History

Hawaiian Timeline

• 1 to 5 million years ago – Hawaiian string of islands rises out of the ocean through volcanic activity. Island of Hawaii is formed by the merging of five volcanic mountains.
• 500–800 AD – Marquesans sail in voyaging canoes to Hawaii, probably landing in the South Point (Ka Lae) area of the Big Island.
• 1100–1200 AD – Tahitians arrive in Hawaii. Some may have sailed to South America and back, bringing the sweet potato.
• 500–1200 AD Marquesans and Tahitians move northward, up the east and west sides of the Big Island.
• 1778–1779 – Captain Cook explores Kauai and the west side of the Big Island. On February 14, Captain Cook killed in a skirmish with natives in Kealakekua Bay.
• 1782 – Kamehameha I begins to unify the Hawaiian Islands.
• 1819 – Whaling ships arrive in Kealakekua Bay. In Lahaina in 1820.
• 1820 – Missionaries arrive in Hawaii.
• 1825 – First sugar and coffee is planted in the Manoa Valley.
• Early 1830s – Mexican cowboys arrive on the Big Island.
• 1848 – Land is divided among kings and chiefs in the Great Mahele land division.
• 1849 – Some commoners are given the right to claim land.
• 1852 – Chinese contract laborers arrive.
• 1872 – Henri Berger arrives from Germany to lead the Royal Hawaiian Band and does so for 40 years. The band continues to this date.
• 1874 – King Kalakaua is elected.
• 1882 – Iolani Palace is completed.
• 1889 – Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson arrives on the yacht Casco. Visits the village of Hookena on the Big Island.
• 1891 – Liliuokalani becomes queen, succeeding King Kalakaua.
• 1894 – Republic of Hawaii is established. Sanford. B. Dole is President.
• 1900 – Hawaii becomes a territory of the United States of America. Sanford B. Dole is sworn in as first governor.
• 1912 – Duke Paoa Kahanamoku gets an Olympic gold medal for the 100-meter freestyle.
• 1927 – Royal Hawaiian Hotel opens. Matson puts the SS Malolo into service.
• 1935 – Pan American Airways’ China Clipper lands in Honolulu on November 23, en route to Manila.
• 1941 – Japanese planes attack Pearl Harbor on December 7.
• 1946 – Tsunamis hit Hawaii following an underwater earthquake in the Aleutian Islands. The town of Hilo suffers major damage and loss of life.
• 1959 – Hawaii becomes the 50^th state. Kilauea Iki erupts with gigantic lava fountains.
• 1960 – Tsunamis again hit the Big Island, significantly damaging the town of Hilo.
• 1976 – Voyaging canoe Hokulea sails from Hawaii to Tahiti.
• 1983 – Kilauea erupts and continues to be active through to the present day.
• Present Day – Tourism is now by far the major economic engine while sugar and pineapple production has decreased markedly with very little of these crops exported.

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