History of Hanauma Bay (A Timeline)
| early 1800's | Queen Ka'ahumanu visits Hanauma Bay |
| 1848 | The land is given to Victoria Kamamalu; a descendent of King Kamehameha |
| mid 1800's | Hanauma Bay is considered the favorite fishing place of King Kamehameha V |
| 1883 | The land is given to Bernice Pauahi Bishop |
| 1884 | Bernice Pauahi Bishop dies and all her land holdings are placed in her estate |
| 1927 | A road connecting Honolulu and Makapu'u is completed allowing access to the bay |
| 1928 | Hanauma Bay and Kokohead district park is deeded to the City and County of Honolulu by Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate for use as recreational parks |
| 1941 | Fearing Hanauma Bay would be used as a landing site by Japan; defensive positions were established by the army along all of Oahu's eastern shores, including Hanauma Bay |
| 1950 |
Public bus starts service to Hanauma Bay The City and County of Honolulu budgets $150,000 to dredge 3 swimming holes, to construct a road to the beach, to build water tanks, and to improve the parking lot |
| 1952 |
"Hanauma Bay is probably the most popular of Oahu's parks" states the Board of Public Parks and Recreation A group from the University of Hawaii excavates the cliff areas of Hanauma Bay |
| 1956 | A 200 foot wide channel is dynamited through the center of the bay to accommodate the first transpacific telephone cable, stretching from Hawaii to California |
| 1961 |
Keo Nakama becomes the first official person to swim the 27 miles from Moloka'i to Hanauma Bay Oahu The movie Blue Hawaii starring Elvis Presley is filmed at Hanauma Bay |
| 1966 | A beach concession is opened at Hanauma Bay |
| 1967 | Hanauma Bay is designated as Hawaii's first Marine Life Conservation District, thus prohibiting fishing and collecting |
| 1970 | Due to erosion, the City and County imports sand to build a wave barrier on the reef crest in order to close of the 1956 cable trench and restore the beach |
| 1979 |
Hanauma Bay is closed due to a visit by a 6 foot gray shark The City and County contracts a tram service to and from the beach area. It is the only vehicle allowed to use the access road from the beach to the parking lot |
| 1983 |
A permit system for commercial use of Hanauma Bay goes into effect Construction begins to relocate the parking lot and improve the picnic area |
| 1987 | Due to beach erosion 3,500 cubic yards of sand is imported from Kahuku Oahu |
| 1988 |
The Department of Transportation enacts a ban on private and commercial boats entering the bay Visitation to Hanauma Bay peaks at 3 million visitors annually |
| 1990 |
New regulations enacted at the bay include prohibiting the feeding of fish anything but permitted fish food and closing the bay on Wednesdays until noon for maintenance purposes The Friends of Hanauma Bay is formed The University of Hawaii, Sea Grant Extension Service begins the Hanauma Bay Education Program |
| 1993 | The City and County bans smoking on the beach at Hanauma Bay |
| 1999 | A fish feeding ban goes into effect |
| 2002 | The new education center at Hanauma Bay opens; a short educational/conservation film is required of everyone to see once per year in order to be granted beach access |
© 2003-2004 Hanauma Bay Education Program,
University of Hawaii Sea Grant Extension Service
100 Hanauma Bay Road ~ Honolulu, HI 96825 ~ Ph: (808) 397-5840 ~ E-mail:
hanauma@hawaii.edu
Last updated
June 3, 2004
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