Protecting Sense of Place:Historic Preservation in ‘Ewa Villages

Horng-Wei ChenNovember, 2011

Outline

Then and Now of Historic Preservation

Building a Place-Based Preservation Vision

The Place That Was ‘Ewa Villages Preserving ‘Ewa Villages

Research Questions

What makes a property or a site significant and thus worthy of preservation? Who decides this? And for whom should such a property or site be preserved?

What made ‘Ewa Villages worth saving? How was preservation done in ‘Ewa Villages?

Then and Now of Historic Preservation

Early Preservation Projectsin the US and Hawai‘i Emphasis on associative history

relating to national identity formation

Private sponsorship, such as Mount Vernon Lady’s Association, Daughters of Hawai‘i, and John D. Rockefeller

Independence Hall, PA

Mount Vernon, VA

Queen Emma Summer Palace, HI190

01813

1853 191

5 ColonialWilliamsburg, VA

1920s

Broadening of Preservation Focuses Architectural aesthetics becoming a

criteria in historic preservation near 20th century

Federal government started entering into the field of preservation

From single historic buildings to entire historic district, using zoning regulations190

0

Charleston Historic District, SC

1931Colonial

Williamsburg, VA

1920s

Philadelphia Centennial Exposition

1876

Paul Revere House, MA

1905 Antiquities

Act

1906 191

6

National Park Service 193

5Historic Sites Act

Postwar and Current Situations of Historic Preservation

Responding to government mega-projects, such as urban renewal and interstate highway

National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1949

National Historic Preservation Act, 1966 Section 106 Review Advisory Council on Historic Preservation National Register of Historic Places State Historic Preservation Offices

Challenges of Historic Preservation Lack of community involvement

Architectural standards and historic significance vs. neighborhood ambiance and olden day’s anecdotes

Indifference and lack of political will Indifference regarding local history and

disinterest in preservation Rigid/irrelevant preservation

regulations

Building a Place-Based Preservation Vision

Experiencing Place: Phenomenological Approach Notable scholars: Edward Relph and

Yi-Fu Tuan Key to the approach: finding the

essence behind the human phenomenon, place

“The essence of place lies in the largely unselfconscious intentionality that defines places as profound centers of human existence.” (Relph, 1976, p. 43)

Experiencing Place: Phenomenological Approach The increased placelessness, which

is a weakening of place identities, causes people to have a hard time developing authentic connections with places; therefore… Counter homogenizing forces that cause

the destruction of unique local landscapes

Cultivate people’s identification with and care for places, developing an authentic sense of place

Critiquing Place Singularity: Constructionist Approach Notable scholars: David Harvey and

Doreen Massey Key to the approach: identifying the

interacting social processes, such as capital, race, class, and gender, behind the social construct, place

The meaning/definition of a place depends on one’s position of observation; places are thus “contested terrain of competing definitions”

Critiquing Place Singularity: Constructionist Approach The powerful and resourceful few

impose their interpretations and imaginations upon places while the rest has little or no control over their places; therefore… Empower communities to tell their own

stories of their places so different voices can be heard

Align place-construction visions and strategies with community concerns

Place as Lived Space

The Place That Was ‘Ewa Villages

Location and Extent of EPC Land

Renton Village

Tenney Village

Varona Village

Villages Houses

Houses in the historic villages are single-walled, wood-framed construction

Foundation posts on concrete blocks raising floor above ground in case of flood

Entry stoop or lanai, sliding or hung windows, and simple gable or hip roof

Exterior color restricted to white, off white, rust, red slate, gray, and green

Important Buildings Plantation Management Office (1935)

Designed by architect Hart Wood Featuring Hawaiian style roof

‘Ewa Shopping Basket (1935) Designed by architect William Furer Now the Friendship Youth Center

Plantation Manager’s House (1925) A two-story, Colonial Revival house Currently unoccupied and in a state of disrepair

Mill Buildings (1890s – 1950s) The mill was demolished in 1985

The Conceived ‘Ewa Villages Development of ‘Ewa Villages:

Planter’s Perspective Ethnic and Labor Relation: Worker’s

Perspective Life Stories around the Villages:

Resident’s Perspective

Development of ‘Ewa Villages: Planter’s Perspective Campbell’s artesian wells and Dillingham’s

rail line made sugar planting possible in ‘Ewa ‘Ewa Plantation Company (EPC) was founded

in 1890, and W.J. Lowrie was the first plantation manager.

Lowrie led the company through the very difficult beginning, marked by mechanical problems affecting sugar yield and fluctuated sugar prices due to the overthrow of the Kingdom.

Barracks at ‘Ewa Plantation

Development of ‘Ewa Villages: Planter’s Perspective George Renton, Sr. became manager in 1899. In 1902, Renton installed a new mill, and the

same year EPC was proclaimed the most productive sugar plantation in the world.

He also advocated importing married workers instead of single men, so the workforce would be more stable.

In 1906, EPC was one of the first plantations to build houses on separate lots for workers with family.

Development of ‘Ewa Villages: Planter’s Perspective George Renton, Jr. succeeded as the third

plantation manager in 1921. He continued his father’s legacy and

improved the living condition in ‘Ewa Villages, by building public facilities such as a new administration building, a new store, a new hospital, and a sport and recreation facility, Tenney Center.

By the end of 1929, the plantation was recorded to have a residential population of nearly 5,000.

Ethnic and Labor Relation: Worker’s Perspective The divide-and-rule policy of worker

segregation by nationality to prevent large union strike. The eight villages were ethnically-homogeneous

camps. Ex. Fernandez Village and Varona Village were Filipino camps; Tenney Village was “Japanese Camp”; Renton Village was nicknamed “Haole Camp”.

George Renton, Sr. stated, “If immigrants of various nationalities would come in until there are sufficient of them in the country to offset any one nationality, we would be better off”

Ethnic and Labor Relation: Worker’s Perspective Surplus labors were imported as strikebreakers.

After the 1909 Japanese strike, Filipino workers were imported to dilute the dominance of Japanese workers.

Dependence on the plantation system was used to control workers. Perquisites that could only be spent in the plantation

store as part of the paycheck Plantation operated housing, hospital, and school During the 1920 strike, most of the Japanese

workers in ‘Ewa Plantation were evicted

Ethnic and Labor Relation: Worker’s Perspective The labor movements played a critical role

in the improvement of living condition of plantation workers. The hosing and public facility improvement by

Renton, Jr. was a response to the 1920 strike. After the 1946 sugar strike, worker housing was

no longer a perquisite, but it became rental. Homeownership became achievable since then,

as plantation management agreed to a pay raise for the first time.

Life Stories around the Villages: Resident’s Perspective

Memories and stories of residents who grew up in ‘Ewa Villages but not necessarily worked in the plantation, a view of worker descendants

Since people who share this perspective spent their childhood in the Villages, they tend to have the strongest emotional attachment to the place and thus are the most enthusiastic in preservation efforts.

Seemingly trivial in its historic value, it relates well to former and current residents. Most of the submissions to FFE newsletter are of this perspective.

Life Stories around the Villages: Resident’s Perspective

‘Ewa hospital, doctors, and nurses ‘Ewa School and the many events, such

as May Day picnic at DPD (Paradise Cove) Harvest time in summer with bustling

machinery all day ‘Ewa Carnival with variety of ethnic food

and fun activities Annual lei-draping of the Lincoln statue in

‘Ewa School Sporting events and religious gatherings

Train Ride to DPD, 1925

Community-based Preservation Efforts Friends For ‘Ewa (FFE) was founded in late

1980s by a few preservationists Its first community meeting in April 1989

successfully jumpstarted the preservation works among ‘Ewa residents. Petition letters stopped the City’s road-

widening plan The first Clean-up Day event brought the

community together and demonstrated care for the Villages

Preservation by Friends For ‘Ewa Subsequent FFE efforts include:

A survey gathering community concerns ‘Ewa Improvement Project: tree-planting, removing

abandoned vehicles, and another clean-up day Monthly newsletter communicating FFE activities

and sharing memories/stories/histories of old ‘Ewa Neighborhood Watch program, responding to

concerns over gang activities Garnering supports from influential figures Providing guided tours for interested people Hosting the EPC centennial celebration, August 1990

Government-led Revitalization Project To avoid the complete displacement

of residents in ‘Ewa Villages, the City and County condemned about 600 acres of the ‘Ewa land from Campbell Estate in 1993

The ‘Ewa Villages Revitalization Project was initially proposed as an affordable housing project, and preservation principles were added as a result of advocacy and community activism by FFE

‘Ewa Villages Revitalization Project

Rehabilitation Works in Revitalization Project Administered by ‘Ewa Villages Nonprofit

Development Corporation Batch rotation rehabilitation schedule New wiring and plumbing, reroofing with

historic materials Boards, windows, and doors were repaired

when necessary Exterior paints using historic color scheme Central culvert on streets to maintain

narrower street width and avoid modern design features

TOR & Design Issues Existing residents, or tenants of record (TOR),

were given loan subsidy and purchase priority for the rehabilitated and the new in-fill houses.

Unwilling to grant Special Design District status to ‘Ewa Villages, the City opted to control physical design in the Villages with a Conditions, Covenants and Restrictions (CC&Rs) scheme

‘Ewa Villages Homeowners’ Association administers the design guideline review process, which is overseen by the State Historic Preservation Division when exterior changes are proposed in the historic core area

Some Project Outcomes Plantation town

historic characters maintained

By 1999, 31% of TOR obtained homeownership within ‘Ewa Villages, while half of the residents remained as renters.

Golf Course removed Villages from flood zone

By 1999, 199 houses and lots remained unsold due to housing market plummet

Financial deficit resulted in issuance of more ($43.5 million) municipal bonds in 1998

Housing official fraud, convicted of stealing $5.8 million

City government sued for construction and rehabilitation defects

Preserving ‘Ewa Villages

Current Situation ‘Ewa Villages is on the State Register of Historic

Places, and has National Register eligibility Recognized as historic and cultural resources in

current revision of ‘Ewa Development Plan ‘Ewa Villages Master Plan for the Revitalization

Project will soon be updated Department of Housing and Community

Development (DHCD) dissolved in 1998, and project responsibilities distributed to 11 City departments

Old mill site cleared in 2002, and construction of new gym and other community park facilities is ongoing.

Place-based Preservation Vision

ProtectingSense of Place

at ‘Ewa Villages

Preservation Strategies

Design Center• Non-profit

organization; partnership with the City in start-up

• Maintaining houses and landscape within ‘Ewa Villages

• Supervising rehabilitation work when Revitalization Project resumes

Preservation Shop• Collecting

historic documents and old photos for local culture/history research

• Conducting educational events such as workshop and guided tours

• Operating gift shop selling related items

Community Activities

• Hosting annual preservation weekend

• Continuing clean-up days and neighborhood watch program

• Reinstating community activities such as ‘Ewa Carnival

Mahalo for your attention!