In 1959, Hawaii officially became an American state and, as a result, the 1960s were a significant decade in Hawaiian history. From monumental volcanic eruptions and destructive tsunamis to political change and environmental activism, it is important to look to the past, to reflect on where we have been and where we would like to go.
- Waikiki Beach and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, as photographed in December 1969.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
- A tsunami generated by the Chilean earthquake on May 22, 1960 destroyed Hilo, where 61 people died and $24 million in damages occurred.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
- A Boeing 707 sits at Honolulu International Airport in 1969.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
- President Lyndon B. Johnson and Secretary of State Dean Rusk at the Honolulu Conference in 1966.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
- The USS Coral Sea photographed behind the USS Arizona Memorial in April 1963.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
- Massive lava fountain spewing into the air above a group of papaya trees; by late Jaunary 1960, most of Kapoho was destroyed.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
- A young child hangs out on a Hawaiian patio in 1960.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
- View of Nihoa Island, a small Hawaiian islet, in 1969.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
- View of the United States Navy Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, circa 1963, more than twenty years after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
- Betty Ford with three unidentified women aboard a naval launch at Pearl Harbor.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
- The remains of a prehistoric home-site, on Nihoa.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
- A Kapoho school was destroyed by lava in Jaunary 1960.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
- Tires being set in place in order to determine their effectiveness as a habitat for fish. This photograph was taken in Pokai Bay on Oahu’s leeward coast in July 1969.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
Aren’t these vintage photos of Hawaii in the 1960s absolutely captivating? Which of these images inspires you most? For a glimpse of life in Hawaii even further back in time, This Is What Hawaii Looked Like 100 Years Ago.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
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The OIYS Visitor Center
History Of Hawaii November 02, 2020 Megan Shute When was Hawaii a kingdom? The Kingdom of Hawaii was established in 1795 by King Kamehameha the Great through a series of conquests that brought all of the Hawaiian Islands except Kauai and Niihau under his control. The islands of Kauai and Niihau were ceded to Kamehameha through peaceful negotiations in 1810 and he became the undisputed ruler of the entire island chain. The Kingdom was overthrown less than 100 years later on January 17, 1893. When did Hawaii become an American State? Hawaii became a United States Territory in 1900, though it wasn’t until August 21, 1959, that the island chain became America’s 50th State. The history of the Hawaiian Islands dates back much, much further though: the island chain was inhabited for more than 1,000 years before English explorer Captain James Cook “discovered” the islands in 1778. Later, in 1887, the United States government was granted permission to establish a naval base in Hawaii at Pearl Harbor, but it wasn’t until after World War II that Hawaii would begin its long journey to statehood. Where can you go to experience the history of Hawaii? With such a storied past, the Hawaiian Islands are undoubtedly home to countless incredible sites that tell the history of these beautiful islands. From Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, a place of refuge nestled along the coast of Hawaii Island to the Kalaupapa National Historical Park, where leprosy patients were sent to live in isolation, these 13 spots are some of the most unique historic sites in the Aloha State. And if you’d rather journey back in time to the Hawaii of yesteryear for yourself, here are 13 places where you can still experience old Hawaii.
The OIYS Visitor Center
History Of Hawaii
November 02, 2020
Megan Shute
When was Hawaii a kingdom? The Kingdom of Hawaii was established in 1795 by King Kamehameha the Great through a series of conquests that brought all of the Hawaiian Islands except Kauai and Niihau under his control. The islands of Kauai and Niihau were ceded to Kamehameha through peaceful negotiations in 1810 and he became the undisputed ruler of the entire island chain. The Kingdom was overthrown less than 100 years later on January 17, 1893. When did Hawaii become an American State? Hawaii became a United States Territory in 1900, though it wasn’t until August 21, 1959, that the island chain became America’s 50th State. The history of the Hawaiian Islands dates back much, much further though: the island chain was inhabited for more than 1,000 years before English explorer Captain James Cook “discovered” the islands in 1778. Later, in 1887, the United States government was granted permission to establish a naval base in Hawaii at Pearl Harbor, but it wasn’t until after World War II that Hawaii would begin its long journey to statehood. Where can you go to experience the history of Hawaii? With such a storied past, the Hawaiian Islands are undoubtedly home to countless incredible sites that tell the history of these beautiful islands. From Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, a place of refuge nestled along the coast of Hawaii Island to the Kalaupapa National Historical Park, where leprosy patients were sent to live in isolation, these 13 spots are some of the most unique historic sites in the Aloha State. And if you’d rather journey back in time to the Hawaii of yesteryear for yourself, here are 13 places where you can still experience old Hawaii.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established in 1795 by King Kamehameha the Great through a series of conquests that brought all of the Hawaiian Islands except Kauai and Niihau under his control. The islands of Kauai and Niihau were ceded to Kamehameha through peaceful negotiations in 1810 and he became the undisputed ruler of the entire island chain. The Kingdom was overthrown less than 100 years later on January 17, 1893.
When did Hawaii become an American State?
Hawaii became a United States Territory in 1900, though it wasn’t until August 21, 1959, that the island chain became America’s 50th State. The history of the Hawaiian Islands dates back much, much further though: the island chain was inhabited for more than 1,000 years before English explorer Captain James Cook “discovered” the islands in 1778. Later, in 1887, the United States government was granted permission to establish a naval base in Hawaii at Pearl Harbor, but it wasn’t until after World War II that Hawaii would begin its long journey to statehood.
Where can you go to experience the history of Hawaii?
With such a storied past, the Hawaiian Islands are undoubtedly home to countless incredible sites that tell the history of these beautiful islands. From Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, a place of refuge nestled along the coast of Hawaii Island to the Kalaupapa National Historical Park, where leprosy patients were sent to live in isolation, these 13 spots are some of the most unique historic sites in the Aloha State. And if you’d rather journey back in time to the Hawaii of yesteryear for yourself, here are 13 places where you can still experience old Hawaii.
