About this property
Kīkīaola is a historic irrigation ditch ( ʻauwai ) located near Waimea on the island of Kauai in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Also known as "Menehune Ditch" or "Peekauai Ditch," it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 16, 1984. It is purported to have been built by the Menehune. Hawaiians built many stone-lined ʻauwai to irrigate ponds for growing taro ( kalo ), but very rarely employed dressed stone to line ditches. The 120 finely cut basalt blocks that line about 200 feet of the outer wall of the Menehune Ditch make it not just exceptional, but "the acme of stone-faced ditches" in the words of archaeologist Wendell C. Bennett.
Location
Federal Designation
The National Register of Historic Places, administered by the National Park Service, is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical, architectural, archaeological, engineering, or cultural significance. Listing on the National Register recognizes a property's importance to American history but does not place restrictions on private owners; it does, however, make properties eligible for federal historic preservation tax incentives and enables consideration in federal planning decisions. This property is recorded in the National Register under reference number 84000270. It was listed on November 16, 1984.
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Kikiaola listed on the National Register?
Kikiaola was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 16, 1984.
What type of historic resource is Kikiaola?
Kikiaola is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Kikiaola?
The period of significance for Kikiaola is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Kikiaola?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Kikiaola will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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