Kona Property Among Additions to Register of Historic Places

A Big Island home was the only neighbor island place to be added to the Department of Land and Natural Resources Hawai’i Historic Places Review Board’s Hawai’i Register of Historic Places, among 11 Oahu locations.

The Walter Irving Henderson house, a two story cottage on a lot that also contains two smaller, one-story structures, a former catchment shed, and a boat house, is located at 75-5944 Ali’i Drive in Kailua-Kona, snug between Ali’i Drive and the ocean.

According to the DLNR the home was added to the register for its significance at the local level under a National Register criterion for type of construction and as the work of a master.

The house is a mix of two styles. The upper story is wood board and batten while the first story is made of mortared rock. In addition, the upper story has flat sawn balusters on the balcony, facing the street.

First-floor walls show off a type of lava rock construction that was common in the Kona area in the mid-19^th century. The second floor that was added later, and the interior of the first floor, were designed by local architect Vladimir Ossipoff.

According to DLNR, the first period of significance of the home was the first floor structure in 1864, when it was built as a Catholic church. The addition of the second floor and the church was renovated in 1953 for use as a beach house, which is when the home reached its second period of significance.

Each of the properties were added to the register because of their association with broad patterns, events, or individuals important in the history of Hawai’i.

The DLNR says the properties are also usually significant in architecture and design and likely yield important information.

In addition to the Walter Irving Henderson house on the Big Island, the Oahu additions to the register include: George R. Ward house, Kalama Beach clubhouse, Charles J. and Louisa Henderson residence, John Walker beach house, Malama Manor, Henry and Eva Frandsen residence, Franklin Dexter house, James T. and Helene Farr residence, Granville Abbott Jr. residence, and the J.B. Guard house.

Experts in the fields of architecture, history, sociology, Hawaiian culture, and archaeology make up the Hawai’i Historic Places Review Board. The group meets four times a year to review nominations.