Kaka'ako's Forgotten History

Kaka'ako was once a thriving residential community in central Honolulu. It had three theatres, the open-air Bell Theatre, the Aloha Theatre (where Lex Brodie's is today) and the Kewalo (still standing on Queen and Cooke streets. It was open from 1937-1966.

Kaka'ako's main school was Pohukaina, which began as the Oahu Charity School in 1833 on the grounds of what is today Ali'iolani Hale. California did not have schools until 1846 and some families sent their children to the Oahu Charity School for an education.

Pohukiana School moved to where the Hawaii State Library is, then down to Pohukaina Street in 1911.

Margaret Waldron was a popular teacher at the school and the park next door was named in her honor.

As Kaka'ako shifted to a light industrial area, the school moved to Kahala. At 178 yeas old, it is Oahu's oldest. Lahainaluna on Maui is 2 years older.

The Statue of King Kamehameha stands in front of Aliiiolani Hale today. It has a fascinating story. The original was lost at sea in a shipwreck near the Falkland Islands. It was insured and the Kingdom of Hawaii ordered a duplicate, which stands on King Street today.

The original was recovered, stood in Port Stanley, then sent to Hawaii. Today it stands in Kohala on the Big Island.

The house that gave Mililani its name was on the corner of King and Mililani Street. Mililani means 'to pet or caress royalty" and refers to Princess Victoria Kamamalu, who was the adopted daughter of John Papa I'i.

The Ward Estate was a Kaka'ako landmark. Curtis and Victoria Ward had a huge home, fields, pastures and a lake on the property.

Kaka'ako had many stores, poi factories, sake brewers, churches, six schools, rice mills, laundries and a lot more.

For more information, see The Companies We Keep 2 and 3, by Bob Sigall. Available at www.CompaniesWeKeep.com

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