Ready to walk off those famous Liliha Bakery coco puffs?
In celebration of Kuakini Health System’s 113th anniversary, the organization is sponsoring the inaugural Liliha Town History Walk on Sunday in a free event open to the public.
"We want to give back to the community, and this is a good way to find out about where you live," said Kuakini spokeswoman Donda Spiker. "It’s a healthy way to spend a Sunday morning, and while you’re getting your exercise you can get a history lesson on Liliha town."
The walk starts at Kuakini Health System’s front lawn at 9 a.m. and loops around Liliha Street, School Street and Nuuanu Avenue. Participants are invited to Kuakini’s auditorium afterward for light refreshments, a health fair and a historical exhibition featuring some of Liliha’s longtime businesses and organizations.
Spiker noted that Kuakini itself has a historically significant past. It originally started as a hospital that provided free medical care for Japanese immigrant sugar cane workers. In the 1940s Kuakini was the only health care organization taken over by the Army in World War II when Pearl Harbor was bombed.
"Liliha town has a lot of history, and people don’t realize it," Spiker said. "The church on the corner of Bachelot and Judd is celebrating its 100th anniversary in a couple of years, and the first L&L Drive Inn is on Liliha Street. There’s Oahu Cemetery up the street, and it’s Hawaii’s oldest public cemetery."
These establishments are just a few highlights along the historic walking path that covers several miles around the town. Kuakini created a modified 1.3-mile walk for this event, and along the way, walkers are welcome to visit mom-and-pop shops such as Shimazu Store and Jane’s Fountain.
"If you want to peek into the 1950s, look into Jane’s Fountain. It’s like walking into a museum," said former state Rep. Corinne Ching, who is helping Kuakini design maps for the event. The Collector’s Walking Map will include stories on Liliha’s people, places and unique blend of cultures.
"Liliha is the No. 1 gem of this state that people know nothing about. For years it was looked over and neglected, but in truth it holds everyone’s history. That’s why we’re trying to preserve it, fix it up and revitalize it," she said.
Ching, an ethnic studies major, began collecting historical facts about Liliha town in college. She is also coordinator for the 10th Annual I Love Liliha Festival, which opens at 10 a.m. after the walk.
"The story of Liliha is the story of everybody," Ching said. "Rich, poor, whatever nationality you were, everyone was here. It’s the spirit of Hawaii: that we love everybody and can go appreciate everyone’s culture."
To sign up for the inaugural Liliha Town History Walk, call 547-9168. The first 100 participants will receive a free Kuakini gift.
