Hawaii Historic Foundation

Hawaii Historic Foundation
Name	Hawaii Historic Foundation
Formation	1966
Type	Nonprofit
Purpose	Historic preservation, conservation, advocacy
Headquarters	Honolulu, Oʻahu, Hawaii
Region served	Hawaii
Leader title	President
Leader name	(varies)
Website	(omitted)

Hawaii Historic Foundation is a nonprofit preservation organization based in Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu. Founded during the era of statewide heritage movements that included the National Trust for Historic Preservation and regional groups such as the Historic Hawai‘i Foundation (note: separate organizations), the Foundation has been active in conserving notable properties, supporting archival collections, and advising on landmark designations in Hawaii. Its work intersects with municipal and state agencies including the Hawaii State Historic Preservation Division, civic institutions such as the Bishop Museum, and national programs like the National Register of Historic Places.

History

The Foundation emerged in the mid-1960s amid a wave of preservation activism that followed events such as the passage of the federal National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and local debates over redevelopment in Honolulu and Maui. Early activity connected the Foundation with stakeholders including the Territory of Hawaii era bureaucrats, private landowners like the Alexander & Baldwin interests, and cultural institutions such as the Hawaiian Historical Society and the Mission Houses Museum. During the 1970s and 1980s it collaborated on nomination efforts for properties to the National Register of Historic Places and engaged with professionals from the American Institute of Architects Hawaii chapter, preservationists linked to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and academics from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Mission and Programs

The Foundation’s stated mission focuses on protecting and promoting architectural, cultural, and historical resources across the Hawaiian Islands. Programmatically it administers preservation easements, conservation planning, and technical assistance that align with standards promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior and professional guidelines from organizations such as the World Monuments Fund and the American Planning Association. It partners with indigenous organizations like Office of Hawaiian Affairs, municipal bodies including the City and County of Honolulu, and national entities such as the National Park Service for site stewardship and policy advocacy.

Preservation and Restoration Projects

Notable projects have involved residential and civic landmarks across Oʻahu, Maui, Hawaii (island), and Kauaʻi. The Foundation has worked on restorations of plantation era sites tied to companies like Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company, missionary-era buildings associated with the Congregational Church (United Church of Christ), and vernacular dwellings reflecting designs by architects such as C.W. Dickey and firms like Baldwin & Baker. Collaborative efforts have interfaced with preservation campaigns for sites linked to figures such as Queen Liliʻuokalani, King Kamehameha V, and events including the Overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Projects often engage contractors familiar with conservation approaches used at places like Iolani Palace, the Mission Houses Museum, and the Waikiki Historic District.

Grants and Funding

The Foundation provides and administers grants, matching funds, and easement agreements funded through private donors, philanthropic foundations such as the Kamehameha Schools philanthropic initiatives, corporate partners like Matson, Inc., and public grant programs administered by the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. It leverages tax incentives such as credits associated with the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program and coordinates with local fundraising campaigns involving organizations like the Hawai‘i Community Foundation and the Hawaii Tourism Authority for project-specific support.

Collections and Archives

The organization curates documentary materials, historic photographs, architectural drawings, and oral histories that augment institutional holdings at repositories like the Bishop Museum, the Hawai‘i State Archives, and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Library Special Collections. Its archival stewardship supports research into families and firms such as Dillingham Corporation, plantation-era records tied to Wilcox (Hawaiian family), and correspondence related to missionaries from American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. Collections have been used in scholarship published by entities such as the Hawaiian Journal of History and in exhibition collaborations with the Honolulu Museum of Art.

Education and Public Outreach

Education initiatives include lectures, walking tours, workshops, and publications aimed at audiences connected to the Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, local schools, and Hawaiian cultural organizations. Programs frequently feature scholars from the University of Hawaiʻi System, historians associated with the Hawaiian Historical Society, architects from the AIA Honolulu, and practitioners from the Preservation Institute network. Outreach efforts engage community partners such as the Kāneʻohe Bay Regional Council, neighborhood boards in Waikiki, and cultural practitioners tied to ʻohana and aliʻi lineages.

Governance and Affiliations

Governed by a volunteer board that often includes preservation professionals, historians, and community leaders, the Foundation maintains affiliations with statewide and national networks including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Park Service, the Historic Preservation Review Board (Hawaii), and university programs at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa School of Architecture. It collaborates with municipal entities like the City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting and state institutions such as the Hawaii State Historic Preservation Division to influence policy, easement law, and regulatory review processes.

Category:Historic preservation in Hawaii Category:Non-profit organizations based in Honolulu