A breakthrough moment – 1970s

Various ideas followed through 1970s to establish a commemorative site there. A concrete proposal was created in 1975 to construct visitor facilities that would allow around 200-250 visitors to come at the same time⁵¹¹. An increasingly important role was played by the Kauai Historical Society to preserve the heritage of the fort. KHS was founded in 1914 to work on preservation of Kaua’i County history⁵¹². One of the initiatives taken by its

508 Patrick C. McCoy, Archeological Research at Fort Elizabeth, Waimea, Kauai, Hawaiian Islands, Phase I, Honolulu 1972.

509 De Soto Brown, Bishop Museum Archives, [in:] Pacific Arts, No. 6 (July 1992), pp. 9-12.

510 L. King, Competition, Complicity, and (Potential) Alliance: Native Hawaiian and Asian Immigrant Narratives at the Bishop Museum, [in:] College Literature, Vol. 41, No. 1, Special Issue: Native/Asian Encounters (Winter 2014), pp.

43-65.

511 Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of State Parks, Outdoor Recreation and Historic Sites, Appendix A. Russian Fort. Conceptual Interim Plan for Visitors, [in:] Final Environmental Impact Statement for Russian Fort State Park to prepare archeological research plans, clear the site and construct visitor facilities, Archives of Kauai Historical Society, Honolulu 1975, p. A-2.

512 https://kauaihistoricalsociety.org/history-of-khs/ [access: January 21^st, 2022].

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members was to do something with the ruins of Fort Elizabeth. They cooperated with Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). On March 11^th, 1975, Robert Lear, the president of KHS received a letter from J. M. Souza Jr., a State Park Administrator of DLNR. Souza wrote I am happy to inform you that we have retained the Archeological Research Center Hawaii, on Kauai, to initiate the first phase investigation work for the Russian fort project⁵¹³. Yet, the project didn’t move forward. Another attempt combined with a survey came in 1984. Given the popular interest in the topic, DLNR started also developing a community-based preparations to reconstruction process. This time, local students from Kauai Community College were also invited to join the group⁵¹⁴. As previously, KHS was kept informed. In an undated letter to the new KHS director Eric Moir, the Chairperson and State Historic Preservation Officer Susumu Ono recollected the results of their first meeting on the topic and described the ideas for the second meeting to be held on April 11^th, 1984. Ono wrote at our first meeting, it was pointed out that State Park is requesting community input into our proposed plans for the management and development of the park. Our primary topic of discussion at this meeting will be the interim interpretative plan, including sings and brochures, a scheduling of summer clean-up and research, and the presentation and discussion of several proposals by groclean-ups and individuals for the management of the park. The meeting agenda is attached to the letter.

Point II reads Discussion of the draft format for an orientation shelter, sign, brochure, and trail system proposed for Russian Fort by State Parks⁵¹⁵.

Despite those broad plans, only few ideas were eventually implemented. The people involved managed to manufacture a brochure and to put up signs. A small visitor shelter was also installed in the center of the ruins. The remaining plans were unfulfilled and remain unfulfilled until today. There is no trail system, neither the proper visitor facilities.

Nor are there interpretative activities developed. However, those attempts fueled further interest into Fort Elizabeth. Apart from the heritage meaning another factor came into play.

Media that took yet another interest into it pointed out that this place could also have a

513 A letter from J. M. Souza Jr to Robert Lear, March 11^th, 1975, Archive of Kauai Historical Society.

514 A letter from David Kawate a Dean of Instructions from Kauai Community College to Bonnie Honma, Bud Carter and Bill Kikuchi, February 3^rd, 1984, Archive of Kauai Historical Society.

515 A letter from Susumu Ono to Eric Moir, undated, Archive of Kauai Historical Society.

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potential to attract tourists that come to Hawaii. In March 1984 William LeGro from The Garden Island newspaper poses the question in a very familiar manner: What’s to become of Ft. Liz? He emphasizes the negative impact of ruined fort onto Kaua’i’s visitors: “What fort?” tourists ask as they stumble through the weeds, and rubble in the 17-year-old ruins…⁵¹⁶.

The survey prepared in 1984 by an experienced archeologist from the State Parks Martha Yent provides with the first complex description of the site. Park overview: The 17.3 acre parcel encompassing Russian Fort Elizabeth was acquired by the State of Hawaii in 1972 for the development of a historical park. The site is located on the outskirts of Waimea town along Kaumualii Highway on the eastern side of the mouth of the Waimea River. The site was acquired for its scientific, interpretative, cultural and historical values which were also recognized in 1966 when Russian Fort Elizabeth was designed a National Historic Landmark. The ruins of Russian Fort Elizabeth illustrate a period of history when international rivalry for influence in Hawaii affected the island’s political system. There were three Russian forts partially built on Kauai in the short time period of 1815-1817 still visible and intact. Park facilitates include a parking and a comfort station which were built in 1976 and interpretation is currently limited to one signboard at the fort entry⁵¹⁷. It’s worth to note the narrative which is presented in this overview. Although it is mentioned that the forts were partially built there is no information about the contribution of Hawaiian people. This description focuses primarily on Russian character of the site, which was a general narrative in the 20^th century⁵¹⁸. However, this will change with time.

Among 3 park goals listed by Martha Yent there is one directly related to the commemorative practices and memory politics in general. It reads Presentation of the historic site to the park visitor in such a manner that the significance and history of the site are understood and appreciated. To accomplish this goal requires research and the

516 W. LeGro, What’s to become of Ft. Liz?, The Garden Island, v. 7-A, March 12^th, 1984, p.

517 M. Yent, Management and development plans. Russian Fort Elizabeth State Historical Park. Waimea, Kauai, Hawaii, prepared for: Department of Land and Natural Resources. Division of State Parks. Outdoor Recreation, and Historic Sites, 1984, p. 1.

518 For the general debate on the shifting perception of heritage see: G. J. Ashworth, B. J. Graham and J. E. Tunbridge, Pluralising Pasts: Heritage, Identity and Place in Multicultural Societies, London 2007; J. E. Tumbridge, Whose heritage to conserve? Cross-cultural reflections on political dominance and urban heritage conservation, [in:] The Canadian Geographer / Le Géographe canadien, vol. 28, 2008, pp. 171 – 180.

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development of an effective interpretive program⁵¹⁹. Therefore, since 1984 Russian Fort Elizabeth has been part of the official commemorative agenda and was given an importance as such a place of memory. The significance and history of the place was emphasized.