Puukohola Heiau National Historic Landmark: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, National Park Service

Gilbert, Cathy; Koch, Kimball; Provencher, Shaun; Schuster, Laura; Durst, Mara

Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site is located on the Island of Hawai'i, the eastern most island in the chain of Hawaiian Islands. It is situated on the northwest coast of the island above Kawaihae Bay. The period of significance for the historic site is 1790‑1835 spanning the time period from Kamehameha I constructing Pu’ukohola Heiau (1790), and unifying all of Hawai'i into one political system (1810), until his death (1819), and the death of John Young, his close advisor (1835). The most notable features associated with Pu’ukohola include Pu’ukohola Heiau and Mailekini Heiau. Pelekane, the site along Kawaihae Bay was the residence of Kamehameha I and the royal court; and the John Young Homestead. These features collectively contribute to the significance and integrity of this historic site. Criterion A: The site is directly associated with the political unification of the Hawaiian Islands under Kamehameha I. Pu’ukohola Heiau was built in response to a religious prophecy that promised political power to Kamehameha I if the heiau was built and dedicated to the Hawaiian War God, Ku ka 'ili moku. After completion of the heiau, Kamehameha I defeated his rival thereby consolidating political power and becoming the paramount chief and ruler of Hawai'i. Criterion B: The site is directly associated with both Kamehameha I and John Young. Kamehameha I facilitated the building of the Pu’ukohola Heiau. As the paramount chief of the Island of Hawai'i, he rose to power and consolidated the Hawaiian Islands under one rule. He built and defended the kingdom while increasing trade in international markets until his death in 1819. John Young, one of the first Englishmen to take up residence in Hawai'i, became a close advisor to Kamehameha I. He provided the technological knowledge of firearms and fortifications that were indispensable to the military successes of Kamehameha I and the unification of Hawai'i. John Young influenced Kamehameha I to set a course that led Hawai'i into the sphere of American influence and ultimately into statehood. Young’s descendants, through his second marriage to a niece of Kamehameha I, became part of the Kamehameha dynasty. John Young assisted in the planning of the governmental foundation for the new Kingdom of Hawai'i. Together they promoted trade and commerce with foreign ships, establishing an economic base for the New Kingdom. Criterion C: The west coast of Hawai'i Island contains a number of significant heiau. Pu’ukohola Heiau is one of the most imposing of these structures and is considered the last major heiau to be constructed in the Hawaiian Islands. Pu’ukohola Heiau is one of the most important heiau in the Hawaiian Islands due to its historic connections to Hawaiian social, political, and religious systems because of its connection with Kamehameha I and his quest of uniting the Hawaiian Islands. The landscape embodies the distinctive characteristics of both pre and post‑contact native Hawaiian vernacular construction methods and retains, in Mailekini and Pu’ukohola heiau, outstanding examples of both lono (agriculture) and luakini (war) temples. The John Young Homestead exists as one of, if not the first, example of Western‑style structures built in the Hawaiian Islands with local materials. The use of mortar and coral‑based plasters as well as architectural details differentiated these buildings from vernacular Hawaiian construction techniques found throughout the islands. Criterion D: Archeological features within the Pu’ukohola National Historic Site have yet to be thoroughly evaluated. Landscape characteristics evaluated in this inventory include archeological sites, buildings and structures, cultural traditions, spatial organization, topography, vegetation and views and vistas.

Puukohola Heiau National Historic Landmark: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, National Park Service

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