Photos of Old Honolulu in Ka Nupepa Kuokoa
Cover Image: Masthead of Ka Nupepa Kuokoa published on January 30, 1903.
Aloha Nūhou Monday!
Ka Nupepa Kuokoa ran a series of old Honolulu images in 1903 under various titles. “Na La Kahiko o Honolulu,” [The Olden Days of Honolulu.]; “Ke Au Kahiko o Honolulu,” [The Old Era of Honolulu.]; “Makaaho iloko o na Makahiki he 20 i Hala ae nei,” [Makaaho 20 Years Ago]. “O Honolulu i ke Au i Hala,” [Honolulu in Times Past.]; “Na Hiohiona o Honolulu i ke Au i Hala,” [Scenes from Honolulu in the Old Era.]; “Na Hiohiona o ke Au i Hala,” [Scenes from the Old Era.]; etc.
The two Merchant Street photos shown here appeared under the title, “He Mau Hoohalikelike ana no ke Alanui Kalepa iloko o na Makahiki he Umi.” [Comparisons of Merchant Street Over Ten Years.] The span of years between the two photos is actually twenty years and not ten.1 For further comparison, we include a photo from the Bishop Museum Archives taken by On Char in 1938, as well as another one we snapped just the other day.
1Both the Kuokoa and the Pacific Commercial Advertiser were published by the Hawaiian Gazette Company, Ltd. The PCA also published old Honolulu photos during the same year. The two Merchant Street images can be found on January 27, 1903.
Image: “Merchant Street in 1883,” Photo by Williams. Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, January 30, 1903, p. 1.
Image: “Merchant Street in 1903,” Photo by the Advertiser. Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, January 30, 1903, p. 1.
Image: Looking up Merchant Street at Kaʻahumanu Street, April 18, 1938. Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. Photo by On Char, Bishop Museum Archives. SP 98316.
Image sharing on social media is welcome. For all other uses please contact Archives@BishopMuseum.org.
Image: Looking up Merchant Street, July 6, 2022. Honolulu, Hawaiʻi.
This post is part of He Aupuni Palapala: Preserving and Digitizing the Hawaiian Language Newspapers, a partnership between Bishop Museum and Awaiaulu with assistance from Kamehameha Schools. Mahalo nui loa to Hawaii Tourism Authority for their support. Learn more about this project here.
