Kamakahonu facts for kids
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Kamakahonu, Residence Of King Kamehameha I
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ʻAhuʻena Heiau
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 Location in Hawaii
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| Location | 75-5660 Palani Road, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii |
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| Area | 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) |
| Built | 1812 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000288 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | December 29, 1962 |
Kamakahonu was a very important place in Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi Island. It was the home of Kamehameha I, also known as Kamehameha the Great. He was the king who united all the Hawaiian Islands. This special spot was where he spent his last years and made many important decisions for his kingdom.
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A Royal Home: History of Kamakahonu
Kamehameha I, the great king who brought all the Hawaiian Islands together, lived at Kamakahonu from 1810 to 1819. During these years, he made many important rules and changes for his kingdom. His home included a special personal temple called ʻAhuʻena heiau. In the Hawaiian language, this name means "temple of the burning altar."
Important People and Events at Kamakahonu
Kamehameha's son, Liholiho, also lived here. He later became King Kamehameha II. In 1819, a general named Kalanimoku led an army from Kamakahonu. They went to stop a rebellion led by his nephew, Kekuaokalani. This battle, called the Kuamoʻo Battle, happened a few miles south.
The royal home was like a fortress. It had strong stone walls and 18 cannons to protect it. Inside these walls were several houses.
Governors and Missionaries
Later, the island's governor, John Adams Kuakini, lived at Kamakahonu. He managed Hawaiʻi Island when the king was away. He also lived there after the capital moved to Lahaina on Maui in 1820. Governor Kuakini later built a Western-style house nearby. It was called Huliheʻe Palace and was used to entertain visitors.
The bay near Kamakahonu was once called Kaiakeakua, meaning "sea of the god." Today, it is known as Kailua Bay. The name ka maka honu means "the turtle eye" in Hawaiian. This name came from a rock shaped like a turtle near the beach.
Kamakahonu is also famous for another reason. The first American Christian missionaries arrived here on April 4, 1820. They landed on a rock that was later called the "Plymouth Rock of Hawaii." Two of these missionaries were Asa Thurston and Hiram Bingham I.
Kamakahonu Today
The northern point of the area was called Kūkaʻilimoku. This name means Kū, the thief of the islands. It was named after Kū, the Hawaiian war god, whom Kamehameha I honored. Today, this point is where the Kailua lighthouse stands.
What You Can See Now
The land where Kamakahonu once stood is now part of King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel. The original houses and walls are no longer there. However, the ʻAhuʻena heiau was rebuilt in the 1970s. You can see it, but you cannot go inside.
Inside the hotel lobby, you can view some old Hawaiian artifacts. These include a beautiful feather cloak and a helmet called a mahiole. The small sandy beach at Kamakahonu is a safe place for launching canoes and for children to swim. The first hotel was built here in 1950, and the current one in 1975. In 2009, the hotel was updated, and a museum and cultural center were added.
Changes to the Area
The famous turtle-shaped rock was covered when the pier was built. Much of the beach was also changed in the 1950s to build a seawall for Aliʻi Drive. Cattle pens were used on the pier until 1966. When a deeper harbor was built at Kawaihae, large cargo ships moved there.
Today, this area is well-known as the starting and finishing point for the Ironman World Championship Triathlon.
Gallery
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Aerial view of Kamakahonu, pier & beach.
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Artifacts on display in the lobby.
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The small beach is protected by the pier.
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King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel now occupies the site.
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Kamakahonu - Kamehameha I's hale at twilight. (10/2012)
See also
In Spanish: Kamakahonu para niños
