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| Kohala Historical Society | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kohala Historical Society |
| Formation | 1971 |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Headquarters | Kapaau, Hawaii |
| Region served | North Kohala, Hawaii |
| Leader title | President |
Kohala Historical Society The Kohala Historical Society preserves and interprets the cultural, social, and industrial heritage of North Kohala on the island of Hawaiʻi. Founded to safeguard sites, artifacts, and records associated with Hawaiian royalty, plantation labor, and missionary activity, the Society engages community members, scholars, and visitors through exhibits, archives, and stewardship of historic places.
The Society traces roots to local preservation efforts in Kapaau and Hawi influenced by figures connected to King Kamehameha I, Queen Emma, Kamehameha Schools, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, and the legacy of Samuel Kamakau. Early board members included descendants of families involved with the Kohala Sugar Company, Kohala Mill, Hawaiian Mission Houses, and augmenting support from organizations like the Hawaiian Historical Society, State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Bishop Museum, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Preservation campaigns intersected with national initiatives exemplified by the National Register of Historic Places, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and policies from the National Park Service concerning sites associated with the Hawaiian Kingdom and Great Māhele. Collaborations with scholars from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Yale University, University of California, Berkeley, and the Smithsonian Institution informed early surveys of wahi pana and ahupuaʻa.
The Society’s mission emphasizes stewardship of tangible and intangible heritage tied to families like the Hawaiian royal family, plantation workers from Japan, China, Portugal, Philippines, and Korea, and practitioners of ʻike kūpuna including experts associated with ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi revitalization and practitioners linked to ʻAha Moku. Regular activities include curating exhibits connected to events such as the Battle of Kuamoo, the arrival of Reverend Samuel Ruggles and other missionaries from the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, and interpretation of sites tied to the Kamehameha Expeditions and the era of Pāhoehoe and ʻAʻā lava flows. Partnerships span the Kohala Ditch Company, Hawaii Department of Transportation, National Tropical Botanical Garden, and local entities such as the North Kohala Community Resource Center.
The Society maintains collections featuring photographs, plantation records, oral histories, maps, and artifacts linked to figures like Henry Opukahaʻia and institutions such as the Liholiho (Kamehameha II) era documents. Holdings include records of the Kohala Sugar Company, correspondence referencing Samuel Parker, plantation labor contracts associated with Yokohama recruits, shipping manifests tied to Honolulu Harbor, and missionary letters that connect to the Sandwich Islands period. Archival work follows standards promoted by the Society of American Archivists, with metadata practices influenced by the Library of Congress and cataloging conventions echoing the Hawaiian Collection at the University of Hawaiʻi Hamilton Library and accessioning models used by the Bishop Museum.
The Society operates a museum and repository in historic buildings near sites like Pololū Valley and the town of Hawi, displaying artifacts such as ʻukulele examples associated with Portugese ʻukulele makers and tools from the sugar industry linked to the Kohala irrigation systems. Facilities host rotating exhibits on themes from the Mission Houses Museum collections, the era of Captain James Cook, and the influence of Pakeha entrepreneurs including those connected to Alexander ʻAʻaliʻi and local merchants. Conservation efforts draw on methods advocated by the American Institute for Conservation and facility management aligns with standards from the National Park Service Historic Preservation Training Center.
Educational programs include guided tours that intersect topics tied to the Hawaiian Renaissance, Hoʻokipa traditions, and biographies of local leaders such as Bernice Pauahi Bishop and Keʻeaumoku II. Outreach partners include the Kohala Elementary School, Kohala High School, North Kohala Public Library, Friends of the Library of Hawaii, and community organizations like the North Kohala Cultural Center. Public programming features lectures drawing scholars from University of Hawaiʻi Press authors, filmmakers who document stories akin to projects by the ʻIolani Palace team, and oral-history workshops informed by practices from the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Preservation initiatives address sites on the National Register of Historic Places within North Kohala, including efforts to document heiau, fishponds, and cane-era infrastructure. Research collaborations extend to archaeologists affiliated with Bishop Museum, University of Hawaiʻi Department of Anthropology, and independent researchers with ties to the Archaeological Institute of America and the Hawai‘i State Historic Preservation Division. Studies have examined impacts of the Great Māhele, land tenure changes involving Kamehameha III, and labor migrations connected to contracts negotiated with shipping lines that called at Honolulu and Hilo Bay.
Notable projects include restoration of historic buildings consistent with guidelines from the National Park Service and published works documenting North Kohala histories akin to monographs from University of Hawaiʻi Press and articles in the Hawaiian Journal of History. The Society has produced oral-history collections featuring interviews with descendants of plantation workers, monographs examining the Kohala Sugar Company era, and exhibition catalogues modeled after publications from the Bishop Museum Press. Collaborative publications have involved scholars associated with Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Kamehameha Schools Press, and contributors from Hawaii State Archives.
Category:History of Hawaii Category:Museums in Hawaii Category:Historical societies in the United States