THE MOST ENDANGERED SITES IN HAWAII
All photos courtesy of Honolulu Magazine.
by Jenny Quill , Honolulu Magazine
In an effort to preserve Hawaii’s unique heritage, HONOLULU Magazine, the Historic Hawai‘i Foundation and the State Historic Preservation Division have assembled this annual list of some of the state’s most endangered places. This year’s nominations highlight ancient landmarks—pre-Western-contact petroglyphs, the remnants of a prehistoric fishing community—and modern sites, such as the dozens of historic buildings, bridges and communities in the path of Oahu’s planned rail transit project. The sites are endangered for various reasons—some suffer from neglect, others from development, while a few are threatened by environmental factors. All of them represent important chapters in Hawaii’s rich past, and contribute to our sense of place and who we are as a community.
Making the list does not guarantee protection or preservation; rather, our goal is to raise awareness of the sites’ vulnerability and inspire community dialogue. In the following pages, you’ll find this year’s most endangered historic sites, the stories behind what’s threatening them and what can be done to protect them. You’ll also discover updates on last year’s endangered sites, including the IBM building, Fort Kamehameha and the ‘auwai of Nu‘uanu Valley.
More About the Most Endangered Historic Sites in Hawaii
More About the Most Endangered Historic Sites in Hawaii
View Most Endangered Historic Sites in Hawaii in a larger map
Hale‘iwa Residences
(Hale‘iwa, O‘ahu)
Photo by Rae Huo
What is it?
Built in the early 20th century, these four residences located on Kamehameha Highway in Hale‘iwa are some of the few remaining plantation-style homes along the historic town’s main thoroughfare. “This property represents a piece of Old Hawai‘i plantation architecture, and part of that adds to Hale‘iwa’s charm,” says Antya Miller, a member of the North Shore Neighborhood Board.
Photo by kicka witte
What is it?
Located adjacent to Hulē‘ia National Wildlife Refuge on Kaua‘i, Alekoko Pond, also known as Menehune Fishpond, is thought to have been built approximately 580 years ago.
The Alekoko Pond
(Nāwiliwili, Kaua‘i)
Photo by David Croxford
What is it?
Located on approximately 265 acres of land above Pearl City residential neighborhoods, Waimano Ridge was home to the Waimano Training School and Hospital (WTSH), an institutional incarceration facility for people with developmental disabilities. More..
Waimano Ridge
(Pearl City, O‘ahu)
Photo by Matt Thayer
What is it?
The stables, which are located across from the Hāli‘imaile General Store restaurant, were built around 1920 as part of the old Hāli‘imaile plantation village. “The stables were built before my time,” says Eddie Ceballos, who worked as a field hand and service station attendant for Maui Pineapple Co., now Maui Land & Pineapple Co. (ML&P), for 50 years.
Hali‘imaile Stables
(Hali‘imaile, Maui)
Photo by Rae Huo
What is it?
The white chapel located on the Diamond Head side of the Kapi‘olani Community College (KCC) campus has always stood out from KCC’s low-lying, 1980s architecture. Built in 1925, the chapel hosted church services for the Fort Ruger military community, O‘ahu’s earliest U.S. Army coastal defense fortification, established in 1909. “People feel that [the chapel] is an important structure,” says Carol Hoshiko, KCC’s dean for Culinary, Hospitality and College Advancement. “It’s different from the rest of the buildings. It’s an older building, and reminiscent of times before.”
Chapel at Kapiolani Community College
(Honolulu, Oahu)
Photo Courtesy Kepa Family
Luahiwa Petroglyphs
(Kealiakapu ahupua‘a, Lāna‘i )
Photo by Michael Keany
What is it?
The 20-mile elevated rail line will connect West O‘ahu with downtown Honolulu and Ala Moana Center once it’s completed in 2019. The Historic Hawai‘i Foundation (HHF) has identified 33 historic sites between ‘Ewa and Kaka‘ako that will be impacted, with potential outcomes ranging from demolition to being transformed into a rail station. More..
The 33 Structures in the
Path of Honolulu's Rapid Transit Project
(Kapolei to Kakaako, O‘ahu)
Photo by Kirk Lee Aeder
What is it?
This privately owned, 17-acre coastal property is situated along the southern point of Lapakahi State Historical Park, which surrounds the estate on three sides. “For some reason,” says Lea Hong, the Hawaiian Islands program director for the Trust for Public Land (TPL), “there was this 17-acre thing that was carved out from the park and passed down through private owners.”
Lapakahi
(North Kohala, Hawai‘i)
What is it?
Located on a difficult-to-find, 3 acre section of land in central Lāna‘i, Luahiwa is one of Hawai‘i’s most significant Ki‘ipōhaku, or petroglyph, complexes, with close to 1,000 ancient stone carvings etched into the sides of boulders scattered across the slope.
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 2003-2010 Historic Hawaii Foundation unless otherwise noted.
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