Mokuaikaua Church facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mokuaikaua Church
Location	75-5713 Alii Drive Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi
Country	United States
Denomination	Congregationalist
History
Status	Church
Founded	1820 (congregation)
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Years built	1835–1837
Specifications
Materials	Stone, limestone, ʻōhiʻa

Mokuaikaua Church, found on the "Big Island" of Hawaii, is the oldest Christian church in the Hawaiian Islands. The group of people who attended church services, called a congregation, started in 1820. The church building itself was finished in 1837.

History of Mokuaikaua Church

Early Beginnings in 1820

The church congregation began in 1820. It was started by Asa and Lucy Goodale Thurston. They were Christian missionaries who traveled from America. They arrived on the brig Thaddeus, which was their ship.

King Kamehameha II and Queen Regent Kaʻahumanu gave them permission to teach Christianity. The royal court later moved to Honolulu. The Thurstons also moved there for a short time.

In October 1823, they heard exciting news. People in Kailua-Kona were interested in learning about Christianity. They had even built a small wooden church!

Building the First Church

The very first church building was on land given by Royal Governor Kuakini. This land was right across the street from his home, the Huliheʻe Palace.

The first church was made from Ohiʻa wood. It had a roof made of thatch, which is dried plant material.

The name Mokuaikaua means "district acquired by war" in the Hawaiian language. This name likely comes from the forest area where the wood for the church was gathered.

The Stone Church Building

Over time, the first church buildings faced several fires. Because of this, the current stone church was built. Construction took place from about 1835 to 1837.

Some of the stones used for the church came from a nearby Heiau. A Heiau was an ancient temple used in the traditional Hawaiian religion. The inside of the church is decorated with beautiful Koa wood.

• 

  The steeple has long been a landmark, c. 1883

• 

  An upclose photograph of the Church in 1890, before the gate was built

• 

  The gate of the church built about 1900

• 

  The gate of the church today

Mokuaikaua Church Today

Today, Mokuaikaua Church is still an active church. It is open to the public for tours. You can see some interesting historical items on display there.

One special item is a small model of the Thaddeus ship. This was the ship that brought the first missionaries to Hawaii. Another important missionary who arrived on that ship was Rev. Hiram Bingham I.

The church is recognized as an important historical site. It was added to the state historic place register in January 1978. On October 3, 1978, it was also added to the National Register of Historic Places listings on the island of Hawaii. This means it is a very important historical landmark in the United States.

See also

• List of the oldest churches in the United States