Methodist Church | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

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.)

By the 1920s, wealthy Honolulu families had built weekend cottages on Kailua beach and the planned development of Lanikai homes began. There was little growth during the depression years that followed. (O’Brien)

Kailua Beach Park was established in 1920 when the Territory of Hawaii transferred 25 acres of State land to the City for a public beach park. Since that time, the City has been incrementally acquiring private property.

One such acquisition was through a land exchange with Doris Duke. Under an Exchange Deed, she transferred a shoreline parcel of 7,817 square feet in Kailua to the Territory of Hawai‘i to allow for the expansion of a municipal park.

In return, Duke obtained two submerged parcels totaling 0.608 acres for her Diamond Head Breakwater and outlying ocean area along the western end of the property and a smaller submerged parcel.

Duke then dynamited a small-boat harbor and a seventy-five-foot salt-water swimming pool into the rock. The breakwater and harbor were built to protect Duke’s fleet of yachts, including Kailani Lahilahi, an ocean-going, 58-foot motor yacht and Kimo, the 26-foot mahogany runabout that Duke sometimes used to commute into Honolulu. (Shangri La CDUA)

Zoning changes in 1937 made homes easier to build in Kailua. By the eve of World War II, there were 1,500 people living in Kailua, which was still mostly a recreation area for a weekend-only population. Homes were concentrated near the beach. Beyond the beach area, the region was dominated by Harold Castle’s Kaneohe Ranch.

The post-war years saw rapid changes as Hawaii’s economy and population both grew. Kailua’s population increased four-fold to 6,000 by 1948 as developers began building more homes in Kailua. By the early 50s, Kaneohe Ranch sold or leased its land in Kailua as it realized the profit potential.

Kailua’s population continued to grow through the 50s which, along with Kaneohe’s growth, mandated the construction of the new Pali Highway. Kailua’s population was 25,000 by 1960.

By the 1970s however, Kailua had seen almost all available land developed and growth slowed. The population was 36,000 by 1980. (O’Brien)

Land acquisition for Kailua Beach Park was finally completed in May 1991 when the City Parks acquired the last of 13 house lots on the Kailua side of Camp Kailua. )City Parks ended tent camping at Kailua Beach Park about 1970 to resolve complaints from neighbors and beach goers.) (C&C Parks and Recreation)

Nearby, “Lanikai is the name of the residential community situated in the headlands between Kailua Bay and Waimanalo Bay. Lanikai is not a proper Hawaiian word, but was devised by this community’s promoters.”

“The name probably was intended to mean ‘royal sea’ or perhaps ‘heavenly sea,’ which in proper Hawaiian, would have been Kailani, but the words were transposed and joined as they would be in English, rather than in Hawaiian.” (Clark)

There was a Kailani nearby; well … a Camp Kailani.

The Methodist Church built Camp Kailani in 1947, it had wooden huts and was used for church outings and camping. (C&C Design and Construction) “The Methodist mission bought the [2-acre] property on June 1, 1946.”

“Dr Alford Wall, Honolulu dentist, acquired fee simple title to the property many years ago. During World war II, the army instituted on the grounds the Welakahao Officers’ club. It removed the home and garage and erected in their place a pavilion, bathhouse, several buildings and cottages.” (SB, Jan 21, 1947)

With respect to use of the new camp, “Dr. Fry [Methodist Mission Superintendent] emphasized that no denominational lines will be drawn. Only stipulation is that Christian groups use it for their social and religious gatherings. Nominal rates will be charged for overnight and day guests.” (SB, Jan 21, 1947)

Later, “The purchase of the adjacent [1-acre] lot to the camp site brought abrupt changes in the activity of the Kailani Committee for 1963. Master planning is under complete re-study in light of the new property and the priority listing submitted to the Annual Meeting of 1963 will necessarily need revision as new factors in the plan are developed in the future.” (Methodist Journal, 1964)

In 1980, due to the high cost of maintenance and the increasingly urban setting, the Church reconsidered continued use of the Camp and offered to sell the property to the City.

In 1982, the terms negotiated for City acquisition of Camp Kailani allowed two more years of Church use during which time the Church could develop new cabin camping facilities in a more rural location. (However, such facilities were not developed.)

The City Parks Department took over management of Camp Kailani in 1984 and about 1985 informally renamed the property Camp Kailua.

The City Parks acquired Camp Kailua with the intent of removing most structures and expanding Kailua Beach Park. Public use of buildings for meetings, retreats, and cabin camping was allowed but intended to be only temporary.

In 1985, City Parks relocated senior citizen groups to Camp Kailua after the City Fire Department cited City Parks for allowing too many seniors to meet in a Kailua Field gymnasium meeting room. (C&C Parks and Recreation)

In late-1990, City Parks announced the impending demolition of the camp; they began dismantling it in early 1991. This created a storm of protest from area residents.

A March 1991 editorial in the Star-Bulletin called the Camp Kailua ‘a Windward Alamo’ and urged the city to reconsider demolishing it.

“The Kailua Neighborhood Board and state legislators Cynthia Thielen and Jackie Young all lined up behind the Save Camp Kailua group. Alerted by flyers and phone calls, 400 Kailuans showed up at a Parks and Rec-sponsored meeting to protest the demolition.”

But City Parks was firm; campers can go elsewhere. The department said “We could not see allowing 45 people [the camp’s capacity] in there taking up valuable beach frontage that everyone paid for. We can’t allow them to dominate that land.” (Honolulu Weekly) Eventually, the buildings were removed. (C&C Design and Construction)