Back in the Day <-> Flash Backs of HNL I

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H O N O L U L U - Back in the day

A group of citizens of Honolulu listen intently on Jan. 1, 1903, as the first signals of the new trans-Pacific cable are received. It was the first "real-time" connection between Hawai'i and the Mainland. Up to then, news was received via letters and newspapers that arrived by ship.

Fort and King streets circa 1900.

The Neal Blaisdell Arena under construction in 1963.

This photo of an aerial view of Pali Highway is dated 1962 and was taken by Werner Stoy of Camera Hawaii.

This 1927 photo was taken on the Catholic Mission property *The Century Square building is there now.

Kawaiahao Church in 1885 *Look towards Diamond Head there are no highrises in Waikiki!

This is an undated photo of the original Queen's Hospital. The cornerstone was laid in 1860.

The Alexander Young Building on Bishop Street in a photo that was published in the Jan. 1, 1904, issue of The Pacific Commercial Advertiser.

The American Factors Building was demolished in 1970 to make way for a new building.

Bunting adorned the Moana Hotel on its opening day, March 11, 1901. *It's still standing but it's overshadowed by many huge hotels now.

The Ala Wai Canal circa 1930. *Waikiki is to the left

This photo of the Honolulu waterfront in 1859 was taken from the Sand Island lighthouse. *The pic is of where Honolulu's CBD is located.

This is an undated photo of Honolulu High School, formerly the residence of Princess Ruth.

These buildings were torn down to make way for the redevelopment of Aala Park. The photo was taken in 1961. *This area is located at the western edge of Chinatown

Waikiki as it looked in 1960. *Look at all the underdeveloped land it used to have.

Fort Street was a dirt road in 1862. *The Wild Wild "Way" out West

This photo shows the Honolulu Iron Works in the late 1800s. The plant was between Nuuanu and Maunakea streets. *The industrious part of the city's past

Honolulu Iron Works employees pose for a photo taken sometime around the 1880s. *Love the hats and style. It's one style of dressing I'd love to see revived

This Hugo Stangenwald photo shows Honolulu circa 1856. It looks up Queen Street. Kawaiahao Church and the Oahu Charity School are in the distance. The courthouse is on the right. The Hudson Bay Company is in the foreground. Photo from the Hawaii Mission Children's Society Library.

This photo of the Royal Hawaiian Band was published in The Pacific Commercial Advertiser in March 1906. The band was to go on a tour of the Mainland that summer. Heinrich Berger, leader of the band since 1873, is in the foreground.

A crowd gathers on the wharf at Honolulu Harbor around 1900.

Kapahulu Avenue in 1959. *This street still has a lot of these older 50s-60s buildings around

This photo shows the USS Arizona Memorial under construction. The memorial opened in 1962.

Elvis Presley wipes away a tear after visiting the Arizona Memorial. Presley's March 1961 Bloch Arena concert raised some $50,000 toward construction of the memorial, which was dedicated the following year.

This undated photo from The Advertiser's files is identified as Japanese Hospital.

This photo from Advertiser files is undated. River Street looking toward Punchbowl from King Street is written on the back of the photo.

A mule-drawn streetcar stops in front of Aliiolani Hale in this 1888 photo. *Ahh now that's transportation!

On Nov. 1, 1962, the United States conducted one of several nuclear tests over Johnston Island. This photo by Advertiser staffer Jerry Chong shows how the fireball from that test lit up Honolulu's night sky.

In 1959, what is now Ala Moana Center was a broad expanse of coral fill. *This is where the World's largest open-air mall is located

This photo, circa 1910, from The Advertiser's archives shows the old Hale'iwa Hotel.

This is Downtown Honolulu in 1956. That's McInerny on the left, and the overhead lines are for trolley buses.

The location of this taro field is not identified in this 1958 photo from Advertiser archives. *Look a water buffalo?

Bubonic plague was discovered in Chinatown in December 1899. On Dec. 31, officials began a series of fires intended to destroy areas where it was believed the plague was being transmitted. On Jan. 20, one of those fires was started near Beretania Street and Nu'uanu Avenue, the wind shifted and fire crews could not control the blaze. A total of 38 acres were destroyed. Kaumakapili Church was one of the buildings destroyed that day.

This photo is from The Advertiser's archives. There is little information filed with it. The date 1868 is written on the back, with the notation "Old Waikiki."

Recognize this block in Waikiki? This photo was taken in 1988 and a lot has changed since then. You can see the roof of Canlis restaurant at the 'ewa makai corner of the block.

The old Dole Cannery pineapple water tank. Built in 1928, it was a Honolulu landmark until it was demolished in 1993. It stored water for the cannery's sprinkler system. RIP

Picnickers rest by a lagoon in Kapi'olani Park in this photo from The Advertiser's archives. Information with the photo indicates it was taken around 1900.

Hollister Drug Co. at the corner of Koko Head and Waialae avenues is shown in this undated photo.

From 1924 to 1966, the Castle & Cooke Building at 130 Merchant St. was a downtown landmark. It was demolished in 1966 to make way for the Financial Plaza of the Pacific.

Ka Pa Hula Hawaii students await their turn to perform at the March 8, 1980, dedication of a flat-topped earthen hula mound at Moanalua Gardens.

Honolulu Stadium, fondly known as the "Termite Palace," opened in Novmber 1926. It's a park today but until the early 1970s it was home to ILH football, Hawaii Islanders baseball, and the Hula Bowl. You could buy sushi, saimin and boiled peanuts and you could bring in your bento and plate lunches. No restrictions on outside food or bag checks. The clock on the scoreboard had its own peculiar charm: The second hand moved very fast going down and very slow going up. This 1976 photo was taken as the stadium was being torn down.

This photo, photo taken in April 1938, shows the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and the Moana Hotel on Waikiki Beach.

Old-timers may remember when there was a Piggly Wiggly grocery store at the corner of 10th and Waialae Avenues. This photo from our files is undated.

*More to come. I hope that you enjoyed it so far.