Kahikolu Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Kahikolu Church
|
|
The restored church in use today
|
|
 Location in Hawaii
|
|
| Nearest city | Napoʻopoʻo, Hawaii |
|---|---|
| Area | 2.6 acres (1.1 ha) |
| Built | 1855 |
| Architect | John D. Paris |
| NRHP reference No. | 82000148 |
| Added to NRHP | November 15, 1982 |
Kahikolu Church is a special stone church built in the 1800s on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is one of only two churches made of stone from that time. The church was built between 1852 and 1855. It stands where an older church, called Kealakekua Church, was built around 1833.
Contents
History
Early Missions
In 1823, an English missionary named William Ellis visited the island. He looked for good places to build churches. He thought the village of Kaʻawaloa, near Kealakekua Bay, would be a great spot for one of the first churches.
In 1824, a powerful leader named High Chiefess Kapiʻolani built a church from thatch in Kaʻawaloa. It was for Rev. James Ely and his family. When Ely left in 1828, Rev. Samuel Ruggles took his place. Ruggles brought some coffee trees with him.
In 1833, Rev. Cochran Forbes replaced Ruggles. Forbes built a house higher up, in a cooler area. In 1839, with Kapiʻolani's help, Forbes moved the mission. It went to the south side of Kealakekua Bay, near the village now called Nāpoʻopoʻo. Here, they built another house and a large church. This church was made of stone and coral. It was finished in 1841 and used until 1845.
Building the Church
For six years, the church had no pastor. Then, in 1852, Rev. John Davis Paris arrived. He found the old church in ruins. Paris decided to build a stronger, but smaller, stone church. He built it on the same spot as the old one.
He named the new church Kahikolu. In the Hawaiian language, "Kahikolu" means "three in one." This name refers to the Holy Trinity in Christianity. It also means this was the third attempt to build a church in this place. The new church was about 57 feet by 62 feet. Its walls were very thick, about 35 inches.
Kahikolu Church took three years to build. A bell for the church was given by William E. Dodge from New York. The church could hold about 1200 people. John D. Paris went on to build eight more churches. He passed away in the area in 1892.
There are graves around the church. Some are unmarked. Others have the name "Kamakau." These are likely family members of a chief named Kelou Kamakau, who lived around 1773.
Challenges and Comeback
Earthquakes and Damage
In 1925, the inside walls of the church were covered with plaster. The ceiling and floor were also replaced. In 1929, an earthquake caused part of the church's roof to fall inside. These parts were replaced with wood. Over time, fewer people lived in the area, so the church became less important.
On August 21, 1951, a strong earthquake hit very close to the church. The roof collapsed after more earthquakes in 1952 and 1953. Because of all this damage, the stone church was left empty in 1953.
A New Beginning
Kahikolu Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings on the island of Hawaii in 1982. This means it is a very important historical site. The only other stone church from this time on the island is Mokuaikaua Church, about 12 miles north.
People worked hard to rebuild Kahikolu Church throughout the 1980s. The main restoration was finished around 1984. The church was finally fully restored and opened again for use in 1999. A special sign explaining its history was added in 2003.
Henry Ōpūkahaʻia's Return
In 1993, the body of Henry Ōpūkahaʻia' was brought back to Kahikolu Church. He was one of the first native Hawaiians to become a Christian. Henry is known for inspiring missionaries to come to Hawaii. He traveled from Hawaii to Connecticut in 1809. There, he studied English and Christianity at Yale University. He planned to return to Hawaii to teach. But he got sick with typhus fever and died in 1818 when he was 26 years old.
Henry's family decided to bring his body home to Hawaii. On August 15, 1993, his remains were placed in a special vault at Kahikolu Church. This church was the third one built in Hawaii by missionaries who were inspired by Henry. Hawaiian churches remember Henry on the third Sunday in February each year.
Today, the church is located at 82-5931 Napo'opo'o Road, Captain Cook, Hawaii 96704. Sunday services are held at 9:30 am, with Sunday School at 8:30 am.
Kona Coffee Story
The coffee plants that Rev. Ruggles brought in 1828 grew very well in the area around Kealakekua. This area is known as the Kona District. Because it was the first coffee grown on the western side of the island, it is often called the first Kona coffee. Kona coffee is still very popular today!
See also
- Coffee production in Hawaii
- List of Missionaries to Hawaii
