History of Honolulu

Numerous people have inhabited Hawaii at one time or another and Oahu’s and indeed the rest of the islands’ deep-seated culture is a testament to this. The best places to discern Honolulu’s history and that of the island of Oahu is to visit one of the city’s many excellent museums or perhaps take a walk around some of the more historic parts of the city.

Early days

Honolulu was first settled around the 12th century by Polynesian migrants, about the same time that they began settling the entire island chain. There is strong evidence to suggest that they were here at this early time, with historical artefacts from this period on show at the city’s museums. It wasn’t until the early 1700s that Honolulu became prominent however, after Kamehameha I conquered the island of Oahu in the Battle of Nuuanu Pali. Originally residing on Hawaii, the king moved his royal court to Waikiki in 1804, and then to downtown Honolulu five years later.

British Hawaii

In 1794, England’s captain, William Brown, was the first foreigner to land in Honolulu Harbour, the port which was later to become the centre of trade on the island, with ships mainly arriving from America and Asia. Captain Cook landed in Hawaii 16 years before Captain Brown, albeit on the island of Kauai, but he was killed by the natives the following year, in 1779.

King Kamehameha III and the kings that followed built Honolulu into a modern city with some fabulous buildings including the Iolani Palace and St Andrew's Cathedral. Honolulu also became a bit of an economical powerhouse at this time, with American businesses sprouting up all over downtown.

American Hawaii

The latter years of the 19th century and up to WWII brought much turbulence for Honolulu; with the sacking of the Hawaiian monarchy, America’s control over the nation and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, which left many US servicemen dead and several ships destroyed. Despite all this, Honolulu remained the capital city and the main centre of the Hawaiian Islands.

Modern-day Honolulu

The big boom in Honolulu and the Hawaiian islands understandably came with the advent of the jet age, when people could fly here within hours of leaving the United States and other major centres. Today, Honolulu is one of the USA’s most heavily visited cities and Waikiki is the centre of the tourist trade. Downtown Honolulu is loaded with dazzling buildings as well as retaining its architectural and cultural heritage through ancient buildings and traditional island customs.