Waioli | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

The first mission station on Kauai was established at Waimea on the more accessible south coast in 1820. In 1834, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions sent the Reverend William P. Alexander to investigate the north coast of Kauai for a suitable location for a second station.

He chose the Hanalei area because of its harbor, fertile soil and needs of the people. The actual site was called Waiʻoli, “Singing Waters”.

The Waiʻoli Mission District consists of the main Waiʻoli Mission Residence (1836,) the old Waiʻoli Huiʻia Church (1841,) the new Waiʻoli Huiʻia Church (1912) and related improvements.

Rev. Alexander and his wife and son moved there in 1834 and began work immediately, preaching to hundreds of islanders in a huge thatched meeting house, while living in a small grass hut.

The Alexanders carried on alone with their work until 1837 when the Board of Commissioners sent a teaching couple, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Johnson, to the mission. In the meantime, the Alexanders built a frame house for their growing family.

To help make ends meet, the mission planted crops in land donated by the Governor of Kauaʻi. The students helped cultivate the crops, and in so doing, learned agricultural techniques. Cotton was tried without much success. Sugar cane proved much more suitable.

As the center of mission activities on the Hanalei side of Kauai, Waiʻoli Church and Mission House played an important role in the history of that part of the island.

Deborah Kapule, the dowager Queen of Kauai and an earnest convert, assisted in establishing the Mission. Governor Kaikioewa of Kauai provided the land and encouraged the Mission in many ways.

The Old Waiʻoli Huiʻia Church is actually the third church built on its site. The first was a huge thatch structure built by the local populace when they heard that a permanent missionary was to be sent to them.

It was constructed in 1832, but destroyed by fire in 1834, just prior to the arrival of the Rev. William Alexander. He immediately built another similar structure, but it was destroyed by a storm in 1837.

In 1841, Rev. Alexander dedicated the present Old Waiʻoli Huiʻia Church; it is the oldest church on the Island of Kauai.

In 1843, the Alexanders were transferred to the Lāhainā station due to illness and the Rev. and Mrs. George Rowell took their place.

In 1846, Rev. Rowell and his wife were transferred to Waimea. Mr. and Mrs. Abner Wilcox and their four boys were sent from Oʻahu to take over the teaching duties. Mr. Wilcox was to “raise up teachers for the common schools of the island and to prepare those who may go from our Island to the High School”.

In 1853, the American Board finally transferred the Sandwich Islands Mission to the Hawaiian Evangelical Association, which had the status of a “home mission”. To round out the missionaries’ pensions, the American Board divided mission lands among them.

In this manner, the Waiʻoli home was deeded to the Wilcox family. They had decided to make their home in Hawaiʻi rather than return to the mainland. However, in 1869, while on a visit to relatives in New England, Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox suddenly fell ill and died.

The sons took over the Waiʻoli property, managing the farm operation and keeping the buildings in good repair. Albert Wilcox was the last to live in the frame house, moving out in 1877.

The sons went on to become some of the most prominent figures in Hawaii. George N. Wilcox became a highly successful sugar planter on Kauai and entered politics.

He was elected to the legislature. In 1887, he was elected to the House of Nobles, and after Kalākaua’s death, was appointed Minister of the Interior by Queen Liliuokalani.

After the fall of the monarchy, he served the Republic of Hawaiʻi in the constitutional convention, and later, in the Senate. All the while, he continued his sugar operations at the Grove Farm Plantation on Kauai, as well as participating in various other enterprises. The other Wilcox boys also played important parts in monarchy, Republic and Territorial commerce and politics.

In 1912, the current church building was built with donations from Sam, George and Albert Wilcox (sons of the missionary couple who were born at the station). The old 1841 church was used as the Mission Hall. The old mission bell was used in the belfry.

In 1921, Wilcox descendants funded architect Hart Wood to restore the Mission House and the Mission Hall. By 1945, it merged with the Anini Church and the Haʻena Church to become the Huiʻia Church.

Having survived two previous hurricanes, Hurricane Dot and Hurricane Iwa, both the Waiʻoli Huiʻia Church Sanctuary and the Waiʻoli Mission Hall were restored after sustaining significant damage from Hurricane Iniki in 1992. Both buildings are listed on the state and national registers of historic places.

The Waiʻoli Huiʻia Church has had a continuous record of service since 1834, first as a Congregational Church and since 1957 as a United Church of Christ.

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Old Waioli Church
Old Waioli Church
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In 1834, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) sent Reverend William P Alexander to scout the north coast of Kauai for a suitable location for a second station (the first started in 1820 at Waimea.)

A pole and thatch meetinghouse was constructed by Hawaiians on the Mission Hall site, in anticipation of the arrival of the missionaries.

Alexander chose the Hanalei area because of its harbor, fertile soil, and needs of the people. The site was called Waioli, ‘Singing Waters.’

Deborah Kapule, the dowager Queen of Kauai and earnest convert, assisted in establishing the Mission. Governor Kaikioewa of Kauai provided the land, and encouraged the Mission in many ways.

The first thatch church was destroyed by fire in 1834, just prior to the arrival of the Alexanders. He immediately built another similar structure.

Alexander and his wife and son began work immediately, preaching to hundreds of islanders in a huge thatched meeting house while living in a small grass hut. They began their secular teaching also, and could soon report that 1,232 of their students could read and 257 could write.

The Johnson’s took over the bulk of the teaching duties and began to place more of an emphasis on educating the children rather than the adults. (Alexander had earlier noted a drop in enthusiasm for schooling among the older parishioners.)

To help make ends meet, the mission planted crops in land donated by the Governor of Kauai. The students helped cultivate the crops, and by so doing, learned agricultural techniques. Cotton was tried without much success. Sugar cane proved much more suitable.

In 1838, a frame house was built for the Johnsons, as their grass hut had fallen victim to the elements. Plans were also made for the construction of a frame church/meeting house. Materials were collected, and the sugar crop was earmarked to help pay construction costs. (NPS)

In 1841, Rev. Alexander dedicated the present old Waioli Hui‘ia Church. Shortly after the church was dedicated, a belfry was constructed behind the main structure. Its architecture is similar, and it stands twenty-four feet in height.

The old Church is an imposing structure, with a main interior space of 35 by 70 feet. An open lanai (porch) surrounds the building on three sides, with wood posts supporting the eaves of the tall, high-pitched roof.

The pitch is broken over the plate line with a lesser slope above the lanai. This type of roof is a modified copy of the type of roof used in early Hawaiian structures. The original roof was thatch, later replaced by shingles then galvanized iron, then back to shingles, which now cover it.

In 1843, the Alexanders were transferred to the Lahaina station due to illness, and Rev. and Mrs. George Rowell took their place. In the meantime, Mr. Johnson, concerned about the slowness of the Lahainaluna High School in turning out native teachers, began classes of his own to train them.

Additional land was cultivated to meet expenses. Shortly after this, the Hawaiian government began to take more control of education, and Wai‘oli Mission School became a ‘select school.’

One feature of this was that the most promising students were taught English. Wai‘oli sent several students to the Lahainaluna High School for advanced education, and many trained by Mr. Johnson took over teaching duties in the common schools on Kauai.

In 1846, Rowell and his wife were transferred to Waimea and Johnson was licensed to become the minister at Wai‘oli. Mr and Mrs Abner Wilcox and their four boys were sent from O‘ahu to take over the teaching duties.

Wilcox was to “raise up teachers for the common schools of the island and to prepare those who may go from our Island to the High School”.

While carrying out his teaching duties, he also managed the growing agricultural enterprises of the mission, which by now included taro, yams, potatoes, beans, corn, and bananas. The produce was sold to passing vessels to help the mission meet expenses.

By mid-century, most of the people in the Islands had received some sort of Christian instruction, and they were further advanced in the eyes of the missionaries than any other Pacific islanders.

Because of this, the ABCFM began to withdraw support of the Hawaiian Missions. In 1863, they transferred the Sandwich Islands Mission to the Hawaiian Evangelical Association. (NPS)

As the center of mission activities on the Hanalei side of Kauai, Wai‘oli Church and Mission House played an important role in the history of that part of the island.

Presently, the old Waioli Church is the oldest (1841) church on the Island of Kauai and the whole mission complex is retained in excellent, livable condition despite its age and the deteriorating effects of the weather on Kauai. It was later used as a social hall.

In 1912, a new Wai‘oli Church building was given by three sons of Abner Wilcox; Sam, George and Albert. This shingled church, built in the American Gothic architectural style, has a belfry tower which houses the old Mission Bell.

This bell was rung throughout the years, calling people to worship. In 1921 the Wilcox descendants restored the Mission House and the Mission Hall.

The Wai‘oli Church grew under the guidance of the Hawaiian ministers. By 1945, the Wanini Church and the Ha‘ena Church had joined the Wai‘oli Church to form the Wai`oli Hui‘ia Church. (Hanalei Church)

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