On August 30, 1850 – more than 100 years before Hawaii became an American state – Honolulu became an official city. And in the 167 years since the city’s founding, it has changed a lot, becoming a major tourist destination, as well as a hub for international business and military defense. Honolulu is the gateway to the Hawaiian Islands, as well as a portal to America from the Pacific. It is also one of the most populous cities in Polynesia, second only to Auckland, New Zealand. So, in celebration of Honolulu and all of its incredible history, here are 18 rare vintage photographs of the city over the course of its lifetime.
- Honolulu as photographed in the 1930s.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
- Tourists hang out in front of the International Marketplace in Honolulu.
Father of JGKlein/Wikimedia Commons
- Here is the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and Waikiki Beach, circa 1969.
NOAA Photo Library/Wikimedia Commons
- This close-up of shot of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum was taken in 1957.
Father of JGKlein/Wikimedia Commons
- The view from Punchbowl sure has changed a lot in the last 100 years.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
- A fire set to destroy homes suspected of being infected by the bubonic plague burns in Chinatown, circa 1900.
Hawaii State Archives/Wikimedia Commons
- Honolulu as photographed from Diamond Head in the 1970s.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
- A ship seen in the dock from Bishop Street in the ‘30s.
Tropic~7/Flickr
- Hawaii Governor Samuel W. King being inaugurated in front of Iolani Palace.
Hawaii State Archives/Wikimedia Commons King served as the governor of the Territory of Hawaii from February 1953 to July 1957.
- Queen’s hospital as photographed in 1905.
Hawaii State Archives/Wikimedia Commons
- Jack and Charmian London enjoy a day at Waikiki Beach, 1915.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
- It’s crazy to think about how much Waikiki has changed since 1973, when this photograph was taken.
Charles O’Rear/Wikimedia Commons
- Photographed below is Kamehameha V’s summer home at Helumoa, also known as The Royal Grove.
Hawaii State Archives/Wikimedia Commons The site is now home to the Royal Hawaiian Center.
- Taken in 1931, this photograph depicts a United States Post Office, Court House, and Customs House.
National Archives/Wikimedia Commons
- The original Hale Ali’i, home to King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma, on the site that is now home to the Iolani Palace.
Hawaii State Archives/Wikimedia Commons
- The SS Lurline, a Matson passenger ship, approaches Pier 10 in Honolulu Harbor, with the Aloha Tower in the background.
U.S. National Park Service/Wikimedia Commons
- The Hawaii State Capitol sure hasn’t changed much since the 1970s.
Charles O’Rear/Wikimedia Commons
- Honolulu Harbor as photographed in 1973.
Charles O’Rear/Wikimedia Commons
If these photographs don’t make you believe that Honolulu is the best city in America, I’m not sure what will. For a glimpse of what the Hawaiian Islands as a whole looked like throughout history, here are 17 rare vintage photos.
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
Father of JGKlein/Wikimedia Commons
NOAA Photo Library/Wikimedia Commons
Hawaii State Archives/Wikimedia Commons
Tropic~7/Flickr
Hawaii State Archives/Wikimedia Commons
King served as the governor of the Territory of Hawaii from February 1953 to July 1957.
Charles O’Rear/Wikimedia Commons
The site is now home to the Royal Hawaiian Center.
National Archives/Wikimedia Commons
U.S. National Park Service/Wikimedia Commons
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
