Welcome to 2019! I know. You’re not ready. So let’s take it slooooow. Let’s take a trip back to 1919. What was it like to live in Hawaii 100 years ago?
Life in the territory
The territory of Hawaii had a population of about 250,000 in 1919, with only 80,000 on Oahu. We had about 8,000 visitors, which was down because of World War I, which had just ended in November 1918. Today we have nearly 10 million tourists a year!
All the tourists came by boats then. Boat days were a big deal, and crowds often greeted arrivals but there was no Aloha Tower to welcome them. That was nearly 10 years away from being built.
Hawaii’s economy was based on sugar, with pineapple in second place. Dole Pineapple in Iwilei — a Honolulu landmark for five decades — had not yet been built.
Several hundred of our boys had gone off to war, and in 1919 were returning home. Big companies — sugar, pineapple and banking in particular — met and drew up a plan to hire so many each so the returnees would not be jobless.
The Spanish flu affected many in Hawaii. Over 600 died. To slow its spread, pool halls (we had over 100) and bowling alleys were ordered closed.
Aala Park was possibly the cultural center of Hawaii. Kapiolani Park was nicer but a long way away. Aala was across the street from the Iwilei train terminal.
Homes and lots all over the island were for sale. Asking prices ranged from $2,000 to $10,000 (about $25,000 to $125,000 today).
For entertainment in 1919, the in spot for dining and dancing was the roof garden of the Alexander Young Hotel downtown, or taking the OR&L train and staying at the Haleiwa hotel.
Islanders wore a copious amount of clothing, even at the beach. Walter Dillingham said that for a date at the beach with his future wife, Louise, she wore more than one would need on an arctic expedition. No one wore aloha shirts.
Women were a year away from winning the right to vote. Prohibition had just begun.
Queen Lili‘uokalani had just died in 1917, and her home, Washington Place, had just become the governor’s mansion.
Pua and Warren Kealoha and Duke Kahanamoku were in training for the 1920 Olympics. Gold medals awaited them.
The Pearl Harbor Naval Station was 1 year old.
Kauai, Maui and Hawaii Island still had volunteer fire departments.
Kapiolani Boulevard did not yet exist.
Over 15,000 people a month were treated by Palama Settlement’s doctor, dentist and 10 nurses.
Technology
There wasn’t much in the way of technology as we know it today in 1919. Most homes did have electricity, and the first electric refrigerators were introduced this year. Most families still used iceboxes to keep their food fresh.
Cars had been in the islands less than 20 years and were sold as “cheaper to maintain than a horse.” Dealers sold about 200 of them a week.
“Automobile Row” back then was where the state Capitol is today. The governor and Legislature met in Iolani Palace. The Ford Model T, which some called the “Tin Lizzie,” was popular.
In 1919 there were over 70 blacksmiths still in business, shoeing horses and fixing carriages.
Many in Hawaii had telephones, but there were no radio stations for another few years, or TV stations. A few homes had phonograph record players.
We had electric trolleys, and Honolulu Rapid Transit had been running buses for four years by 1919.
The Oahu railway operated a train from Iwilei around Kaena Point to Kahuku. It connected distant plantations with the cannery and harbor and provided passage to their workers.
You could watch silent films in over 40 island theaters, such as the Hawaii (originally on Hotel Street near Fort Street), Empire (called “Honolulu’s Family Playhouse”), Liberty (“Honolulu’s Palace of Pictures”) and Bijou (on Pauahi and Hotel streets).
Another movie theater, which opened in 1919, was the original Palama Theatre, at 569 N. King St., Alvin Yee told me.
“It was basically a fenced-off area with a dirt floor and benches to sit on. The good thing about silent movies is that you learned to read fast,” Yee said.
Organizations
In 1919 many companies and schools already were decades old: Alexander & Baldwin was 49 years old; McKinley High School was 54; Bank of Bishop & Co. (now First Hawaiian Bank) was 62.
The Honolulu Advertiser was 63; Honolulu Iron Works, the Pacific Club and Lewers & Cooke were 67; Castle & Cooke and Love’s Bakery were 68; St. Louis College was 73 and still at its River Street location.
Punahou was 78; Royal School was 80; Koloa Sugar was 84: and Lahainaluna was 88 in 1919. C. Brewer was already 93 years old.
Other popular companies included Coyne Furniture, The Hub, Bank of Hawaii, McInerny, C.S. Wo, Arakawa’s, Eki Cyclery, Hasegawa General Store, Kemoo Farm, Uyeda Shoe Store, Kamaka Ukulele, Dairymen’s and City Mill.
Major hotels in the islands included the Moana, Halekulani, Alexander Young, Blaisdell, Haleiwa and Volcano House.
Alexander Hume Ford had founded the Outrigger Canoe Club to help revive the near- forgotten art of surfing 10 years earlier. George “Dad” Center set up a net there and created the sport of beach volleyball in 1915.
Founded in 1919 and celebrating 100th anniversaries:
>> Servco began in Waialua as a garage and service station. Now it’s one of the largest privately held companies in the state.
>> Aloha United Way was started by the Chamber of Commerce in 1919 to raise money for 17 charitable institutions.
>> Walter Fujikami first opened his flower shop at Bethel and Pauahi streets. Happy 100th anniversary to all three!
Education
Changes were taking place in our schools. In the two decades leading up to 1919, more and more island children were going further than the sixth grade. This led to more secondary schools opening.
In 1919 the Legislature broadened the College of Hawaii’s (not yet called the University of Hawaii) scope beyond agriculture and mechanics.
What you couldn’t find
The Royal Hawaiian hotel was not in Waikiki. There was no Zippy’s, Straub, HMSA, Hawaiian Airlines, Foodland, ABC Stores or Longs. There were no shopping centers.
The Ala Wai Canal was begun but not finished in 1919, which meant half of Waikiki was a swamp and mosquitoes were rampant.
Aloha Tower, the Natatorium, the Civic Auditorium, Neal Blaisdell Center, Honolulu Stadium and Aloha Stadium did not exist.
Food
You could not find plate lunches, malasadas, loco moco, chocolate-covered macadamia nuts or pizza, but you could find laulau or Kalua pig, which were ancient; teriyaki; mac salad; chop suey; and saimin.
Numerous cafes and restaurants offered meals for 50 cents to $1. The Tip Top Cafe in Lihue had opened in 1916 and is still around today.
There were over 200 grocery stores and over 100 general stores in the islands.
Phoenix Fountain
A fountain was erected in 1919 at the Diamond Head end of Kapiolani Park. Its purpose was to commemorate the coronation of the Japanese Emperor Yoshihito and to celebrate the friendship between the people of Japan and the people of Hawaii.
It was called the Phoenix Fountain as one topped its center with its wings outstretched as if it were ready to fly. A duplicate stood in a Tokyo park.
Public outrage after Hawaii was attacked in 1941 led to its destruction. In 1967 the Dillingham family rebuilt the fountain and dedicated it to Louise Dillingham, who had lived nearby and served on the Parks and Recreation board for 33 years.
Bob Sigall is the author of the five “The Companies We Keep” books, full of stories of Hawaii people, places and companies. Contact him at Sigall@Yahoo.com.
