National Historic Landmarks in Hawaii

National Historic Landmarks in Hawaii
Name	National Historic Landmarks in Hawaii
Caption	ʻIolani Palace, Honolulu
Location	Hawaii, United States
Designation	National Historic Landmarks
Established	1960s–present

National Historic Landmarks in Hawaii Hawaii hosts a diverse set of sites designated as National Historic Landmarks reflecting the archipelago's roles in Polynesian voyaging, the Hawaiian Kingdom, American expansion, and Pacific conflicts; these landmarks span ʻIolani Palace to World War II fortifications and sacred heiau. The list includes sites associated with figures such as King Kamehameha I, Queen Liliʻuokalani, and missionaries like Hiram Bingham, and events including the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the island-hopping campaigns of World War II.

Overview

The NHLs in Hawaii document intersections among Kamehameha I, Liliʻuokalani, Kamehameha III, Hawaiian Kingdom, Kingdom of Hawaii constitutional conventions, Sandwich Islands, Captain James Cook, Hiram Bingham I, American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, Protestant missionaries in Hawaii, Sugar industry in Hawaii, Alexander ʻIolani Liliʻuokalani and institutions such as ʻIolani Palace, Bishop Museum, Kawaiahaʻo Church, and Mission Houses Museum. Many entries reflect military history tied to United States Pacific Fleet, Attack on Pearl Harbor, Battle of Midway, Hawaii National Park, and archaeological landscapes connected to Polynesian navigation, Māori voyaging traditions, and sites like Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau. The National Park Service and National Historic Landmarks Program work with local entities including Hawaii State Historic Preservation Division and cultural practitioners from Native Hawaiian communities.

List of National Historic Landmarks by Island

Oʻahu contains landmarks such as ʻIolani Palace, Bishop Museum, Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Fort Shafter, Kawaiahaʻo Church, Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and remains linked to Kamehameha I. Maui hosts sites associated with Kahului, Haleakalā National Park, and sugar-era structures tied to Alexander & Baldwin. Hawaiʻi (the Big Island) includes Puʻukohola Heiau National Historic Site, Huliheʻe Palace, and lava-influenced cultural sites connected to Māʻiliʻili Heiau and Kīlauea. Kauaʻi features landmarks relating to Waimea Canyon, plantation history tied to McBryde Sugar Company, and missionary-era properties in Lihue. Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi contain fewer NHLs but include sites tied to figures like Father Damien and ranching enterprises associated with Parker Ranch. Each island list intersects with organizations such as National Park Service, Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation, Hawaiian Historical Society, and University of Hawaiʻi research units.

Criteria and Designation Process

Designation follows criteria applied by the National Park Service and the Secretary of the Interior under the Historic Sites Act of 1935 and related policies; reviewers assess significance relative to individuals like Queen Liliʻuokalani and events like the Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Nominations often cite associations with historic figures such as Captain William Brown, King Kamehameha III, explorers like James Cook, and institutions such as the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and Bishop Museum. The process involves documentation by the Hawaii State Historic Preservation Division, technical evaluation panels including scholars from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and final designation decisions from the Department of the Interior.

Notable Landmarks and Their Significance

ʻIolani Palace represents the Hawaiian monarchy and the reigns of David Kalākaua and Liliʻuokalani, while Pearl Harbor National Memorial and adjacent NHLs memorialize the Attack on Pearl Harbor and connect to the Pacific War and commanders such as Chester W. Nimitz. Puʻukohola Heiau symbolizes the consolidation of power by Kamehameha I and links to voyaging chiefs from Waipiʻo Valley. Plantation-era landmarks illustrate ties to Sugar industry in Hawaii, companies like Alexander & Baldwin, and labor migrations involving Japanese immigration to Hawaii, Filipino immigration to Hawaii, Chinese immigration to Hawaii, and Portuguese immigration to Hawaii. Mission-era sites preserve the work of Hiram Bingham I and Samuel Northrup Castle and their roles in education and architecture. Military forts and batteries on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi document coastal defenses associated with Fort Ruger, Fort DeRussy, and commanders from the United States Army Pacific.

Preservation and Management

Management is shared among National Park Service units, state agencies like the Hawaii State Historic Preservation Division, nonprofits including the Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation and Hawaiian Historical Society, and private stewards such as Bishop Estate and corporate entities like Alexander & Baldwin. Preservation strategies reference standards from the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and engage cultural practitioners representing Native Hawaiian rights and organizations like Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Academic partners including University of Hawaiʻi researchers, Bishop Museum curators, and archaeologists from Hawaiʻi Institute of Geophysics and Planetology contribute documentation, while conservators apply treatments informed by studies from Smithsonian Institution affiliated programs.

Threats and Conservation Efforts

Landmarks face threats from climate change, sea-level rise affecting coastal NHLs like Pearl Harbor, invasive species impacting cultural landscapes near Puʻukohola Heiau, urban development pressures in Honolulu, and degradation from tourism at sites such as Haleakalā National Park and Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau. Conservation efforts involve partnerships among National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, local nonprofits such as the Nature Conservancy, academic programs at University of Hawaiʻi, and community groups including ʻāina-based stewards and Hawaiian cultural practitioners. Adaptive management projects employ techniques from coastal resilience planning, archaeological stabilization led by specialists from Bishop Museum and University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and legislative measures advanced through the Hawaii State Legislature and federal agencies to protect these NHLs.

Category:National Historic Landmarks in Hawaii