Kalihi

May 17, 2025 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

“Kalihi used to have a – you won’t believe this – but sort of a country club atmosphere because homes weren’t all crowded the way they are now. There were open spaces. When you flushed your bathroom toilet, you didn’t have to worry about your neighbor hearing it.”

“You could raise your voice a little bit and nobody was close enough to hear you. Everybody knew who everybody else was. Of course, that’s all gone. There’s no empty space in Kalihi anymore, except a few parks maybe, school grounds.”

“Used to be vegetable gardens, flower gardens, taro patches, grazing land, chicken farms. Not anymore. Even the hillsides are covered now with homes.”

“But it used to be a quiet, really quiet, open area. You could walk to any place you wanted to go. No place was too far to walk, that is, within Kalihi. But today, well, it’s just grown, that’s all.” (Adolph ‘Duffie’ [rhymes with ‘Goofy’] Mendonca, UH Ethnic Studies Oral History)

Kalihi, a multi-ethnic working-class district located west of downtown Honolulu, has a long history as a home of island immigrants. In the early years of this century, Kalihi, then a residential district of middle- and upper-class Hawaiians and part-Hawaiians, attracted Chinese and Portuguese residents.

As Japanese, Puerto Rican, and other sugar workers left the plantations, many of them settled in Kalihi. In the decades following, Filipinos, Samoans, Koreans, and Southeast Asians joined them. (UH Ethnic Studies Oral History)

In the 1910s, “both School Street and Houghtailing Road were dirt roads. School Street extended (Ewa only) as far as Kalihi Street, and Kalihi Street went up into Kalihi Valley. In the Waikiki direction – this was before McInerny Tract was subdivided – there (were) a (few) scattered houses.”

“The first (sizable improvement) was the insane asylum (on the present site of) the Hawaii Housing [Authority]. And beyond that were, on both sides, taro patches until one got near Liliha Street. Liliha Street was quite urbanized, as (was) School Street beyond (Liliha and toward Nuuanu Street).”

“When (I was) a youngster, my mother had to prepare food on wood stoves and (I) had to chop (kiawe) firewood (and thence there was) the gradual changeover to kerosene stove and kerosene lamps.”

“When I was born and for many years, we had no electricity, no drinking water. But with McInerny Tract (being opened up), water (mains) came in, sewers came in, electric system came in. More than that, (now) look at what you can enjoy—TV”. (Arthur Akinaka (born in 1909), UH Ethnic Studies Oral History)

“In those days, the principal school was Kalihi-Waena, which was right across the street from Fernandez Park. And that went to eighth grade. See, we just had that grade and then high school. It was later on that they broke it down to intermediate and junior high school, and high school.”

“So, it was customary, not only in Kalihi but in lot of areas of Hawaii, where after the eighth grade the boys went to work. Lot of the boys didn’t start school until they were eight, nine years old. Then eight years in grade school would make ‘em sixteen, seventeen years old by the time they came out.”

“So they were expected to go to work and help the families. And of course, a lot of them didn’t have any desire to continue their education.”

“But it seemed like in our area, we had a higher percentage of boys that continued high school and college. Why? I don’t want to be so bold as to say we may have had a better educated group of parents or parents who were more educationally inclined, who wanted their children.”

“Because if you go back before my time, lot of the old-timers that lived in the Kalihi area were prominent in the old kingdom days. They were prominent people…. I’d read where they used to work for the kingdom or the territory.”

“It was apparently a good area, good residential area, in the old days because of its closeness to downtown, for one reason.”

For those going to high school, many went “to McKinley or St. Louis. We also had a couple of other high schools. Punahou, of course. Then we had Kamehameha. And we had what we called HMA – Honolulu Military Academy.”

“Most of the students that went to those schools were from the Fourth District. See, Oahu used to be Fourth District and Fifth District. Everything Ewa of Nuuanu was Fifth District.”

“Everything on the Kaimuki side is Fourth District. The wealthier people generally, of course, lived in the Fourth District. Most of the children that went to Punahou or HMA came from up that way.”

“There’s nothing wrong with the beauty of Kalihi Valley and the Kalihi area. It’s close to the ocean. Fishing, crabbing. So it was logical. Lot of our residential areas that you see today are that way because they ran out of space in the more city areas, closer to the city.”

“The transportation was a big item. Not many people had cars. So they had to live near their place of employment. A lot of them walked to work.” (Adolph ‘Duffie’ Mendonca, UH Ethnic Studies Oral History)

“Well, it was sensible, wasn’t it? And as they earned money and they started new families, they started to move away, yeah? I remember very well as a youngster, very, very few people lived east of the Kahala Mall area.”

“The streetcar line ended at Koko Head Avenue, right across from the theater – used to be Kaimuki Theater which has been torn down. That was the end of the line. The line went from there to Fort Shafter, the beginning of Moanalua. Then there was a line from up Liliha Street that went to Waikiki.”

There was a “constantly changing composition of the residents. The old-timers either relocate or leave this good earth. And mostly because they better, sometimes, their economic status.”

“The other thing is living here in the substandard lot sizes and deteriorating neighborhood. “No one individual can do very much towards modernizing, but ends up just perpetuating what is handed down.” (Arthur Akinaka, UH Ethnic Studies Oral History)

By the late 1950s, Kalihi Shopping Center came up, and by the early 1960s, Kamehameha Shopping Center came up. (UH Ethnic Studies Oral History)

“People moved because Kalihi Kai became industrialized and got noisy, plus the property became very much in demand. I guess some people sold and moved to a better residential district.” (Thelma Yoshiko Izumi, UH Ethnic Studies Oral History)

“I think, maybe when a guy reaches the top and he looks back, and he begins to wonder, what is important in life, was it worth all the effort and time?”

“When you get old, you get near the end of the line, and pretty soon you’re going to be forgotten. And you wonder whether all the things you did, which seemed very important and necessary at the time you did it, just how important was it?”

“And the fact that since most of our people are not rich people, if you associate with the more unfortunate people, you appreciate what they’re going through. Their life compared to somebody who’s inherited a lot or blessed with more brains or better opportunities, or married the right girl, had the right parents.”

“It’s something that makes you feel like somebody coming out of Kalihi that gets up there is worth his salt more than somebody who’s born with a silver spoon. At least that guy worked for what he got. He doesn’t feel that anything was handed to him.”

“How could somebody born with a silver spoon feel that way if he’s never been down on the bottom? How do you know how high a mountain is unless you’ve been down in the bottom of the valley, eh? So, it affects your outlook, I think.”

“I never thought the area I lived in was the bottom. I never did feel that. I never did feel that Kalihi was the bottom of anything, really. I always thought that Kakaako was more down the bottom because that was a built-up area. And you had more of the closeness of homes, and stores. You know, more populated.”

“Kalihi is a big area. From the mountain to the ocean. Plenty room. And we had good climate, good atmosphere out there. Things grew well. Generally green. People took care of their yards, planted nice plants and trees. In many respects, it’s beautiful.”

“I’ve never understood why – maybe a little corner or spot within the area wasn’t too good, but majority, the largest part of Kalihi was a very nice place. Very nice. I’m sorry that it’s inherited such a bad carryover. I don’ t think it deserved it.” (Adolph ‘Duffie’ Mendonca, UH Ethnic Studies Oral History)

April 9, 2025 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Susanna Wesley Home

Born on January 20, 1669 in England, the 25th of 25-children, Susanna Wesley never preached a sermon, built a church or published a book, but she is identified as the “Mother of Methodism.” She managed her household, raised and educated more than a dozen children. (Adams)

Following the example set at home by their mother, behaving methodically and purposefully, her sons, John Wesley and Charles Wesley, helped people reshape their lives for the better; a movement started from this that would reform not only individuals, but the church and the society of England – they became known as the “Method-ists.” (Pellowe)

Fast forward a couple centuries to the Islands.

“Members of the Methodist Episcopal church in (San Francisco) interested in Oriental mission work have decided to establish a Japanese Christian home in Honolulu.” (That was in 1902; Methodist mission work started in the Islands in 1887.)

“The Japanese women working in the island rice fields are particularly anxious to have the home established and are willing to contribute to the cause. … the name of the new institution (was suggested to) be the Susanna Wesley Home and the suggestion met the approval or all present.” (Hawaiian Star, November 20, 1902)

“(T)he Home was open in May, 1903. About 85 women have been cared for and instructed in the Christian life. …. the Home receives both orphans and half-orphans (typically Japanese and Korean.) There is a comfortable home for 40 children. San Francisco and Honolulu people have aided the home ….” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, December 29, 1905) (It also took in disillusioned picture brides.)

“The work of the Susanna Wesley Home has been conducted for some time in the old Dickey Homestead on Nuʻuanu Street under the direction of Miss Jayne assisted by Miss Morrison. The object of the home is to care for unprotected women and children, and much work of this kind has been done among the Japanese and Koreans.” (Hawaiian Star, January 30, 1906)

“To teach them the right, protect them in their helplessness, and try by precept and example to lead them to the Christ, has been our aim. Seeds have been sown. Our faith is not strong enough to believe that all have taken deep root, yet we believe some will spring up and bear fruit.”

“The most encouraging part of our work, as has often been repeated, is among the children. Here we can see results and take courage. We now have six children less than three years of age. … Some years ago it was decided to admit only children old enough to attend school, but we have always had children under school age.” (Report of Susanna Wesley House)

“It has been my aim since the beginning of my work here to make a real home, and be a real mother to these helpless little children, many of whom know no other mother’s love and care.”

“We do not want Susannah Wesley Home to be merely a boarding school, or institution, but a home in the truest, and best sense of the word, using our best efforts to train the children for lives of usefulness, and tenderly leading them to Him who said ‘Suffer the little children to come unto me.’” (Report of Susanna Wesley House)

They later moved into and converted the ‘Melrose Hotel’ on King Street “near the Waikiki turn” into an expanded Susanna Wesley Home.

“There are three main buildings, two of which face on King Street. These are connected by a spacious lanai. The grounds are greatly improved and there are 50-rooms.” (Hawaiian Gazette, January 30, 1906) (It was about where the parking lot of the Department of Agriculture is located.)

Though they were residents at the Home, the girls received their education from schools within the area. At the end of the school day, they would return to the Home where they were required to complete homework assignments.

In addition to their education, the house mothers at the Home taught the girls to sew their own clothing, cook meals, keep house and learn social etiquette. Older girls worked during the summer school vacation. Religious worship was encouraged, and the girls were free to attend the church of their own choosing. (legacy-com)

One notable girl who temporarily resided at the Home was 14-year-old Kame Imanaga, orphaned at an early age. Initially raised on Maui by Japanese neighbors, then a Hawaiian couple, it was arranged for her to move to Honolulu and enter the Home.

Shortly after arriving, Daniel Kleinfelter, a Caucasian minister, visited the home on an official inspection. Walking through the property, Kleinfelter handed a piece of candy to each child he met.

Kame declined the gift, explaining the only thing she wanted was a family of her own. Kleinfelter was so impressed by the outspoken teenager that he promptly invited Kame to live with him, his wife and their two daughters in their Honolulu home.

Kame converted to Christianity and began to attend River Street Methodist Church. Six years after her adoption, a young man – Hyotaro – caught her eye at a church social. A year later, they were married.

On September 7, 1924, almost 1-year after their wedding, Kame and Hyotaro became the proud parents of a baby boy. His name combined Japanese and American culture, beliefs and values.

Kame gave him his first name, Daniel, in honor of her adoptive father, Daniel Kleinfelter – and recognition of the West. Hyotaro gave the boy the middle name, Ken (a Japanese word for ‘to build,’) following customs of the East.

Hyotaro was the eldest son of the eldest sons for four generations – he hoped his firstborn would continue to build the family by someday fathering a son of his own. (Slavicek)

That young child of Kame and Hyotaro eventually continued the tradition and had a son, Ken.

Oh, the child of Kame and Hyotaro … he was better known to us in the Islands and those in the US Senate as Daniel K Inouye.

The Susanna Wesley Home moved to Kaili Street in Kalihi in 1919 (the King Street land was subdivided into ‘cottage lots.’) Others benefitted at the home.

“We were raised in Susanna Wesley Home on Kalihi Street until we finished high school after my parents divorced when I was eight…. It was a good plan because otherwise I would be still ignorant of a lot of things…. We went to public school, and we were raised in Kalihi Union Church, so we had a very good life.”

“I liked it in the Susanna Wesley Home, they educated me…. We had a beach house in Mokulēʻia. And so every summer we went to Mokuleʻia and spent the time there. And even sometimes when we were older, if we wanted to go Mokuleʻia spend the time, Susanna Wesley Home had it.” (Lum)

When the need for orphanages declined, the residence was closed and the center in the 1950s began its transformation to its present structure: a multipurpose community center that today offers services such as counseling to high-risk youths, mental health services to children, clothes for the poor and hot meals for the elderly. (Tighe) (It’s now known as Susannah Wesley Community Center.)

May 20, 2023 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

“Reclamation” Projects – Early-1900s

“Whenever in the opinion of the Board of Health any tract or parcel of land situated in the District of Honolulu, Island of Oahu, shall be deleterious to the public health in consequence of being low …”

“… and at times covered or partly covered by water, or of being situated between high and low water mark, or of being improperly drained, or incapable by reasonable expenditure of effectual drainage or for other reason in an unsanitary or dangerous condition…”

“… it shall be the duty of the Board of Health to report such fact to the Superintendent of Public Works together with a brief recommendation of the operation deemed advisable to improve such land.” (So stated Section 1025, Revised Laws of the Territory of Hawaiʻi, in 1906.)

That year, Board of Health President, LE Pinkham, stated in a report “for the Making of Honolulu as Beautiful and Unique in Character, as nature has Endowed it in Scenery, Climate and Location:”

“Nature, situation and human circumstance fix world-wide prominence and importance on certain strategic points in commerce, navigation and defense. Human events have moved slowly, but are becoming intensely accelerated, and it would seem Honolulu is now beginning to fulfil her destiny.”

Likewise, laws in place gave the Superintendent of Public Works the right to make Improvements to property which had been condemned as insanitary by the Board of Health.

Also in 1906, the US War Department acquired more than 70-acres in the Kālia portion of Waikīkī for the establishment of a military reservation to be called Fort DeRussy. Back then, nearly 85% of present Waikīkī was in wetland.

The Army started filling in the fishponds and wetland that covered most of the Fort site – pumping fill from the ocean continuously for nearly a year in order to build up an area on which permanent structures could be built.

Thus, the Army began the transformation of Waikīkī from wetlands to solid ground and it served as a model that others followed.

Back then, much of the makai lands from Honolulu to and including Waikīkī were characterized with lowland marshes, wetlands, coral reef flats and farming of fishponds along with some limited wetland kalo (taro) taro agriculture (and later rice.)

However, they were also characterized as, “stretched useless, unsightly, offensive swamps, perpetually breeding mosquitoes and always a menace to public health and welfare”.

The Territory saw the opportunity to drain and fill the land that “was valueless” to be “available for the growth of the business district of the city” and attain “a valuation greatly in excess of the cost of the filling and draining.”

Likewise, in areas such as Kakaʻako there were practical issues to contend with. “Calmly wading around in muddy water up to waist, on Tuesday after noon last, a Kakaako housekeeper was busying herself hanging out the family washing to dry. Her clothes basket she towed after her on a raft.”

“None of the neighbors marveled at the strange sight for when it was wash-day at their places they had to do the same. Tied up at the front gates of many of the houses in the block were rafts, upon which the more particular members of the families ferried themselves back and forth from house to street”. (Hawaiian Gazette, April 3, 1908)

This set into motion a number of reclamation and sanitation projects in Kakaʻako, Honolulu, Waikīkī, Lāhaina, Hilo and others.

The first efforts were concentrated at Kakaʻako – it was then more generally referred to as “Kewalo.” The Kewalo Reclamation District included the area bounded by South Street, King Street, Ward Avenue and Ala Moana Boulevard.

This area already had a practical demonstration of dredging and filling. In 1907, the US Army Fort Armstrong was built on fill over Kaʻākaukukui reef to protect the adjoining Honolulu Harbor.

“The plan practically takes in all the land from King street to the sea, and it will be the first step in a general reclamation scheme for the low lying lands of the city.” (Hawaiian Star, October 24, 1911)

Kapālama Reclamation Project included approximately 60-acres of land between King Street and the main line of Oʻahu Railway and Land Company. In addition, approximately 11-acres of land were filled from dredge material between Piers 16 and 17.

In 1925, the “practically worthless swamp lands” were converted “into property selling as high as $30,000.00 per acre.”

During this project, Sand Island and Quarantine Island were joined to the Kalihi Kai peninsula. In 1925 and 1926, a channel was dug from the Kalihi Channel into Kapālama Basin creating a true island out of “Sand Island.”

The Waikīkī Reclamation District was identified as the approximate 800-acres from King and McCully Streets to Kapahulu Street, near Campbell Avenue down to Kapiʻolani Park and Kalākaua Avenue on the makai side. (1921-1928)

The dredge material not only filled in the Waikīkī wetlands, it was also used to fill in the McKinley High School site.

The initial planning called for the extension of the Ala Wai Canal past its present terminus and excavate along Makee Island in Kapiʻolani Park, connecting the Canal with the ocean on the Lēʻahi side of the project. However, funds ran short and this extension was contemplated “at some later date, when funds are made available”; however, that never happened.

Eleven-and-a-half acres of Lāhaina “swamp land” (near the National Guard Armory,) drainage canals and storm sewers were part of the Lāhaina Reclamation District. (1916-1917) Mokuhinia Pond was filled with coral rubble dredged from Lāhaina Harbor.

By Executive Order of the Territory of Hawaiʻi in 1918, the newly-filled pond was turned over to the County of Maui for use as Maluʻuluʻolele Park.

In Hilo, the Waiolama Reclamation Project included the draining and filling of approximately 40-acres in the area between the Hilo Railway tract, Wailoa River, and Baker and Front Streets. It included diversion of the Alenaio Stream. (1914-1919)

Generally, the consensus was the reclamation projects were successful in addressing the health concerns; in addition, they made economic sense.

As an example, in Waikīkī, before reclamation assessed values for property were at about $500 per acre and the same property reclaimed at ten cents a foot, making a total cost of $4,350 per acre. The selling price after reclamation, $6,500 to $7,000 per acre, showed the financial benefit of the reclamation efforts.

April 15, 2022 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Hāpuʻu and Kalaʻihauola

Hiʻiaka, looking towards the uplands, where she saw Hāpuʻu and Kalaʻihauola – “I do not want you to say I did not acknowledge you, so here are the chanted regards from the traveler.” Then Hiʻiaka offered up this kanaenae (chant of praise.)

O Hāpuʻu and Kalaʻihauola
O women who dwell on the Koʻolau range
Residing upon the pathway
I offer this chant for those who pass that way.

Hāpuʻu and Kalaʻihauola were supernatural grandmothers of Piʻikea, wife of ʻUmi-a-Līloa. They wanted to have a grandchild to take back to Oʻahu to raise, because the mother of Piʻikea, Laieloheloheikawai, belonged to Oʻahu. (Laieloheloheikawai sent Hāpuʻu and Kalaʻihauola to the Island of Hawaiʻi to bring back one of Piʻikea’s children.) ʻUmi refused.

Then, people in the village started to die at night; the supernatural personages of Hāpuʻu and Kalaʻihauola murdered the people … this continued every night, the people dying without cause.

Piʻikea then said to ʻUmi-a-Līloa: “There is no other cause of death. My grandmothers, Hāpuʻu and Kalaihauola, did the killing. They were sent by my mother to bring one of our children, but you have withheld it, and that is why the people are murdered.”

Then, when Hāpuʻu and Kalaihauola were at the house with Piʻikea, the latter being pregnant with child, the old women slapped on Piʻikea’s knees and the child was delivered in front of one of the old women.

The child being a girl, it was taken away by the deities and lived in Oahu. Thus the child Kahaiaonui-a-Piʻikea, or Kahaiaonui-a-ʻUmi, became the adopted of Laielohelohekawai. (Fornander)

“Within a few yards of the upper edge of the pass, under the shade of surrounding bushes and trees, two rude and shapeless stone idols are fixed, one on each side of the path, which the natives call ‘Akua no ka pali,’ gods of the precipice”.

“They are usually covered with pieces of white tapa, native cloth; and every native who passes by to the precipice, if he intends to descend, lays a green bough before these idols, encircles them with a garland of flowers, or wraps a piece of tapa round them, to render them propitious to his descent”.

“All who ascend from the opposite side make a similar acknowledgment for the supposed protection of the deities, whom they imagine to preside over the fearful pass. This practice appears universal for in our travels among the islands, we have seldom passed any steep or dangerous paths, at the commencement or termination of which we have not seen these images, with heaps of offerings lying before them.” (Ellis, 1834)

“At the bottom of the Parre … offerings of flowers and fruit are laid to propitiate the Akua Wahini, or goddesses, who are supposed to have the power of granting a safe passage.” (Bloxam, 1826)

“… the old people said that their ancestors had been accustomed to bring the navel cords of their children and bury them under these stones to insure protection of the little ones from evil, and that these were the stone women …” (Westerfelt)

The two stones, believed to embody two kupua goddesses, Hāpuʻu and Kalaʻihauola, on each side of Kalihi Stream, are also associated with the ‘E‘epa (small folks related to the Menehune,) that would cause rain if the proper offerings were not left near these stone.

“They (Hāpuʻu and Kalaʻihauola) were said to be mysterious people from this side of the valley of Nuʻuanu. They left Nuʻuanu with others of their kind because there was a war in Nuʻuanu and some fled. Some settled in the uplands of Kalihi.” (Joseph Poepoe; Cultural Surveys)

Mary Kawena Pukui states that the latter should be pronounced “Kala‘iola,” because of the word ola (‘life’) reflects that those who placed navel cords here were seeking life for their babies. (pacificworlds)

The stones stood in an area of pools of spring water. One pool was icy cold, others warm, Hawaiian mothers brought their newborn babes to the spot and bathed them in the warm spring. (Clarice Taylor, Honolulu Star Bulletin, August 18, 1954)

Travelers to the area placed lei and flowers upon the stones, at the same time asking the ʻEʻepa not to play tricks on them. A favorite lei offering was made of the sweet smelling pala palai fern.

The pools marked the spot where the great god Kane struck the earth and brought forth water. It is called Ka puka wai o Kalihi, the water door of Kalihi.

The two famous stones were destroyed by bulldozers in October 1953 when the men first cleared the area for the approach road for the Wilson Tunnel.

“Their destruction was probably the cause of the drought which gripped this Island during the Fall months and the heavy rains which have been falling this summer (1954) and caused the Wilson Tunnel cave-in, the Hawaiians say.” (Clarice Taylor, SB, August 18, 1954)

January 8, 2019 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Apili

“The valley of Kalihi succeeds to that of Anuana (Nu‘uanu), but is less bold and diversified in its scenery. Human dwellings and cultivated lands are here very few, or scattered thinly over a great extent of, probably, the finest soil in the world.”

“The commencement of the valley is a broad pasture-plain 0 the tall grass waving on every side, and intersected by a footpath, reminding one forcibly of the rural scenes which precede the hay-harvest in England.”

“Kalihi has a pass to the vale of Kolau similar to the pari of Anuana, though more precipitous, and only employed by a few of the islanders who convey fish from Kolau to Honoruru.” (Bennett)

“Kalihi had a shallow seaside area, now the shore of Kalihi Basin, that was, like that of Moanalua, ideal for the building of fishponds …. On the flatlands below the valley there were extensive terraces on both sides of the stream, while along the stream in the lower valley there were numerous areas with small terraces.”

“The interior valley was rough and narrow and not suitable for lo‘i but it would have been good for sweet potatoes, yams, wauke, and bananas, which probably were planted there.” (Handy)

Numerous taro pondfields, or lo‘i, were claimed during the Māhele, particularly along the Kalihi and Niuhelewai Streams, which served as the eastern and western boundaries of Kalihi. However, on the flat of Kaluapuhi where Kalihi Kai meets the ocean, there is no indication of taro lo‘i or fresh water sources. (Cultural Surveys)

There were five fishponds in Kalihi Kai, Ananoho, Auiki, Pāhouiki, Pāhounui and Apili. Apili pond was about 28-acres, with the wall surrounding it about 1,500-feet long.

Apili (“caught, snared, or stuck”) was noted for its awa (milkfish), a fish “which vied with the ‘ama‘ama (mullet) in popularity”. “The fishpond is yet famous for the superior flavor of its fish, particularly the awa, which, eaten raw, is esteemed a rare treat by native epicures.” (Cultural Surveys) (It was near what is now Sand Island Access Road and Hoonee Place.)

In 1828, Queen Kaʻahumanu gave Captain Alexander Adams over 290-acres of land in Kalihi Valley in connection with and in gratitude for his services. The area was called Apili, and included the pond.

Adams was born December 27, 1780; he left Scotland in 1792 to begin a life of working on the sea. This eventually led him to Hawaiʻi, where he arrived in 1811 on the American trading ship the ‘Albatross’ from Boston.

He became an intimate friend and confidential advisor to King Kamehameha I, who entrusted to him the command of the king’s sandalwood fleet. He became the first regular pilot for the port of Honolulu, a position he held for 30-years.

Adams is credited with helping to design the Hawaiian flag – a new flag for Hawaiʻi was needed to avoid confusion by American vessels (prior to that time, Hawaiian vessels flew the British Union Jack.)

After 30 years of piloting, Adams retired in 1853, grew fruit on his land in Kalihi Valley, and was great host to visitors. He also had a home on what was named Adams Lane (in 1850,) a small lane in downtown Honolulu off of Hotel Street named after him (near the Hawaiian Telephone company building.)

Adams married three times, his first was to Sarah “Sally” Davis, daughter of Isaac Davis; two of his wives were the Harbottle sisters (Sarah Harbottle and Charlotte Harbottle,) who were reared by Queen Kaʻahumanu and were favorites at court. According to his personal account, he was the father of 15 children, eight of whom were by his third wife.

The estate in Niu Valley was held by his granddaughter Mary Lucas, who started subdividing it in the 1950s. The area created by the filling of Kupapa Fishpond is now the site of numerous oceanfront homes.

Old Niu Fishpond (Kupapa Fishpond) is part of a tract of 2,446 acres that was once a summer home of Kamehameha I and which later claimed by Alexander Adams under Claim No. 802 filed Feb. 14, 1848, with the land commission at the time of the Great Māhele.

“A favorite place of resort for old residents in those days was Captain Alexander Adams’ residence at Kalihi. Adams was the pioneer par excellence of foreigners then living in the country”.

“Adams had a few acres of land enclosed at the mouth of the Kalihi stream, some three miles from town, where he cultivated grapes, bananas, pine-apples and a variety of vegetables.”

“Here, on holidays (and every Sunday) were wont to gather a number of Adams’ acquaintances, mostly Scotchmen like himself, ‘trusty, drouthy cronies,’ such as Andrew Auld, Jock Russell, James Mahoney, and others.”

“These used regularly to walk out to Adams’ in the cold of the morning and take dinner with him, one of the standing dishes being a soup the principal ingredient of which was ‘Scotch Kail,’ grown by himself.”

“The afternoon was spent under the shade of a large mango tree, one of the first planted on the Islands, where the chairs surrounded a big table covered with bottles and glasses.”

“Here old Adams as mine host was in his glory, and spun yarns and fought his battles o’er – he was with Nelson at Trafalgar – and told what he had said to ‘old Tammy’ (Kamehameha I) and what ‘Tammy’ said to him …”

“… anecdotes of John Young, and of Kaahumanu – who, before her conversion to Christianity must have been a veritable barbarisa – then back again to boyhood’s recollections in ‘Auld Scotia.’”

“The old man’s memory was excellent – like most Scotchmen he was pretty well read – and with a good listener he became eloquent, and had just enough of the old burr in his accent to be interesting.”

“The attentive listeners were generally the new comers, for as to the old hands, who had become familiar with Adams’ stories, they improved the time by getting more or less ‘foul.’” (Sheldon)

Follow Peter T Young on Facebook

Follow Peter T Young on Google+

Follow Peter T Young on LinkedIn

Follow Peter T Young on Blogger