In 1904, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers purchased this land from a prominent Chinese merchant and diplomat. The military constructed a fort and coastal battery that was part of President Roosevelt's plan to build shoreline defenses for American controlled territory in the Pacific. Today, the former artillery battery is home to a museum focused on the military history of the United States and the Kingdom of Hawaii. Highlights of the museum include galleries that focus on Hawaii's history in World War II and the Cold War, as well as exhibits and information about the many projects led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
This monument dedicated in 1998 commemorates the military service of Japanese Americans in Hawaii who served during World War II. The monument is historically significant given the important contribution of people of Japanese descent despite the opposition they faced from many Americans after Pearl Harbor. The monument pays tribute to the veterans from Hawaii who despite the prejudice they faced decided to serve the United States and was inspired by a series of oral history interviews of veterans of Japanese descent. Japanese Americans served in four highly decorated military units that are represented in the design of the marker. These units included the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service and 1399th Engineer Construction Battalion.
Built in 1938, the Cooper Apartments resemble both the harsh economic times associated with the Great Depression and the Hawaiian culture, tied to its tropical climate and cultural diversity. The apartment design is noted for its clean lines and lack of ornamentation, but also its specious courtyard, outdoor walkways, and moon gate feature.
WHen the Moana Hotel opened its doors in 1901, it was the first high-rise building and hotel in Waikiki. Honolulu landowner Walter Chamberlain Peacock sensed the economic potential of this section of the island and his hotel ushered in the era of tourism for the community. Business was slow for the first four decades, but tourism and the hotel expanded in the post-war years under the direction of Captain William Matson. Matson and other business owners partnered with the Matson Navigation Company, an integral force in increasing tourism to the island via passenger ships and hotels. The building is currently part of the resort complex known as Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa.
The Waikiki marker stands on the mouth of an old stream known as the Kuekaunahi. Waikiki is made up of a huge marshland that is fed by many streams; and is so called “Waikiki” because it means “spouting water”. For hundreds of years, chiefs made their homes and headquarters here because it has been a popular spot for surfing since ancient times. Many years ago, “romance and surfing often went together”. The old stream, Kuekaunahi, which means “take off the lehua”, was a famous surfing spot in Waikiki. “It was so named when a legendary hero took off his lei of lehua blossoms and gave it to the wife of the ruling chief with whom he was surfing.” 1
C.W. Dickey, a celebrated Hawaiian architect, constructed this home for himself upon his return to the island from California in 1926. The design of this home proved to be a significant early prototype of Dickey's "Hawaiian style" architecture with its double-pitched hip roof with overhanging eaves. In fact, this design became a trademark of his work and is referred to as a "Dickey Roof." Dickey built several buildings in Hawaii during the 1920s and '30s, and many of the popular Hawaiian architects that worked from the 1920s through the 1950s worked for Dickey at some point in their career.
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.
Born July 24, 1897, Amelia Earhart became renowned worldwide for her numerous flights and world records, including a flight where she was the first pilot to fly from Hawaii to North America, an act that would result in a monument being constructed. On January 11th, 1935, Earhart left Wheeler Field in Honolulu, Hawaii and landed at the Oakland Airport in Oakland, California, a flight that would last for eighteen hours over 2,400 miles. Throughout her life she would continue to set records within aviation as she became renowned across the globe. Two years after her flight from Hawaii to North America, Earhart would attempt a flight around the globe following along the planet’s equator aiming to land on Howland Island in the South Pacific. Earhart would eventually disappear forever during this flight after sending out a final radio message stating that she was low on fuel. In honor of Earhart’s bravery as well as what she managed to accomplish for women in America, a monument for all to see was constructed in Hawaii overlooking the sea where it was said that Earhart flew by before traveling to North America.
The Operation Red Wings Medal of Honor Park (formerly Fort Ruger Park) was dedicated on November 11, 2008. A monument honoring the 11 Navy SEALs of Seal Team 10 and 8 Army soldiers of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment that fell in the Kunar Province of Afghanistan on June 28, 2005 is located on the southwest corner of the park. Operation Red Wings had the largest loss of life since the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom and for U.S. Naval Special Warfare since World War II. The story of Operation Red Wings is told by its only survivor Marcus Luttrell in his book co-authored by Patrick Robinson: Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10.
This historic home was built in 1931, with an additional floor added in 1939, for the family of John and Kate Kelly. The Kelly family is best-known for their contributions to the local art community. From around 1923 through the early 1960s, the couple combined their talents to produce numerous sculptures, paintings, and prints that can now be found in museums in Hawaii and the U.S. mainland. The home is located in a neighborhood that grew into a haven for many of the island's artists.
The iconic silhouette of Diamond Head State Monument sits along the Honolulu skyline just beyond Waikiki. This 760-foot tuff crater is one of Hawaii's most famous landmarks. Known as Leahi (brow of the tuna) in Hawaiian, the crater was named Diamond Head by 19th century British sailors who thought they discovered diamonds on the crater's slopes. These "diamonds" were actually shiny calcite crystals that had no value. Formed more than 100,000 years ago, the crater was used as a strategic military lookout beginning in the early 1900s and was named a National Natural Landmark in 1968. Today, Diamond Head is a popular hiking destination with panoramic views of Waikiki and Oahu's south shore (The Island of Oahu, 2016).
Fort Ruger was the first official U.S. military installation in the Territory of Hawaii and its remains can still be seen all around the Diamond Head Crater on the island of Oahu. The fort was established as Diamond Head Reservation in 1906 and three years later, the installation was named Fort Ruger in honor of Major General Thomas H. Ruger, who served as the superintendent of the U.S Army Military Academy at West Point from 1871 to1876. The fort was established to demonstrate the government's unequivocal support for annexation following the debates about the legality and morality of the action that dominated the 1890s. Following the Spanish-American War and acquisition of Guam and other Pacific Islands, American political sentiment was nearly united in support of annexation. This military installation demonstrated that resolve and provided the military with a way to control and protect the harbor of the newly annexed territory. The fort saw continued use through WWII. While most of the buildings of Fort Ruger are no longer extant, the former gate and guardhouse remain along with some of the brick and stone that protected former artillery batteries. A small part of the fort is now the headquarters for the Hawaii National Guard and Diamond Head State Monument. It is estimated that up to 3000 people visit this site each day for its walking trails and incredible views.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
Get a QR Code for this tour
This scenic walking tour begins near the resort areas of Waikiki and includes several landmarks, monuments, and historic sites related to the topics ranging from Native Hawaiin and culture to the island's connection to tourism and the U.S. military. More entries are going to be added soon.
