Before the days of the little, higgledy-piggledy Honolulu Town, there was a small Hawaiian settlement at the edge of a natural harbor, ideal for launching canoes for fishing and for cultivating fields adjacent to the Nuuanu Stream. This was Kou, named for the sheltering, orange-blossomed trees. As the settlement grew and visitors came and went, many stayed and it became known as Honolulu meaning “protected harbor.”
Successive waves of immigrants came to this port town bringing with them new religions, architecture, education, foods and social mores. The small confines of this town encouraged cross-pollination of people and ideas that fostered the unique neighborhoods that give Honolulu its character.
Highlights of Honolulu Town include:
• The Edgy Waterfront
• Schools for Kamaaina
• Spiritual Homes
• Wholesome Town and Free Time
• The Raucous Nighttown
• Unnatural Disasters
Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at (888)-313-2665 or www.arcadiapublishing.com.
Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America’s people and places. Have we done a book on your town? Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com.
