HONOLULU (KHON2) — In 2021, the Hawaii State Archives started an exciting project to put their files and pictures online.
This means people don’t have to go to the building in person. They can see many of these items from their own homes simply by using a computer. It’s an exciting way to experience Hawaii of the past from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Dr. Adam Jenson has been working tirelessly to ensure thousands of old photos of Hawaii are preserved in the Archives. These pictures show all kinds of things from Hawaii’s past, like people, parades, boats and buildings.
The Archives wants to make sure everyone can learn about Hawaii’s history, so Dr. Jenson and his staff are working hard on several different projects at the same time.
Here’s what Honolulu looked like back in the 1920s.
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King Street in Honolulu, circa 1925. Left foreground is the Advertiser newspaper and further along the street is the Lewers & Cooke Bldg. (Courtesy: Hawaii State Archives) -
Bishop Bank at Bishop St. between King and Merchant Streets in Honolulu, circa 1925. Later Bishop Bank and First Hawaiian Bank. The building on the corner of Bishop and King Streets is the Alexander Young Hotel. Pacific Trust on Merchant St. (Courtesy: Hawaii State Archives) -
Corner of Fort and Hotel Streets in Honolulu, circa 1925. The building houses Benson Smith Drug store and Manufacturers Shoe Store. (Courtesy: Hawaii State Archives) -
Aerial view of Downtown Honolulu and harbor, circa 1925. Aloha Tower under construction. (Courtesy: Hawaii State Archives) -
Fort St. from a building on King St., Honolulu, circa 1923. M.A. Gunst Co. on corner, Odd Fellows Hall next door. First National Bank on Waikiki corner. (Courtesy: Hawaii State Archives) -
Fort St. from building on makai Waikiki corner of King St., Honolulu, circa 1923. General Cigar Co. on corner and Odd Fellows Hall next door. First National Bank on Waikiki corner. (Courtesy: Hawaii State Archives) -
View of Downtown and Harbor from Punchbowl, circa 1923. (Courtesy: Hawaii State Archives) -
Crowd at the Honolulu waterfront, January 1921. (Courtesy: Hawaii State Archives) -
Honolulu from Punchbowl toward Pearl Harbor and Waianae Mountains beyond, circa 1920s. Honpa Hongwanji Mission far right. (Courtesy: Hawaii State Archives) -
Fort Street, Honolulu, circa 1920s. (Courtesy: Hawaii State Archives) -
Postcard of Honolulu from Aloha Tower, circa 1928. (Courtesy: Hawaii State Archives) -
Honolulu from Punchbowl, circa 1920s. (Courtesy: Hawaii State Archives) -
Corner of Hotel and Fort Streets in Honolulu circa 1920s. Benson Smith Drug Store on corner, Manufacturers Shoe Co., and Hawaii Music Co. further up Fort St. (Courtesy: Hawaii State Archives)
One really big project is organizing a huge collection of Hawaiian music. It’s one of the largest collections of Hawaiian songs in the world.
The Archives received over 20,000 pieces of music. The songs are stored in many boxes. Staff members and volunteers are working on sorting and organizing all of it so that, in the future, everyone will be able to listen to or read the music.
If you want to learn more about this cool music project, you can click here to read about it.
Even though it takes a lot of time and work, the team at the Hawaii State Archives is excited to share all of this with the public.
Their goal is to make it easier for students, families, teachers, and researchers to explore Hawaii’s rich and colorful past.