Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park
National Register of Historic Places

Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park

Kailua-Kona, Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
66000104

About this property

Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located on the west coast of the island of Hawaiʻi in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The historical park preserves the site where, up until the early 19th century, Hawaiians who broke a kapu (one of the ancient laws) could avoid certain death by fleeing to this place of refuge or puʻuhonua . The offender would be absolved by a priest and freed to leave. Defeated warriors and non-combatants could also find refuge here during times of battle. The grounds just outside the Great Wall that encloses the puʻuhonua were home to several generations of powerful chiefs.

Location

Kailua-Kona, Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii
19.61527, -155.94975

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 66000104. It was listed on October 14, 1966.

Categories

PACIFIC-ISLANDERPREHISTORICHISTORIC - ABORIGINAL
National Register nomination ›
Sources

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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Nearby Historic Sites

Hale Halawai O Holualoa
Listed
1.8 mi
Hulihee Palace
Industrial
3.4 mi
Mokuaikaua Church
Early Republic
3.4 mi
Kamakahonu, Residence Of King Kamehameha I
Listed
3.5 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Kuamoo
1819Early Republic
2 mi
Battle of Moku'ohai
1782Colonial
3.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park listed on the National Register?

Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park?

Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park?

The period of significance for Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park?

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 Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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