Tuesday, February 28, 2012

10th Annual Historic Preservation Awareness Day March 30th at the Capitol


Historic Hawai‘i Foundation will join the State Legislature’s Heritage Caucus to host the 10th annual Historic Preservation Awareness Day at the Hawai‘i State Capitol on Friday, March 30, 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. on the third floor lanai circling the rotunda. The exhibits are free and open to the public. The event is also sponsored by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Historic Preservation Awareness Day is part of the collaborative effort to demonstrate the range of interests engaged in historic and cultural preservation across the state. The highlight of the event is an exhibit of organizations from across the state representing various roles in historic preservation including advocacy organizations, museums and educational institutions, government agencies, architecture and planning firms, heritage tourism businesses, and conservation groups. The exhibition circles the rotunda of the State Capitol for a half-day open house.

http://www.historichawaii.org/n_01/events/PreservationDay_2012.pdf

Thursday, February 23, 2012

“GOING DIGITAL” PRESENTATION TO HAWAI‘I SENATE HIGHLIGHTS HISTORIC ARCHIVES

The Hawai‘i State Senate’s Committee on Economic Development and Technology will hold an informational briefing on Monday, February 27, at 1:15 p.m. in Conference Room 016 of the State Capitol, 415 South Beretania Street, Honolulu.

“GOING DIGITAL” is a presentation highlighting updates on two groundbreaking projects to make Hawaii’s history accessible to all: ‘Ulu‘ulu: The Henry Ku‘ualoha Giugni Moving Image Archive, and the Hawaii State Digital Archives.

During the first half of the briefing, Academy for Creative Media Founder Chris Lee and Head Archivist Janel Quirante will present an overview of the Giugni Moving Image Archive, its opening at the University of Hawaii West Oahu Campus this summer, and long-term plans. They will also feature video clips from the Archives collection.

During the second half of the briefing, State Archivist Susan Shaner and Hawaii State Digital Archives consultant Adam Jansen will discuss their progress in developing the Hawaii State Digital Archives Development Plan, and highlight the potential for enhanced accessibility, transparency, accountability and business/societal continuity. The State Archivist has encouraged the Hawaii State Legislature to become the first state agency implementing the State’s digital archives plan.

The briefing is open to the public, but no comments or testimony will be accepted.

All aboard: Hawaiian Railway gives people a ride through history on restored locomotives and tracks





By Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi, Honolulu Star-Bulletin

February 20, 2012

When Jeff Livingston went home for the very first time, a Lionel train set was waiting for him — a “welcome” gift for the newborn baby from his proud father. Over the years, Livingston’s parents, relatives and family friends augmented his collection, and as that grew, so did his interest in trains.

One of his favorite childhood outings was going with his dad to Cleveland Union Terminal, 15 miles from their house, to observe the arrivals and departures of passenger trains.

“I never got tired of watching those behemoths,” said Livingston, historian for the Hawaiian Railway Society. “I was awestruck by the size and sound of the steam locomotives, and the speed and power of the electric locomotives. I dreamed of going to places I’d never been in trains. I guess that part has never changed; I ride trains whenever and wherever I can. Last year in Germany I rode a Royal Bavarian State Railways train pulled by a gorgeous steam locomotive.”

When Livingston moved from Ohio to Hawaii in 1990 and began studying military railways, he became acquainted with Bob Paoa, who was HRS’ historian at the time.

IF YOU GO …

HAWAIIAN RAILWAY

» Address: 91-1001 Renton Road, Ewa Beach, Oahu

» Rides: 1 and 3 p.m. every Sunday (open year-round except Dec. 24 and 25). The ticket office and gift shop open at 11:30 a.m.

» Price: $12 for adults, $8 for seniors (62 and older) and children (2 through 12). Children under 2 are free. Parlor Car No. 64, which seats 14, is added to the train on the second Sunday of every month. Reservations are required for seating in this car. Cost is $25 per person. Only cash and checks are accepted for all fares.

» Phone: 681-5461

» Email: rides@hawaiianrailway.com

» Website: www.hawaiianrailway.com

» Notes: Seating for tours is on a first-come, first-served basis (maximum capacity is 150). The train, including Parlor Car No. 64, is available for charters. Call for rates.

Passengers are welcome to take food and beverages on board and to use the picnic area adjacent to the train station. With the purchase of a ride, this area also can be reserved for private functions at no charge.

On view at the open-air museum next to the station are vintage freight cars and steam engines, including the 12-ton Kauila No. 6, which, dating back to 1889, was the first locomotive bought and used by OR&L.

Tax-deductible memberships in the Hawaiian Railway Society start at $25 ($10 for children). Checks or money orders can be made out to the Hawaiian Railway Society and mailed to P.O. Box 60369, Ewa, HI 96706.

“Bob is a great mentor and friend,” Livingston said. “He encouraged me and shared all the information he had not only about Hawaii’s military railroads, but its plantation railroads and ‘common carriers’ — passenger and freight trains. I became HRS’ historian in 2009, but Bob continues to be active in our research efforts as historian emeritus.”

HRS WAS FOUNDED on Oct. 13, 1971, as the Hawaii Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (its name was changed to Hawaiian Railway Society two years later to emphasize its local ties). An educational, nonprofit organization dedicated to researching, preserving and sharing Hawaii’s train history, it maintains and operates the only historic railroad on Oahu.

One of HRS’ major accomplishments was the restoration of half of a 12-mile track from Ewa to Nanakuli that was formerly used by Oahu Railway & Land Co., a common carrier founded by renowned entrepreneur Ben Dillingham. (OR&L officially opened on Nov. 16, 1889, King Kalakaua’s 53rd birthday, and remained in business until 1947.)

That track, the only remaining portion of OR&L’s main line, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on Dec. 1, 1975. HRS began restoring it three years later and completed the first phase (6.5 miles) in 2002. Plans call for about three more miles of the track to be restored when time and funding permit.

On Sunday afternoons, passengers gather for narrated 90-minute rides on the restored track offered by Hawaiian Railway, the operating arm of HRS. Two 45-ton ex-Navy diesel locomotives take turns pulling six ex-Army flatcars that were rebuilt to accommodate passengers. All the equipment dates back to the 1940s.

The train chugs along at a leisurely 15 miles per hour, making a stop at Kahe Point where spectacular views of Oahu’s Leeward coast are revealed. “We’ve had old folks on board who grew up on Ewa sugar plantations and remember riding this route,” Livingston said. “During World War II, soldiers also rode OR&L’s trains, so the ride also brings back fond memories for many veterans.”

After the war, virtually all the railroads in the islands were dismantled to make way for paved roads for cars, buses and trucks.

Hawaiian Railway’s track is a precious relic that needs constant maintenance. Revenues generated from ticket sales enable HRS to do that and continue its preservation work.

Thus far the group has cosmetically restored three steam locomotives dating back to 1889, 1890 and 1912. Thanks to its efforts, three diesel locomotives (one built in 1942 and two in 1944) are fully operational.

Volunteers — including mechanics, electricians, welders and pipe fitters — are restoring another 1944 diesel locomotive at HRS’ train yard in Ewa. “Most of them are HRS members, but that’s not a requirement and we don’t only need skilled craftsmen,” Livingston said. “Anyone who has interest is welcome. Come out and remove one square foot of old paint and rust; it all adds up!”

Participants can expect to learn a lot about Hawaii’s fascinating railroad history. Livingston notes that agriculture (primarily sugar and pineapple) played an important role in the islands’ economic development, and that development could not have occurred without railroads. Industrial development also was closely tied to railroads.

“Hawaiian Railway is one of the last remaining vestiges of that chapter in Hawaiian history,” Livingston said. “When people ride our train, they’re riding back in time.”

Polynesian voyaging online archive unveiled



By: Cheryl Ernst

http://www.hawaii.edu/news

If he had known what a complex undertaking it would be, Nainoa Thompson says now, he might not have asked Honolulu Community College to create a digital library of documents related to the Polynesian Voyaging Society.

But the man whose name is synonymous with rescuing traditional voyaging from the brink of extinction celebrated the public launch February 8 of hookele.org, a digital archive created through a partnership of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, Honolulu Community College and the Hawaiian Digital Library Ulukau.

"The stuff you folks have done is on the level of a miracle," Thompson told the project staff and a supporting crew of contributors.


Creating an archive

It took six years and review and research and the digitizing and organizing of 65,000 documents to create the extensive record of the society and the voyages of Hokuleʻa. The project began with the society's archive at Kamehameha Schools, where materials were preserved but not readily available for scholarly or public use, Thompson said. The effort expanded to include additional materials from crew members and sources.

"Voyaging by the ancient Polynesians was one of the most remarkable navigation feats in the world and we don't know anything about it," Thompson said. "This archive is a place to maintain the kuleana so we do not forget again."

Honolulu Community College Chancellor Michael Rota also recognized the work of important, if more recent, predecessors. State leadership 30- to 40-years ago resulted in legislation that set aside funds for Hawaiian-serving institutions that support Hawaiian language, culture and education, he said. It was former Chancellor Ramsey Pedersen who agreed to use those federal Title III funds to support the project.

"The unique assets of our Marine Education and Training Center and the unique undertaking of the Polynesian Voyaging Society have been major benefits to Honolulu Community College and to our place in the community," Rota said.

"What we're sharing is one of the most significant cultural events in Hawaiian history in the last 100 years," he added, touching on the importance placed on the Hawaiian cultural resurgence by his colleagues in the Pacific.


Forging a partnership

The Polynesian Voyaging Society came to the college's marine center as a place to tie up Hokuleʻa, Thompson observed. But the partnership between the institutions since 2003 has created opportunities. "There are educational programs we could create together that we couldn't create apart."

Training for the society's World Wide Voyage started at the center, he added. The research to support a sailing plan that addressed weather systems around the globe, safety issues such as piracy and political unrest and accompanying educational programs took place within the center's walls.

Traditional knowledge has to be coupled with technology, he said, describing solar powered engines that will be installed on the canoe that will be the new child of Hokuleʻa.

"The other canoe we launch today"-a website that will carry thousands, perhaps millions of people on voyages. "It is an enormous service to those who have gone before us and those generations not yet born who want to grow up believing their homeland is a place to believe in and a place that is sacred."

Hoʻokele project team members with donors and sponsors of the digital archival site at launch celebration


About the archive

A boon to academics, educators and students alike, the site allows users to search by year, individual, voyage, document title or topic.

Project coordinator Jonathan Wong calls it "one of the coolest things I ever did."

Visit the hookele.org.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Please Support PVS at West Marine's Grand Opening


Aloha PVS ‘Ohana,

Please support Polynesian Voyaging Society at West Marine’s Honolulu Store Grand Opening on Thursday, March 22, 2012, by buying and selling tickets to the event.

When: Thursday, March 22, 2012 from 6:00 – 9:00pm

Where: West Marine Honolulu - 420 N. Nimitz Highway (across from K-mart)

Cost: $10 per ticket (All profits for the tickets that we sell will go to Polynesian Voyaging Society)

-Cash or checks are accepted. Please make checks payable to Polynesian Voyaging Society

Ticket includes: 1 entry, 1 meal and 2 drinks

For every ticket sold by PVS that is used at the door, PVS gets an additional $2, so please encourage people to use their tickets and go to the event.

The evening’s festivities will include a silent and live auction, Hawaiian music, local food, and community leaders in attendance. In keeping with the company’s mission of protecting our waters and supporting local non-profits across the country, West Marine is eager to work with Hawai'i-based charities that serve the marine environment and local boating, fishing and sailing communities. “Cruising for a Cause” will earn money for local charities (like PVS) by offering them 100% of ticket proceeds for the event.

PVS also will have a booth at the event and be posting displays in the store a week before the grand opening.

Please stop by the PVS office on weekdays from 9:00am to 5:00pm to pick up and purchase tickets. We are hoping to sell a few hundred! If you pick up tickets to sell to friends and family, you must return all proceeds and leftover tickets to the PVS office no later thanMarch 9.

We hope to see you all there!

Mahalo

Friday, February 17, 2012

Call for papers & posters for multidisciplinary conservation in Historic House Museums


Authors are invited to submit abstracts related to these topics by the 1st March 2012 to the Artifact.Context.Narrative@gmail.com

Multidisciplinary conservation in Historic House Museums

A Joint Conference of ICOM‐DEMHIST and three ICOM‐CC Working Groups, to be held at the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles, November 6‐9, 2012.

Call for papers & posters ICOM‐DEMHIST, the international committee for historic house museums, and three ICOM‐CC working groups Sculpture, Polychromy, and Architectural Decoration, Textiles, and Wood, Furniture, and Lacquer are collaborating in the organization of a conference to be held in November 2012. This four day conference will be hosted by The Getty Research and Conservation institutes in Los Angeles.

Past conferences organized individually by ICOM‐DEMHIST and ICOM‐CC working groups have already focused on conservation of collections, structures and settings and the importance of a multidisciplinary approach. In this new collaboration we aim to promote the concept of multidisciplinary conservation within the specific context of historic house museums.

The theme of the symposium will focus on managing the inevitable deterioration of structure and materials in historic house museums, while balancing the need for public access with current standards of practice in conservation. Historic houses remain in constant use throughout their lifespan and their interiors consist of diverse materials often altering dramatically due to change imposed by society, their environment and function. The proper care for historic interiors and their edifices draws from many conservation specializations as well as from many other fields. Therefore it is essential to approach each project in a holistic manner using a multidisciplinary collaborative approach involving all stakeholders. It is intended that posters and papers selected for the upcoming symposium will focus on the following key issues:

•The Historic House Museum as an artifact: This theme relates to all issues encountered when the house itself is a significant historic artifact and how to balance public access with current standards of practice in conservation.

• The artifact within its context: This topic concerns the historic house museum as a vessel in which a collection is presented. Focus will be given on balancing the individual conservation needs of solitary objects within the context of an integrated collection and its setting.

• Conservation and the “narrative” of the Historic House: This theme will delve into how conservation and its discoveries can play a role in engaging and educating the public, both in the narrative presented on public tours and by demonstration of conservation techniques

Authors are invited to submit abstracts related to these topics by the 1st March 2012 to the following email address: Artifact.Context.Narrative@gmail.com

All work submitted must be original and not have been published elsewhere.

Abstracts of no more than 500 words should include the title, authors’ names, profession, ICOM registration number and relevant committee / working group, e‐mail and address of the corresponding author. We kindly request that all submissions be proof read by a native English speaker.

Selection will be based on the relationship to the theme of the meeting, with an emphasis on an interdisciplinary approach, originality, and addressing the context of historic house museums. We encourage the submission of papers that result from collaborative projects that echo the multidisciplinary approach of the conference. Preference will be given to ICOM members.

All final papers and posters will be peer reviewed by an editorial committee prior to the conference.

Selections will be made by the 1st April 2012, authors will be informed accordingly.

Proceedings of the symposium will be made available to delegates and members of ICOM‐CC & ICOMDEMHIST.

Programme:

Presentations will be held over three days and delegates will be given the opportunity to continue the theme of the discussions during the excursions. Posters will be exhibited during the symposium and a dedicated poster session will highlight their content. The language of the symposium and proceedings will be English.

The Venue:

The Getty Research and Conservation Institutes are located at the Getty Center in Los Angeles California (USA) and are world renowned institutes dedicated to furthering the knowledge and understanding of visual arts on a theoretical and technical level.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

23RD ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY OF HAWAI`I AND THE PACIFIC





















The general public, sport and tech divers, diving operators, historians, students, underwater archaeologists, preservationists and all others are encouraged to participate in the 23rd Annual Maritime Symposium, co-sponsored by NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, the University of Hawai`i Marine Option Program, and the Maritime Archaeology and History of the Hawaiian Islands Foundation. This year’s theme is: Diving into History: Technical and Sport Exploration of Shipwrecks. Come join the informal discussion! What do wreck sites tell us about out past? What wreck survey training might be available to recreational divers? How have other locations enhanced their wreck diving opportunities?

The symposium begins Friday, Feb. 17, 6:30 PM (free to public). Keynote speaker Dr. Della Scott-Ireton discusses Heritage Awareness Diving Seminars (HADS), an approved NAUI, PADI, and SSI course specifically geared to instructors, bridging the gap between academic and sport wreck diving. Participants must register to attend the Saturday and Sunday presentations (registration rates available at http://www.hawaii.edu/mop/site/2012symposium.html or at door). Presentations include more than 24 speakers covering: new submerged ship and aircraft discoveries by local divers; HURL’s recent discoveries of the S-4 and USS Bennington; wreck inventory for the main Hawaiian Islands; Maui’s WWII Legacy; potential for public maritime archaeology courses at local diving operations; current status of our Falls of Clyde; Manila galleon trade in the Pacific; Blackbeard’s flagship Queen Anne’s Revenge; international projects from the Marshall Islands, Tokelau, and Greece…and more. The symposium includes continental breakfast, informal receptions and pupus, and a conference BBQ.

WHAT: 23rd Annual Maritime Symposium “Diving into History: Technical and Sport Exploration of Shipwrecks”

WHEN: February 17-20, 2012

Public keynote talk: Dr. Della Scott-Ireton

Friday February 17 @ 6:30 PM

Symposium presentations

Saturday and Sunday February 18 and 19, 8:30 AM-5:00 PM

Optional field trip to HURL research facility for symposium participants

Monday February 20 @ 9:30 AM

WHERE: NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Pacific Islands Region

6600 Kalaniana`ole Hwy, Suite 302

Honolulu HI 96825

(third floor of Roy’s Restaurant building in Hawai`i Kai)

WHO: Contact NOAA heritage coordinator Hans Van Tilburg (808-271-4187) for details

hans.vantilburg@noaa.gov

On the Web:

http://www.hawaii.edu/mop/site/2012symposium.html

Friday, February 10, 2012

Kauai Vintage Book Offering with Wine and Cheese Tasting


Date and Time:
02/24/0012 at 4:30pm

Location:
Kauai Historic County Building Lobby

Description:
Peruse a collection of vintage books from the Kauai Historical Society's duplicate collection along with items donated by members. Acquire books for your personal collection while sampling cheese and wine , enjoying music and helping the Society raise money for new additions to collection

Price: Donation

Contact Info:
Phone 808 245-3373
E-mail kauaihs@hawaiiiantel.net

Next Steps: Hawaii State Digital Archives Development Plan

Presentation Scheduled for February 29


The Hawaii State Archives has embarked on a mission to preserve and provide access to historical digital records of Hawaii’s government. The Archives will hold a presentation on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. to discuss the next steps in establishing a Hawaii State Digital Archives, the benefits of the digital archives, and the ways in which others can help during the three-year implementation process.

The Archives found that while there is a clear direction on what records need to be preserved, there are no mechanisms within the state to assist agencies in addressing the difficulty of the long term preservation of digital records. The State Archives is mandated by law to preserve the permanent records of state government. Creating a centralized digital archives for the preservation of digital records is a necessary next step. Not only will this ensure the preservation of digital records in a cost effective manner but will provide a single access point to all citizens of the state.

The digital archives will provide the following:

Accessibility: Allow those who cannot travel to access records 24x7 from anywhere

Transparency: Use records on any platform and not require special tools

Accountability and Trust in Government: Ensure government accountability by showing what government has done

Business/Societal Continuity: Allow government to continue in the event of disaster and provide for sustainable government operations

Location: No. 1 Capitol District Building (250 South Hotel Street), Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, 1st Floor Conference Room.

The speakers: Adam Jansen, Hawaii State Digital Archives consultant, and Susan Shaner, State Archivist.

Support for this project is made possible by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The Commission works closely with those individuals and organizations concerned with establishing policies, best practices, and tools for the long-term preservation of and access to records of enduring value. Commission-supported projects explore what is necessary to manage electronic records in accordance with archival requirements.

Register by February 23 by calling or emailing Harriet Miura at: 586-0311 or harriet.miura@hawaii.gov

Questions: Call Susan Shaner at 808-586-0310.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

HISTORIC PERFORMANCE TO SHOWCASE "ANNEXATION DEBATES"



The Hawai'i Pono'i Coalition is hosting live performances of the "Annexation Debates," a reenactment of the historical debate over the United States' annexation of Hawai‘i in 1898. The performances will be held February 23 through Feb 26. Performances begin at 7 p.m. Thursday - Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday in the Judiciary History Center Courtroom in historic Ali‘iōlani Hale in Honolulu. Admission is free, but seating is limited. For reservations, call 534-8880. Event co-sponsored by the Center for Biographical Research, the Hawai‘i Council for the Humanities, and the Judiciary History Center.















Save the Date for Preservation Conference in Spokane, Washington




October 30 – November 3



MOVE BEYOND TRADITIONAL BOUNDARIES AT THE 2012 NATIONAL PRESERVATION CONFERENCE


“Beyond Boundaries” is the theme for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2012 National Conference, hosted this year in eastern Washington from October 30-November 3.

Estimated at around 2,000 attendees, this conference attracts nationally recognized experts and practitioners for a weeklong series of educational workshops and peer-to-peer networking. The conference will explore preservation’s boundaries using Spokane and the Inland Northwest as a living laboratory to showcase preservation successes and as a classroom for discussing preservation challenges.

The conference provides an opportunity for the attendees to interact with the local preservation community, bringing their depth of knowledge and expertise to bear on local issues. It also provides local community leaders with affordable and accessible high-caliber professional development opportunities. Participants learn from leading experts and practitioners, share tactics and achievements, and explore challenges and successes in our region. Attendees will include board members and staff of nonprofit preservation organizations, downtown revitalization professionals, real estate developers, architects, planners, and students, all of whom will bring fresh eyes to Spokane and return to their own communities with newly acquired knowledge and inspiration.

The conference will include interactive education sessions, field sessions with hands-on exploration of preservation sites, affinity sessions for partnership building and networking, and on-your-own activities that inform, teach and connect. Engage in vital conversations about how we can expand the role of preservation in revitalizing cities, combating sprawl, creating jobs, saving energy, preserving landscapes, and building community. The conference will challenge the preservation community to work with traditional and new partners to increase preservation’s relevance in modern communities and become better advocates for the movement in our hometowns.

Conference focus areas include:
Sustainability: Reuse of historic and older buildings, greening the existing building stock and reinvestment in older and historic communities to combat climate change.
Diversity: Protecting, enhancing and enjoying the places that matter to people to ensure these places and their stories remain part of the American narrative, ensuring a diversity of people and places to reflect the full range of the American experience.
Public Lands: Enhancing stewardship of cultural resources on public lands through education on their importance and increased funding for their protection
Re-imagining Historic Sites: Creating new and innovative models for historic site interpretation and stewardship.

Attendees will enjoy Spokane’s vibrant, walkable downtown dominated by historic buildings. Events are scheduled for a variety of memorable venues, including the magnificent Davenport Hotel and two recent national Honor Award winners – the art deco Fox Theatre and the Steam Plant – both masterpieces of adaptive use. With over $3.4 billion invested in this urban core in the last decade, downtown Spokane has established itself as a compelling destination with incredible shopping, world-class entertainment, and the region’s best dining – including local wineries in historic buildings.
Come to Spokane to bridge chasms, break tradition, and explore what going beyond boundaries can do to instill a preservation ethic in Americans of all ages, backgrounds, and outlooks. Watch for more details coming to: www.PreservationNation.org/conference and www.historicspokane.org/nthp