Historic Hawai‘i Foundation
680 Iwilei Road, Suite #690, Honolulu, HI 96817
Phone: 808-523-2900 Fax: 808-523-0800
Email: webmaster@historichawaii.org
Copyright 2003-2009 Historic Hawaii Foundation unless otherwise noted
| Get connected. Sign up for e-mail alerts. |
What is it?
Built in 1925, the plantation manager’s house was the most imposing residence on the ‘Ewa Sugar Plantation—a two-story colonial revival with a large yard and a grand entry drive, as well as an arched porte cochere. After sugar operations ended in the early 1970s, the house suffered from a lack of maintenance until the City and County of Honolulu bought the plantation property in 1995. The manager’s house was placed, along with the rest of the ‘Ewa Sugar Plantation Villages, on the National Register of Historic Places, and, until a few years ago, was regularly used as a neighborhood gathering place for meetings and parties.
HISTORIC HAWAI‘I FOUNDATION
What threatens it?
Although the house suffers from termite damage and its lead-based paint and out-of-code plumbing and electrical wiring must be replaced, state Rep. Rida Cabanilla says the primary threat to the property is the City and County’s lack of a plan. Since Mayor Mufi Hannemann succeeded Jeremy Harris in 2004, the house has been closed to the public, and some areas of the property look like a junkyard. “Why is it in such a state of disrepair? I call it demolition by neglect,” Cabanilla says. “It’s a shame, because it has so much historic value.”
What can be done?
There is no shortage of interest in the property; the ‘Ewa Historical Society has said it would like to acquire the manager’s house, as has the ‘Ewa Villages Homeowners Association. But some say that the city’s current administration has been frustratingly unresponsive. Tesha Malama, manager of the ‘Ewa Village Homeowners Association, says, “Right now, it’s a question of the city moving into action, but with everything else the city has to do, I really think they’re not paying attention to what’s happening over here.”
Update(2010): The Falls of Clyde Stays Afloat
The Friends of Falls Of Clyde, Inc. (FoFOC), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, acquired ownership and stewardship of the national historic landmark, four-masted, iron-hulled sailing ship Falls of Clyde on September 30, 2008.
FoFOC stated that, “the ability of FoFOC to rescue the ship from imminent destruction has been applauded by historic ship preservationists throughout the world. Every expert in historic ship preservation and restoration and experts in iron-hull ship analysis have stated that Falls of Clyde is a maritime artifact that can and should be preserved and restored. Historic ships in much worse physical condition than Falls have been successfully restored in the U.S. and many other countries.”
In September 2010, the challenges and goals of FoFOC were the topic of a panel presentation at the 9th Maritime Heritage Conference. FoFOC was proud to announce that an important funding source had finally been transferred to it and that there was a steady schedule of pre-drydocking work going on. FoFOC is actively seeking grants and other funds for the much-needed drydock and will kick off a major capital campaign for the drydock.
In the 2009 legislative session, S.C.R. 138 was passed which, in part, stated: “Falls of Clyde is recognized as a historic symbol of Hawaii; and…should always be treasured and protected by the State of Hawaii and its residents.” FoFOC believe that this resolution clearly and accurately reflects the value of Falls of Clyde to the people of Hawai`i and we intend to develop a compelling story to broaden community support.
Story by
Michael Keany, Honolulu Magazine
Falls of Clyde
Ewa, Oahu
More About the Most Endangered Historic Sites in Hawaii
View Most Endangered Historic Sites in Hawaii in a larger map
