Located just a few miles east of Hawi,
Kapa'au is another quaint Kohala town. In the center of
city, across the street from the public library, is the
original statue of King Kamehameha the Great.
In 1878 this statue was commissioned for
the coronation of King David Kalakaua. The statue was cast
in Paris and put on a ship for Honolulu in 1883. Unfortunately
the ship was lost at sea with its precious cargo.
Another statue was cast and sucessfully sent to Honolulu
to be placed in from of the Judiciary Building. Meanwhile,
the original statue was salvaged and discovered in the
Falklands. It was then shipped to Hawaii and erected in
Kapa'au.
Useful Information:
King Kamehameha Day is celebrated on June 11 in regal
Hawaiian tradition
DIRECTIONS:
Take Highway 270 west from Hawi. Kapa'au is located at Mile
Marker #25.
