Honokaʻa Heritage Center

10/10/2026

When Chinese immigrants completed their labor contracts in Hawaiʻi, many went on to open restaurants, laundries, stores, and other businesses, becoming an important part of Hawaiʻi’s local history.

Around 1912, Leong Lam F**k opened the L. Ahfoo Restaurant in Honokaʻa, located in what is known today as the Souza Building. We’re fortunate to have an original sign from the L. Ahfoo Restaurant, generously loaned to us for all to see. The sign once hung inside this popular restaurant of yesteryear is now on display in the Chinese section of our exhibits.

Stop by our Heritage Center and check out the L. Ahfoo Restaurant sign in person!

10/08/2026

If you’ve ever wondered how sugar cane was turned into the sugar, the centrifuge played an important role in that process. After sugar cane was harvested and processed into syrup and crystallized sugar, large centrifuges were used to help separate the sugar crystals from the remaining molasses.

The sugar mixture was placed inside, and as the centrifuge spun, the liquid molasses was forced through the basket’s perforations while the sugar crystals remained behind. This was an important step in producing raw sugar and was part of the process that transformed sugar cane into sugar.

This photo, taken at the Haina Mill, shows an employee cleaning one of the centrifuges used in the sugar-making process. The equipment may look simple compared to today’s technology, but it represents an important piece of Hawaiʻi’s plantation history.

Photo by: John & Anne Bowen Collection

10/06/2026

Did you know that Honokaʻa Town experienced a building boom in 1927?

In 1927, the Botelho Building was built by Judge Manuel S. Botelho. The businesses conducted in the Botelho Building, which was conceived to be a state-of-the-art garage, were a main store, a show-room, and office for the manager, a room for the post office and an office for the postmaster on the first floor. The second floor consisted of a large social hall as well as six large office rooms. An adjacent car repair shop was also constructed. The total cost for construction of the Botelho Building was $26,000.

Honokaʻa also got a new Bank of Hawaiʻi building that same year and during its construction banking business was carried out in the old Honokaʻa Club. The bank cost $18,000 to build. Other building constructions in Honokaʻa were the Ferreira Building and the New Union Church (now the Honokaʻa Methodist Church).

We are extremely lucky that so much of Honokaʻa remains, making our town the most intact wood-framed plantation town in all Hawaiʻi!

10/04/2026

Let’s take a little trip down memory lane! Here’s a fantastic photo from 1983 featuring the faculty and staff of Paʻauilo Elementary & Intermediate School.

And here’s something exciting to look forward to…..Paʻauilo Elementary & Intermediate School will be celebrating its 80th Anniversary in November 2028! The organizers are already in the planning stages and are looking for community members to join the 80th Anniversary Planning Committee. If you’d like to be part of making this special celebration happen, head over to Instagram and follow for more information.

But for now....let’s hear from the alumni! Who was your favorite teacher at Paʻauilo Elementary & Intermediate School? Was it the teacher who made you laugh? The one who inspired you? Or maybe the one who always seemed to know when you were up to something? 🤣

Tag or name that special teacher in the comments below. Let’s see how many beloved teachers we can remember!

Photo by: Fujimoto Family Collection

10/02/2026

Mark your calendars...In addition to Filipino Heritage Day on October 18th, we’ve got another cultural event coming up next month, and you won’t want to miss it!

We’re excited to partner with our friends at Hamakua Jodo Mission for Japanese Cultural Heritage Day on Sunday, November 1, 2026 from 10am to 2pm. There will be workshops, historic tours, presentations, performances, a mini-bon dance, and much more. Best of all… this event is FREE and open to the public.

The event will be held on the temple grounds located at 44-2947 Kalōpā Road in Pāʻauhau Mauka. Check out the posted flyer for the schedule of activities!

slider-canetruckPlantation DaysRelive the days when Honokaʻa was a sugar town slider-interiorExtensive ExhibitsDiscover what life was like in Honokaʻa Town slider-canetruckPlantation DaysRelive the days when Honokaʻa was a sugar town slider-interiorExtensive ExhibitsDiscover what life was like in...

09/30/2026

Today, we celebrate the resilience of our community as we mark the 32nd anniversary of the closing of Hamakua Sugar Company and the Final Harvest.

The community came together to witness the poignant Final Harvest parade through town, with cane trucks proudly hauling the last harvest of sugar cane, symbolizing the end of an era that empowered the island, especially the Hāmākua area.

We would love those who attended the parade to share their memories below to commemorate this unforgettable day.

Photo: Paul Christensen Collection/University of Hawaiʻi

09/28/2026

The creation of hat lei by ranch children for paniolo was a cherished tradition at Kūkaʻiau Ranch. Featured here is a memorable image of the children and women preparing to present lei to the paniolo during the inaugural round-up.

Can anyone identify the individuals in the photograph? If so, please list their names in the comments below!

Photo by: Gail Miranda Walker Collection

09/27/2026

Saturday, November 21, 2026
2:00–7:00 p.m.
Honokaʻa Heritage Center
$20 per person

Hosted by the Honokaʻa High School Classes of the 1960s and benefiting the Honokaʻa Heritage Center.

You did not have to attend Honokaʻa High School to come! If you grew up in Hāmākua and shared those teen years, this gathering is for you. Bring your friends, your classmates and your memories.

Tickets are $20 per person, and additional donations are always welcome.

Purchase tickets through the HHC Events page under “News & Events” on the Honokaʻa Heritage Center website or purchase directly here: https://givebutter.com/60s-honokaa-classmates-come-home-loaxvc

slider-canetruckPlantation DaysRelive the days when Honokaʻa was a sugar town slider-interiorExtensive ExhibitsDiscover what life was like in Honokaʻa Town slider-canetruckPlantation DaysRelive the days when Honokaʻa was a sugar town slider-interiorExtensive ExhibitsDiscover what life was like in...

09/26/2026

Join us for Filipino Heritage Day on Sunday, October 18, 2026, from 12pm to 4pm, as we celebrate Filipino culture with a Visayan dance performance, traditional Filipino desserts, music, and activities!

This complimentary event is part of our ongoing cultural heritage series, showcasing the diversity of our community. We hope to see you!

The Honokaʻa Heritage Center in the historic Botelho Building in Honokaʻa Hawaiʻi is now open.

09/25/2026