alii

January 5, 2016 by Peter T Young 3 Comments

Arterials

Land transportation was one of the areas most affected by the post WWII and Statehood building booms. While O‘ahu’s population dramatically increased, automobile ownership rose at an even greater pace.

In 1938 automobile registration stood at 43,785. In 1945 the number of automobiles on island had grown to 52,527; a dozen years later, in 1957, automobile registration stood at 159,227, a 329.8 percent increase since 1945.

This tremendous influx of automobiles resulted in myriad needs having to be addressed, ranging from the reduction of traffic congestion to improved parking, and enhanced traffic safety measures.

The Territory undertook two other major highway projects, the mauka and makai arterials, to divert traffic off downtown streets. (HHS)

“‘A super highway through Honolulu, 120 feet wide and running mauka of the business district from Kalihi to Kaimuki … would be invaluable in solving Honolulu’s pressing traffic problem,’ engineer John Rush told the City Council in 1939.”

“It wasn’t until after World War II and a sudden increase in complaints about congestion that city officials got serious about the plan, proposing to spend $30 million over 15 years to build a six-lane expressway in 11-stages that would extend from Old Wai‘alae Road to Middle Street, about seven miles.” (Leidemann)

“Bids were opened on the first contract on the Mauka Arterial, Honolulu’s first expressway, which will eventually extend from King and Middle Streets to Kapahulu. By a series of grade separation structures, this seven-mile, six-lane, divided highway will carry crosstown commuters over all intersecting streams of north-south traffic.” (Public Works Annual Report, 1952)

From 1952 to 1962, Honolulu officials kept adding to the Mauka Arterial, described as the first road in the state “tailored to the flight patterns of people.”

A companion Makai Arterial that would have run past Waikiki, down Ala Moana and along an elevated roadway near the Honolulu waterfront never materialized as planned. (DOT)

The three ‘Ewa-bound lanes, extending one mile between Old Wai‘alae Road and Alexander Street, were opened to traffic November 9, 1953. (HHS)

When the first leg opened in 1953, it was hailed “as the highest standards of highway construction yet seen in the islands. Over-and underpasses keep cross-traffic to a minimum. A six-foot fence on both sides bars pedestrians and pets,” according to news reports. (DOT)

The Kaimuki-bound lanes along the same stretch were opened and the highway was formally dedicated on January 5, 1954. (HHS)

Construction forced the condemnation of more than 500 homes and the moving of several thousand people, tearing old neighborhoods apart. In Kaimuki, for instance, that meant razing the entire block of homes between Harding and Pahoa Avenues for the below street-level freeway.

“More blemishes are disappearing from the face of Honolulu as workmen tear down ancient, termite-ridden buildings and prepare to heal the wounds with construction of another segment of the ultra-modern Lunalilo Freeway,” said one 1959 editorial. (Honolulu Advertiser; DOT)

The second segment of the Lunalilo Freeway between Alexander and Alapaʻi was started in 1954, with progress reaching Keʻeaumoku Street by December 1955. By 1959 work had commenced on the interchange between the Lunalilo and Pali highways, which was the first three level grade separation structures to be constructed in Hawaii. (DOT)

The Lunalilo Highway project was expanded to become the H-1, a 28 mile roadway running from Palailai at Campbell Industrial Park to Ainakoa Avenue, with the Lunalilo Highway being the section running through Honolulu. (DOT)

The eight lane makai arterial, named Nimitz Highway, opened to traffic in November 1952, ten years after construction had commenced at the Pearl Harbor gate. (HHS)

“The last projects were nearing completion on the Makai Arterial. This limited access highway will ease travel between Pearl Harbor and Honolulu and between the airport and harbor and the Waikiki hotel district.” (Public Works Annual Report, 1952)

In 1952 transportation officials estimated it would take ten years to build, with costs running $2 million a year, with about one third of the budget dedicated for land acquisition.

It was the most expensive construction project up to that time in Hawai‘i, with much of the moneys devoted to land acquisition, as an estimated 1,600 families required relocation. To recoup some of the costs and to not increase Honolulu’s problematic housing shortage, the dwellings on the condemned lands were auctioned off.

In addition, the 1945 Territorial Legislature enacted a liquid fuel tax in order to generate the funds necessary to match the federal funds available for the highway’s construction. This tax was increased to five cents a gallon in 1955 to help offset Hawaii’s match for the increasing federal dollars coming to the islands for highway construction.

The advent of statehood led to an expansion of the Lunalilo Freeway into the H-1 Interstate Highway. The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 established the Interstate Highway System; however, Hawaii was excluded from this source of funding as it bordered no other state.

To remedy this, a section of the Federal-Aid to Highways Act of 1959 required that a study be undertaken to consider the eligibility of Hawaii and Alaska for interstate highway funding.

As a result of the study, the Hawaii Omnibus Act, which President Eisenhower signed into law on July 12, 1960, removed the language in the Federal-Aid Highway Act which limited the interstate system to the continental US.

It also authorized three interstate highways for Hawaii, H-1, H-2 and H-3 to address national defense concerns, an allowed interstate highway justification which resulted from a 1957 amendment to the original act. (DOT)

An interesting remnant of apparently changed alignment (and probable interconnection of the Mauka and Makai Arterials) is a stub out to nowhere at the on/off ramps at Kapiʻolani Boulevard to H-1. (Lots of information here is from DOT, HHS and Leidemann.)

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Keeaumoku Street overpass on April 14 1960
Keeaumoku Street overpass on April 14 1960
371101_0.tif. Lunalilo Freeway cut through the city of honolulu. bob young photo SB Oct 24 1967
371101_0.tif. Lunalilo Freeway cut through the city of honolulu. bob young photo SB Oct 24 1967
H-1 Freeway ending at Kapahulu and Harding Avenues on-off-ramps to Kapahulu and Harding Avenues-1965
H-1 Freeway ending at Kapahulu and Harding Avenues on-off-ramps to Kapahulu and Harding Avenues-1965
First mile-long segment of the Mauka Arterial, soon after it was opened in November 1953
First mile-long segment of the Mauka Arterial, soon after it was opened in November 1953
old waialae road onramp to the ewa bound express way. official opening of the mauka arterial this morning at 6:00 Monday Nov 9, 1953. SB Photo
old waialae road onramp to the ewa bound express way. official opening of the mauka arterial this morning at 6:00 Monday Nov 9, 1953. SB Photo
H-1-Waialae_Section-(completed in 1968)
H-1-Waialae_Section-(completed in 1968)
Makai Arterial - H-1 and Kapiolani
Makai Arterial – H-1 and Kapiolani
Makai Arterial - H-1 and Kapiolani
Makai Arterial – H-1 and Kapiolani
Makai Arterial - H-1 and Kapiolani
Makai Arterial – H-1 and Kapiolani
Makai Arterial - H-1 and Kapiolani
Makai Arterial – H-1 and Kapiolani
Makai Arterial - H-1 and Kapiolani
Makai Arterial – H-1 and Kapiolani
Makai Arterial - Queen Becomes Ala Moana-CivilBeat-1951
Makai Arterial – Queen Becomes Ala Moana-CivilBeat-1951
Aloha_Tower-Irwin_Park-PP-40-5-028-1932-Before Makai Arterial
Aloha_Tower-Irwin_Park-PP-40-5-028-1932-Before Makai Arterial
Honolulu-1938-noting general location of future makai arterial
Honolulu-1938-noting general location of future makai arterial
Nimitz-Ala Moana-1955
Nimitz-Ala Moana-1955
Traffic on the Makai Arterial at Bethel St-PP-39-7-045-1955
Traffic on the Makai Arterial at Bethel St-PP-39-7-045-1955
Roads considered for Interstate-Bureau of Public Roads-Oahu-1960
Roads considered for Interstate-Bureau of Public Roads-Oahu-1960

Filed Under: General, Economy Tagged With: Hawaii, Honolulu, Oahu, Mauka Arterial, Makai Arterial

November 6, 2015 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Central Fire Station

No organized fire protection system existed in Honolulu until November 6, 1850, when the city’s first volunteer fire brigade was formed.

On December 27, 1850, King Kamehameha III established by ordinance in the Privy Council creating the Honolulu Volunteer Fire Department; the 1851 legislature enacted the ordinance into law.

In August 1851, a second-hand fire engine was purchased through public subscription and became the property of Engine Company No. 1.

Within ten years, the city had four engine companies, including No. 4, which was composed exclusively of Hawaiians. Kings Kamehameha III, Kamehameha IV, Kamehameha V and Kalakaua were all active members of this company. (NPS)

In 1870, the tallest structure in Honolulu was the bell tower of Central Fire Station, then-located on Union Street. Spotters would sit in the tower, ready to sound the alarm. (HawaiiHistory)

In 1897, Central Fire Station was relocated to its present site at Beretania and Fort Streets, a consolidation of Engine Companies 1 and 2.

“The city of Honolulu is protected from fire by a very efficient department. The central fire station is not only an ornament to the city, but contains all the necessary conveniences for its intended purpose.”

The 2½-story blue stone Central Fire Station was one of three stations at the time; the others were the 2-story wooden Makiki Station and the 2-story brick Palama Station.

There were 200 3-way standing and 50-ground hydrants distributed throughout the City. Plans were underway for a fire alarm telegraph system with 65-alarm boxes. (Report of the Governor of the Territory of Hawaii; to the Secretary of the Interior, 1901)

The Central Fire Station soon became outmoded. The Romanesque Revival rock structure was replaced in 1934 by a Dickey designed Moderne/Art Deco two-story reinforced concrete building (Kohn M Young was the engineer.) It previously served as headquarters for the Honolulu Fire Department.

The building is five bays wide and dominated by the three middle bays with their one-and-one-half story Art Deco aluminum doorways which were constructed by the California Artistic Metal and Wire Company of San Francisco.

Above the doors are aluminum panels with linear designs with an octagon in the middle containing the letter HFD. Above each panel is a set of four windows.

The end bays each contain a first story window and a set of three second story windows. All second story windows are jalousies, and the first floor windows are tinted plate glass.

A decorative belt course bands the top of this flat roofed building. This banding employs the octagonal HFD motif of the door panels. An abbreviated tower of approximately thirty feet rises from the roof at the rear of the right bay. This tower has a pair of long rectangular louvers running its height.

In 1949, a one-story hollow tile addition was erected at the rear to provide additional office space. The Ewa (northwest) side of the building features a balcony with geometric deco decoration. Behind the balcony is a set of three windows with rectangular pillars between them. (NPS)

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Central_Fire_Station,_about_1901
Central_Fire_Station,_about_1901
Fire_Bell_Tower_&_Fashion_Stables_at_Hotel_St_looking_up_Union_St_ca_1890_(PPWD-8-8-005)
Fire_Bell_Tower_&_Fashion_Stables_at_Hotel_St_looking_up_Union_St_ca_1890_(PPWD-8-8-005)
Looking DH on Hotel-Union to left-Oregon Bldg replaced stables and fire tower-ca_1890-PPWD-8-8-011
Looking DH on Hotel-Union to left-Oregon Bldg replaced stables and fire tower-ca_1890-PPWD-8-8-011
Central Fire Station
Central Fire Station
bertram-central-fire-station
bertram-central-fire-station
Central Fire Station
Central Fire Station
Central Fire Station
Central Fire Station
Central Fire Station
Central Fire Station
Honolulu-Central-Fire-Station
Honolulu-Central-Fire-Station
Honolulu-central-fire-station-doors
Honolulu-central-fire-station-doors
Central_Fire_Station-door
Central_Fire_Station-door
Central_Fire_Station-HFD-door
Central_Fire_Station-HFD-door
Central_Fire_Station-truck
Central_Fire_Station-truck
Downtown and Vicinity-Dakin-Fire Insurance- 6-Map-1891
Downtown and Vicinity-Dakin-Fire Insurance- 6-Map-1891
Honolulu and Vicinity-Dakin-Fire Insurance- 11-Map-1906
Honolulu and Vicinity-Dakin-Fire Insurance- 11-Map-1906

 

Filed Under: Economy, General, Buildings Tagged With: Downtown Honolulu, Honolulu Fire Department, Central Fire Station, Hawaii, Honolulu, Oahu

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Images of Old Hawaiʻi

People, places, and events in Hawaiʻi’s past come alive through text and media in “Images of Old Hawaiʻi.” These posts are informal historic summaries presented for personal, non-commercial, and educational purposes.

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