HISTORIC HAWAI‘I NAMES EIGHT CULTURAL TREASURES AT RISK

(Honolulu, HI) Historic Hawai‘i Foundation’s annual list of the most endangered historic sites in Hawai‘i is dominated by irreplaceable sites and settings that help define Hawai‘i.

“This year’s list includes buildings, archeological sites, cultural landscapes, and sacred places,” said Kiersten Faulkner, executive director. “Each is unique to Hawai‘i and each helps perpetuate our unique heritage.”

“We included fewer individual structures in favor of places in which the collective experience is threatened. While the loss of any one of these buildings or sites would be a tragedy, the loss of the Hawai‘i experience that they provide would be even more tragic,” Faulkner said.

Photo by Kirk Lee Aeder, Courtesy of Honolulu Magazine
Photo above: Lapakahi, located in North Kohala, contains two dozen archeological features from a fishing village circa 1300 AD.

Those endangered places include a 17-acre cultural compound in North Kohala; four of the last plantation-era homes on Hale‘iwa’s main thoroughfare; 12 buildings on the campus of the Waimano Training Ridge and Hospital; and the entire 20-mile corridor proposed for Honolulu’s rapid transit system. The transit corridor – perhaps the most controversial addition to the list – is included because the aesthetics of the system may fundamentally alter the context of some of the historic sites and distinctive communities along the route.

“The common denominator is that each of the places is significant for its contribution to the identity of its community, and how these places reflect the ethnic, cultural and historic diversity we treasure in Hawai‘i,” Faulkner said. “The loss of these places would change our understanding of the cultural landscapes, and rob our future.”

The list of endangered historic sites is an annual program of Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, in cooperation with Honolulu magazine and the State Historic Preservation Division. The list is intended to draw attention to threats to historic places that occur from a variety of sources, including neglect, natural disaster, deliberate demolition and incompatible new development, and to encourage community action to reverse the threats.

The 2009 Most Endangered Historic Sites list includes locations on Hawai‘i, Maui, Lāna‘i and Kaua‘i, and four locations on O‘ahu.

The annual list is compiled by Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, which sought nominations from across the state. While inclusion on the list does not automatically protect or preserve the historic places, it is hoped that the list will raise public awareness, and inspire the community to take action. The 2009 list of endangered sites and a discussion on what threatens each site is featured in the November issue of Honolulu magazine. Honolulu has partnered with HHF on the annual Most Endangered Historic Sites list since its inception in 2005.

The complete list of 2009 Most Endangered Historic Sites is:

• Alekoko Pond (Nāwiliwili, Kaua‘i); also known as Menehune Fishpond, the 580-year-old fishpond next to Huleia National Wildlife Refuge is threatened by invasive mangrove trees, falling stone walls, and sedimentation. It needs repair of the walls, removal of the mangrove, and ongoing maintenance.

• The 33 Historic Structures in the Path of Honolulu’s Rapid Transit Project (Kapolei to Kaka‘ako, O‘ahu); the proposed 20 mile elevated train will affect three historic districts, a national historic landmark and 31 other historic properties along the route, primarily in feeling, association and setting. Compatible design in historic areas, education and incentive programs for preservation, and monitoring of indirect effects will all help mitigate the impact.

• Hāli‘imaile Stables (Hāli‘imaile, Maui); a demolition permit is pending for the 1920’s era stables built to house horses and mules for the plantation village. Adaptive reuse of the structures would save them for the next generation.

• Luahiwa Petroglyphs (Kealiakapu ahupua‘a, Lāna‘i); a fire in 2007 exposed almost 1000 petroglyphs to elements and vandalism. Stabilization and visitor interpretation could help protect them.

• Chapel at Kapiolani Community College (Honolulu, O‘ahu); the chapel from the original Ft. Ruger dates to 1925 and is now used for continuing education classes at KCC. It is structurally sound, but needs repairs and repainting.

Photo left: The chapel at Kapiolani Community College, Honolulu, is structurally sound, but needs repairs and repainting.  Rae Huo Photo, Courtesy of Honolulu Magazine

• Hale‘iwa Residences (Hale‘iwa, O‘ahu); four of the few remaining plantation-era houses are slated for demolition under a request for rezoning along Hale‘iwa’s main thoroughfare. Adaptive reuse and maintenance would save these authentic structures.

• Waimano Ridge (Pearl City, O‘ahu); 12 buildings (1936-1954) at the Waimano Training School and Hospital are slated for demolition under a state plan.

• Lapakahi (North Kohala, Hawai‘i); a 17-acre cultural complex adjacent to Lapakahi State Historical Park contains two dozen archeological features from a fishing village circa 1300 AD. The Trust for Public Land is raising funds to purchase the property and add it to the State Park.

“Hawai‘i is fortunate to have a legacy of historic places that provide all of us with a physical connection to the people and events that shaped this state,” said Faulkner. “Perpetuating the historic places of the islands provides a strong sense of identity for all people of Hawai‘i, as well as visitors who come to experience this unique destination.”

Historic Hawai‘i Foundation is a membership-based statewide nonprofit organization that encourages the preservation of historic sites across the state. For more information, or to become a member, see http://www.historichawaii.org/.

HHF Advocates for Minimizing and Mitigating the Rail’s Adverse Effects on Historic Properties

In what the City hopes will be the final negotiations on the Federal and State reviews for the rail’s impacts on historic properties, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation (HHF) continues to support and recommend solutions to mitigate and minimize the adverse effects on the historic properties by the proposed route.




Photo above: Honolulu's Historic Chinatown District is one of over 30 historic
places to be adversely affected by the future rail project.

“HHF has not taken a position on the transit system as a whole, or on other issues such as alignment, technology or cost,” Faulkner said. “Our response is focused on the potential impacts to historic sites and ways that those can be avoided and minimized, and where avoidance is impractical, how best to mitigate that effect.”

 

ABOUT THE CONSULTATION PROCESS

Historic Hawaii Foundation (HHF) is a consulting party to the Section 106 process for the Honolulu High Capacity Rapid Transit project, also known as the proposed rail system.

As a consulting party, HHF was invited to provide input into the negotiations on an agreement to avoid, minimize and mitigate effects on historic properties, which will be memorialized as a Programmatic Agreement (PA) between the official Signatories of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), and the Honolulu Department of Transportation Services (DTS). These Signatories must execute the final agreement in order for federal funding to be released to the project.

Other consulting parties included the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Park Service, the American Institute of Architects Honolulu Chapter, the O‘ahu Island Burial Council, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hui Mālama I Na Kupuna O Hawai‘i Nei, several Hawaiian Civic Clubs, and a variety of other entities. Each party approached the consultation from its own perspective and in response to its own guiding principles and mission.

HHF has responded to the historic property impacts at each stage of the review process, including recommendations for avoiding, minimizing and mitigating impacts to historic resources.

ISSUE 1: Determination of Effects

In September 2008, HHF reviewed the Historic Resources Technical Report for the project. At that time, the project team acknowledged only six adverse effects to historic resources along the entire 20 mile corridor. HHF’s response was that the determination of effects needed to include direct, indirect, cumulative and reasonably foreseeable impacts on the corridor, the station areas, important view planes, and traditional cultural properties.

 

As an outcome of the process, the current proposed PA includes a determination of adverse effect on 31 historic properties within the corridor and provides for additional investigation to be conducted into traditional cultural properties and Native Hawaiian burials. A verbal agreement that is expected to be included in the next draft document will also provide for monitoring and evaluation of demolition of historic properties within station areas.

ISSUE 2: Avoidance of Historic Properties

“It is important to have advance investigation into all known historic and cultural resources that will be affected by the system, and to select the alternative that does the least harm while still allowing the project need to be met,” Faulkner said.

 

The project proposes to utilize existing right of way to minimize property acquisition for the project. The selection of the alignment, station areas, parking areas and other built components also limits both direct and indirect impacts on historic structures. However, the elevated technology will create visual impacts along the entire corridor, resulting in adverse effects on many historic properties. The chosen alignment along the waterfront is also in a high sensitivity area with known Native Hawaiian burials, which will likely be discovered and disturbed during construction.

 

The proposed PA includes a stipulation for the City to conduct archeology and cultural investigations for the later construction phases (which contain the areas of highest likelihood of additional discoveries) with local adjustments to piers and footings, or treatment plans for iwi kupuna, to be developed at a later date. O‘ahu Island Burial Council (OIBC) has opposed this approach, instead recommending that the evaluation be done first, and then the alignment selected.

“HHF believes that the project has mostly avoided historic buildings, but defers to the judgment of the OIBC in its evaluation of how the project will affect iwi kupuna and traditional cultural places,” Faulkner said.

ISSUE 3: Minimizing and Mitigating Adverse Effects

When the City released its Historic Resources Technical Report in September 2008 and the Draft Environmental Impact Statement in October 2008, it proposed mitigation for adverse effects only in the form of additional studies and documentation. HHF’s comments on the Technical Report and the DEIS included nine major areas for mitigation. During the consultation process, refinements and additions were made to the initial proposals.

“Looking at mitigation only on a site-by-site basis would not address the entire scope of the effects to historic properties, so throughout the review process, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation has proposed and supported mitigation for indirect, cumulative and reasonably foreseeable effects,” said Faulkner.

Substantial progress has been made since August 2009. Some of the City’s commitments to mitigation have been included in the current draft PA, while others have been made verbally and are expected to be reflected in the next draft of the written agreement.

Which HHF Proposals will be Included in the Programmatic Agreement (PA)?

1. HHF Proposed: Documentation of all adversely affected historic resources

 

The PA Includes (as of 10/30/09):

• Historic Building Survey, Engineering Record and Landscape Survey (HABS/HAER/HALS) recordation will be conducted for certain resources as determined with National Park Service;
• Archival photography of all other resources;
• Photo documentation of select resources and viewsheds;
• Comprehensive video documentation of project corridor.

 

2. HHF Proposed: Conduct cultural landscape reports

 The PA Includes (as of 10/30/09):

• Historic Context Studies for relevant themes;
• Cultural Landscape Reports for historic properties;
• Traditional Cultural Properties study and treatment measures;
• Archeological Inventory Survey and consultation with OIBC, Lineal and Cultural Descendents for treatment plans, monitoring, mitigation, data recovery and curation of iwi kupuna.

 3. HHF Proposed: Provide historic and architectural interpretation of resources

The PA Includes (as of 10/30/09):

• Interpretive plan and signage installation at stations and in vehicles;
• Historic brochure about the history of the area along the line (1000 copies);
• Materials for children (digital format);
• Humanities program to explore human histories, cultures and values ($100,000);
• Educational program to encourage the rehabilitation of historic properties along the route (2 meetings, printed and electronic information).
• Educational field guide of historic properties and districts along the transit route (print and electronic format).

4. HHF Proposed: Provide public access to documentation through a geo-coded electronic database to serve as an inventory of resources and research platform.

The PA Includes (as of 10/30/09):

• Searchable database of historic properties in the transit corridor (excluding culturally sensitive data), publicly accessible, with interactive geographic component; links to documentations;
• Develop strategy to make database available to any organization with capacity to maintain and support the database post-construction.

5. HHF Proposed: Write or update National Register Nominations for all 76 eligible historic parcels and districts; submit the nominations for formal designation.

 The PA Includes (as of 10/30/09):

• Complete or update nominations for up to 31 adversely affected historic properties, and submit nominations unless property owners object;
• Complete a Multiple Property Submission related to Modernism and the Recent Past Architecture in Honolulu/Oahu;
• Update the Pearl Harbor National Historic Landmark documentation (subject to Navy cooperation).

 6. HHF Proposed: Establish a City & County of Honolulu Preservation Program and seek designation as a Certified Local Government.

 

The PA Includes (as of 10/30/09):

• City shall include a staff position for Architectural Historian for the transit project during the duration of the PA;
• City shall establish a Honolulu High Capacity Transit Corridor Project Historic Preservation Committee to develop a $2,000,000 funding program for historic preservation within the corridor.
• The City shall monitor the loss of historic or eligible resources with the corridor. Additional refinement and response to any patterns of demolition are being discussed and should be included in the final PA.

 
7. HHF Proposed: Establish a Main Street Program to achieve economic development through historic preservation.

The PA Includes (as of 10/30/09):

• No stipulations from this proposal is included in the agreement.

 8. HHF Proposed: Protection and restoration of affected historic properties

     The PA Includes (as of 10/30/09):

• Development and implementation of historic parks improvement plans for all adversely effected historic parks (Irwin, Walker and Mother Waldron), up to $750,000 for improvements;
• Protect and reinstall lava rock curbs;
• Repair or replace in-kind historic bridge rails on Kapalama Canal bridge;
• Replace true Kamani trees on Dillingham Blvd.

Photo above: Walker Park would benefit from

 the proposed parks improvement plan, which is to be

created and funded by the rail project as

 part of the mitigation for adversely

affecting historic sites.

9. HHF Proposed: Provide compatible design and context sensitive solutions for each station area and the guideway infrastructure.

    The PA Includes (as of 10/30/09):

• Consistency with Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation where historic properties are present.
• Neighborhood design workshops (2) for each grouping of stations.
• Design review of all built components by SHPD and concurring parties at Preliminary and Final design phases.
• Additional measures to compatibility with historic resources and mitigation of effects are being discussed.

 

10. HHF Proposed: Other Measures

The PA Includes (as of 10/30/09):

• All work carried out under the terms of the PA shall be conducted by qualified preservation professionals;
• Construction protection plan to include noise and vibration monitoring, protection and mitigation. If any eligible historic property is damaged, it will be repaired following SOI standards;
• A master schedule of implementation of the stipulations, deadlines and benchmarks, kick-off, scoping and review timeframes is to be developed;
• Information about the progress of implementation of the PA shall be posted on the website and available to the public;
• An annual meeting of signatories and concurring parties will review implementation progress;
• Dispute resolution and administrative procedures are included;
• Duration of PA: through end of construction.
• Continued discussion on the current mitigation measures that limit involvement to “concurring” parties; this should be changed to “consulting” parties.

“Although Historic Hawai‘i Foundation supports improved transportation options for Honolulu, we remain concerned that the proposed system will fundamentally change the cultural landscape of O‘ahu and could forever diminish the civic experience in Honolulu’s historic areas,” said Faulkner. “We continue to remain engaged in the consultation process in order to ensure that appropriate and proportionate measures are taken to mitigate that effect.”

“HHF will also continue to be involved in the implementation of the agreement to ensure that the measures are followed, and all possible steps are taken to protect the essential character of the historic communities along the transit route,” Faulkner added.

For questions about Historic Hawaii Foundation's work with the Honolulu Rapid Transit Project, please contact Kiersten Faulkner at (808)523-2900.

Council fights to preserve Koke‘e

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Making History

Society for Hawaiian Archaeology

Temp. Field. Tech.'s needed at Kalaupapa NHP

Kalaupapa National Historical Park is seeking two field technicians to assist with an archaeological inventory survey. Hourly pay is $16.04 plus a 25% COLA (Cost of Living Allowance). The positions are considered ‘emergency-hires’ for 30 calendar days with a possible 30- calendar day extension. Applicants will be required to pass a background check, which typically takes 2-4 weeks. Fieldwork is projected to begin in December.

Time off will have to be Leave Without Pay, although there will likely be Overtime Pay opportunities during the employment tenure.

Kalaupapa is an isolated duty station on the island of Molokai, in a settlement of 110 people with NO road access. Access can only be made by air or by a 2.4 mile 1600’-foot trail. Applicants must be aware of the sensitivities and regulations of resident-patients. Housing will be provided for the duration of employment. The housing situation may require field technicians to share housing and/or a room.

PREFERENCE FOR HANSEN’S DISEASE PATIENTS AND NATIVE HAWAIIANS: Preference in hiring is granted to Kalaupapa Hansen’s Disease patients and to Native Hawaiians who meet the qualification requirements for this position. (For the purposes of this preference, “Native Hawaiians” are persons who are not less than one-half of the blood of the races inhabiting the Hawaiian Islands previous to the year 1778.)

Previous work experience in Hawaii is necessary. Applicants must consider themselves physically fit and meet the qualifications for a GS-7, Archaeological Technician position. Qualifications for the GS-7 are provided below.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: You must meet one of the following:

Possess at least one year of technical experience, equivalent to the
GS-6 grade level (or higher) in the Federal service. (Federal employees
at grade GS-6 perform, under general supervision, difficult and
responsible subordinate technical work in a professional, scientific, or
technical field, requiring considerable training, a broad working
knowledge of a special and complex subject matter, and exercise
independent judgment to a considerable extent.) To be qualifying,
this experience must be in, or related to the line of work of this
position (archeology) and must have equipped you with the necessary
knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of
this position. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include:
conducting archeological surveys using compass, topographical map, and
aerial photographs; documenting archeological sites on standard site
record forms; assisting in planning, preparation, and execution of
archeological surveys and site excavations; collecting data from surveys
or excavations; preparing field notes and sketch maps; recovering,
identifying, and cataloging artifacts; ensuring archeology work
assignments are carried out in a safe, timely manner according to
established standards and procedures; maintaining archeological site
records; utilizing word processing software and databases to prepare
technical summary reports, perform queries, input, and retrieve data.

Successful completion of 1 year of graduate education or an internship
in archeology. One year of full-time graduate education is considered
to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined
to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be
obtained, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) is considered as
satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time
graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to
a year of full-time study at the school attended.

If you do not qualify on experience or graduate education alone, an
equivalent combination of such experience and education as described in
A and B above are also qualifying. Graduate education must include
courses directly related to archeology. Experience and graduate
education should be computed as a percentage of the overall requirements
and must equal 100% when combined. For example, 6 months of specialized
experience equates to 50% of the required 1 year. Nine semester hours
of graduate education equates to 50% of the education requirement. When
combined, these percentages total 100%.

Please be detailed when describing your experience in your resume. If you have previous federal archaeological experience, please state that as well.
Send resumes and availability dates ASAP to the email address provided below.

Contact:
Erika Viernes Stein
Archaeologist
Kalaupapa National Historical Park

erika_stein@nps.gov

Preserve America Stewards Program

The next quarterly deadlines for submitting applications to the Preserve America Stewards program are December 1, 2009, and March 1, 2010. Preserve America Stewards is a federal program which recognizes organizations and agencies that successfully use volunteers to help care for our historic properties. Preserve America Stewards receive a designation letter and certificate of recognition signed by First Lady Michelle Obama.

To date, programs have been recognized for a range of volunteer efforts. Some designated organizations address preservation and interpretation of historic buildings, such as the Oberlin Heritage Center in Ohio and Cornerstones Community Partnerships, which works to preserve historic adobe buildings of the Southwest. Several Preserve America Stewards have been recognized for their volunteer archaeological site monitoring, including New Mexico SiteWatch and Bateaux Below, Inc., which works to preserve shipwrecks in New York’s Lake George. The United States Lighthouse Society has been designated for its preservation of the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse, and the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County, Indiana, has been recognized for its South Bend Historic City Cemetery Project.

To be designated, applicants must demonstrate that their programs:
- provide volunteers with opportunities to contribute in direct and tangible ways to the preservation, protection, and promotion of historic properties;
- address an otherwise unfilled need in heritage preservation through the use of volunteer efforts; and
- demonstrate innovative and creative use of volunteer assistance in areas such as youth involvement, volunteer training, public education, and public/private partnerships.
Non-profit organizations, government entities (federal, state, local, or tribal), and businesses are eligible to seek designation for their programs.

Preserve America Stewards is administered by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the Department of the Interior. An application form and further information is available at http://www.preserveamerica.gov/.

Druscilla J. Null
Senior Program Analyst
Office of Preservation Initiatives
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
(202) 606-8532
dnull@achp.gov

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NATIVE PEOPLES FROM THE AMERICAS AND PACIFIC ISLANDS

The Society for American Archaeology (SAA) is pleased to announce the following 2010 scholarships:

SAA Native American Graduate Archaeology Scholarship To support graduate studies for Native American students, including but not limited to tuition, travel, food, housing, books, supplies, equipment, and child care (up to $10,000).

SAA Native American Undergraduate Archaeology Scholarship To support undergraduate studies for Native American students, including but not limited to tuition, travel, food, housing, books, supplies, equipment, and child care (up to $5,000).

SAA Arthur C. Parker Scholarship or NSF Scholarship for Archaeological Training To support archaeological training or a research program for Native American students or employees of tribal cultural preservation programs (up to $4,000).

These scholarships are intended for current students-high school seniors, college undergraduates, and graduate students-and personnel of Tribal or other Native cultural preservation programs. High school students must be currently enrolled as seniors to be eligible. Undergraduates and graduate students must be enrolled in an accredited college or university. These scholarships are open to all Native peoples from anywhere in the Americas, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Indigenous Pacific Islanders.

The application form is available online at:
www.saa.org/scholarships>. The complete application must be received by DECEMBER 15. A single email with all the application materials attached must be emailed to:
nasf@saa.org>.

If you have questions about these scholarships or you need help with locating a field school or other training program, please contact the Society for American Archaeology at: telephone +1 (202) 789-8200; fax +1 (202) 789-0284; or email nasf@saa.org>. Your questions will be relayed to someone who can assist you.

Angela Neller, M.A, Curator
Wanapum Heritage Center
Grant County PUD
15655 Wanapum Village Lane SW
Beverly, WA 99321
(509) 754-5088 x2532
(509) 754-5020 fax
www.wanapum.org