Kaua‘i is visually stunning and rich in history from ancient to modern times. Stone works and taro terraces tell its history and you’ll also find it in letters among missionary families, in milling stones saved from early sugar plantation days and in the first-hand accounts of Kauaians who recall defensive barbed-wire fences strung on beaches during World War II.

View the Kauai Historical Society online library catalog.

Image from a painting by G. Ropes entitled - Cleopatra's Barge of Salem - 1818. From the Peabody Essex Museum.

You can find this and more at the Kaua‘i Historical Society. Please join us on our journey to collect and preserve the unique history of Kaua‘i. At the Kaua‘i Historical Society, we’re bringing history to life!

Kaua‘i Historical Society
P.O. Box 1778, Lihu‘e, HI 96766
Telephone: (808) 245-3373
Fax: (808) 245-8693
Email: info@kauaihistoricalsociety.org

Our Physical address is:  
Historic County Building 
4396 Rice Street
Suite 101
Lihue, HI 96766

Hours of Operation
Monday-Friday, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm. Research by appointment only.

Note: The Hawaiian language uses two special diacritical marks. The kahako ('macron' consisting of a horizontal line over the vowel) lengthens the pronunciation of the vowel on which it is placed. The 'okina (glottal stop, or hamza) signifies a clean break between two vowels. As precise Hawaiian spellings have no counterpart in HTML, we have taken liberties with the Hawaiian diacritical marks to enable the maximum number of users to enjoy the site. The single open quote (') will be used for the 'okina, and the macron will not be used. For those who want more information on the Hawaiian alphabet, language and pronunciation, visit this site or call the Kaua‘i Historical Society for more information.