Then & Now: The Mysterious Death of David Douglas
By Robert Oaks Most residents and visitors to Hawaiʽi Island are familiar with the Kealakekua Bay monument marking the spot where Captain James Cook was killed in 1779. Less familiar is a monument that marks the spot where David Douglas,…
Then & Now: The Kohala Ditch
By Robert Oaks For over a century, like the other Hawaiian Islands, Hawai‘i Island depended heavily on sugar cane as a major component of its economy. The story of how sugar barons controlled the Kingdom, Territory, and State of Hawai‘i…
Then & Now: Kaloko Honokōhau National Historic Park
The Last in a Series of Profiles on Hawai‘i Island’s National Parks by Robert Oaks The Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, located south of the Kona airport, provides clues to the lifestyle of early Hawaiians. Atop seemingly barren and inhospitable lava…
Then & Now: Pu‘uhonua O Hōnaunau
Second in a series of profiles on Hawai‘i Island National Parks By Robert Oaks Traditional Hawaiian society was regulated by a series of rules—kapu—the violation of which led to severe punishment, often including death. Examples of violating a kapu included…
Then & Now: Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park–100 Years of Witnessing Nature’s Fiery Spectacle
By Robert Oaks When westerners first learned about the “Sandwich Islands” in the 1700s, they were fascinated by its massive mountains, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, the two tallest mountains on earth at over 31,000 feet when measured from their…
