Diamond Head Lighthouse
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
The current lighthouse at Diamond Head was constructed in 1917 and replaced the original lighthouse built at this site in 1899. The lighthouse is still in use and also serves as a reminder of the essential role of maritime trade to the growth of Hawaii's economy during the late nineteenth century. This trade led to significant changes in the political and social history of the island, including the effort by American business leaders to seize control of the island as part of the annexation of Hawaii by the United States in 1898. Prior to the completion of the first lighthouse, a system of bonfires and lookouts was utilized as an aid for navigation. However, these actions were far less effective, and two major shipwrecks in the 1890s led to a push for the construction of this lighthouse. The name of this part of the island was the result of a mistake by British naval officers who mistook crystals for diamonds on the slopes of the nearby volcanoes.
Images
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Sources
"Diamond Head Lighthouse." lighthousefriends.com. Accessed February 7, 2019. http://lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=140
"Diamond Head Lighthouse, Oahu, Hawaii." United States Coast Guard. uscg.mil. Accessed February 7, 2019. https://www.pacificarea.uscg.mil/Organizations/District-14/.
Lindgren, J.D. and Thelma L Yuen. "Nomination Form: Diamond Head Lighthouse." National Register of Historic Places. nps.gov. February 7, 1977. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/723e0ceb-8260-46f9-bd50-2581c1e6e213
Takaki, Ronald. A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. New York: Bay Back Books, 2008.
Photo Sources
Diamond Head Lighthouse: By hitachiota - Diamond Head LighthouseUploaded by snowmanradio, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30888512
Stamp: Found via the Star Bulletin (newspaper) at http://archives.starbulletin.com/2007/06/22/news/story04.html
Lighthouse view (seaward view) atop the cliff: Photo found at the website "Hawaii Photography Tours," https://www.hawaiiphotographytours.com