Monument sights in Hawaii
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Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park
Kealakekua Bay is one of the Big Island's (and the state's) premier snorkelling spots. In the pristine waters, a spectacular diversity of marine life thrives. The bay is both a state park and a marine-life conservation district. Among the protected species here are spinner dolphins that frequently swim into the bay.
In nearby Ka'awaloa Cove you can find the Captain Cook Monument which marks the spot where the explorer died during a skirmish in 1779.
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USS Arizona Memorial
One of the most significant WWII attractions in the USA, the USS Arizona Memorial presents the history of the Pearl Harbor attack and commemorates the fallen service members. Run by the National Park Service, the memorial comprises two sections: the mainland visitor center and offshore shrine.
Within the visitor center is a museum that presents WWII memorabilia and a model of the battleship and shrine, as well as a documentary film for historical background. The offshore shrine was built over the midsection of the sunken USS Arizona with deliberate geometry to represent initial defeat, ultimate victory and eternal serenity. One of three chambers inside the shrine acts as …
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Haleki'i-Pihana Heiau
One of Maui's most important historical sites, Haleki'i-Pihana Heiau holds the remains of two adjoining temples atop a knoll with a commanding view of central Maui.
The site was the royal court of Kahekili, Maui's last ruling chief, and the birthplace of Keopuolani, wife of Kamehameha the Great. After his victory at the battle of 'Iao in 1790, Kamehameha came to this site to worship his war god Ku, offering the last human sacrifice on Maui.
Haleki'i (House of Images), the first heiau, has stepped stone walls that tower above 'Iao Stream. The pyramidlike mound of Pihana Heiau (Gathering Place of Supernatural Beings) is a five-minute walk beyond, but a thick overgrowth of ki…
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Russian Fort Elizabeth
The remains of the Russian Fort Elizabeth (1816-64) stand above the east bank of the Waimea River. It looks like a boring abandoned stone wall but the historical backstory might surprise you.
In a nutshell, the Russians were interested in Hawaii as a supply spot between Russia and the Pacific Northwest, where they monopolized the seal and otter fur trade. A Russian diplomat ingratiated himself with Kaua'i's King Kaumuali'i, who figured the Russians might help him overcome King Kamehameha's dominance. In September 1816 the diplomat began the construction of Fort Elizabeth, but within a year he was forced to leave, due perhaps to King Kamehameha's orders or to general suspi…
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Wailoa River State Park
The first thing you notice about the Wailoa River State Park is its imposing 14ft, Italian-made bronze statue of Kamehameha the Great; erected in 1997, and restored with gold leaf in 2004, the statue has an outstretched arm that seems to beckon you, and actually, the park's lawns, ponds and arched bridges make a nice stroll.
Spring-fed Waiakea Pond contains saltwater and brackish-water fish, and two memorials are worth seeing: a tsunami memorial dedicated to the 1946 and 1960 victims, and a Vietnam War memorial with an eternal flame. Adjacent, the Wailoa Center is an eclectic, small state-run art gallery. Multicultural exhibits change monthly and the artists are local, bu…
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Pu'u o Mahuka Heiau State Monument
Attributed to the legendary menehune, Pu'u o Mahuka Heiau State Monument is a long, low-walled platform temple perched on a bluff above Waimea; and it's the largest heiau on O'ahu. The terraced stone walls are a couple of feet high, although most of the heiau is now overgrown. It's an excellent site for a temple, with a commanding view of both Waimea Valley and Waimea Bay. West, the view extends along the coast to Ka'ena Point.
To get to the heiau, turn up Pupukea Rd at Foodland supermarket. The marked turnoff is about half a mile up the road; from there it's three-quarters of a mile in. There's a good view of Pupukea Beach Park on the drive up.
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Kamehameha the Great Statue
The Kamehameha the Great Statue on the front lawn of the North Kohala Civic Center may look familiar. Its lei-draped and much-photographed twin stands opposite Honolulu's 'Iolani Palace. The statue was made in 1880 in Florence by American sculptor Thomas Gould. When the ship delivering it sank off the Falkland Islands, a second statue was cast. The duplicate arrived at the islands in 1883 and took its place in downtown Honolulu.
Later the sunken statue was recovered from the ocean floor and completed its trip to Hawaii. It was then sent here, to Kamehameha's childhood home. A notice board behind the statue tells the full story.
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Ahu'ena Heiau
After Kamehameha the Great established his kingdom's royal court in Lahaina on Maui, he returned to Ahu'ena Heiau, his Kamakahonu residence on Kailua Bay, where he died in May 1819. His personal temple is at the tip of an outcropping on the northern end of Kailua Bay, and surrounded by water on three sides. It has been reconstructed with palm-leaf shacks and carved wooden ki'i(statues). Do not climb on this sacred site.
Here, Kamakahona beach is a miniature cove fronting King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel. The waters are calm and safe for children, and the hotel's beach hut rents beach gear.
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Olowalu Petroglyphs
A dirt road starting behind the general store in Olowalu leads to the Olowalu Petroglyphs. Go around the north side of the store, park just beyond the water tower and look for the signposted gate. A quarter-mile walk leads up this hot, open road to the petroglyphs. It's easy to follow; just keep the cinder cone straight ahead of you as you go.
As with most of Maui's extant petroglyphs, these figures are carved into the vertical sides of cliffs rather than on horizontal lava, like on the Big Island. Most of the Olowalu figures have been damaged, but you can still make some out.
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Izumo Taisha Shrine
Across the river from the Taoist temple, the Izumo Taisha Shrine was built by Japanese immigrants in 1923. During WWII the property was confiscated by the city of Honolulu and wasn't returned to its congregation until 1962. Incidentally, the 100lb sacks of rice that sit near the altar symbolize good health, while ringing the bell at the shrine entrance is considered an act of purification for those who come to pray.
School children from Japan journey to this shrine each year as a gesture of peace.
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Prince Kuhio Park
In a quiet field of green, a monument commemorates Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana'ole, born nearby in 1871. He was the Territory of Hawaii's first delegate to the US Congress and he spearheaded the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, which set aside 200,000 acres of land for indigenous Hawaiians, many of whom are still waiting for it.
You'll also find Ho'ai Heiau, the remains of a fishpond and an ancient Hawaiian house platform. Prince Kuhio Park is about 0.5 miles down Lawa'i Rd, across from Ho'ai Bay.
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Lucy Wright Park
The Captain Cook landing site is noted with a plaque on a nondescript rock on the western side of the Waimea River at Lucy Wright Park. Notice how it's named after a prominent Waimea resident and not the captain himself? It's located on Ala Wai Rd, as soon as you cross the Waimea Bridge. This county park also has a ball field, picnic tables, rest rooms and showers.
Camping is permitted on a flat grassy area, the roadside site lacks much appeal; see for information about camping permits.
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Astronaut Ellison S Onizuka Space Center
Astronaut Ellison S Onizuka Space Center pays tribute to the Big Island native who perished in the 1986 Challenger space-shuttle disaster. The little museum sits between the departure and arrival buildings and features exhibits and educational films about space and astronauts. Items on display include a moon rock, a NASA space suit and scale models of spacecraft.
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