Kaimukī Print for the Historic Hawai’i Foundation

ILLUSTRATION

Historic Hawai’i Foundation

While I tend to stick to mountains and beaches, I dove into a piece of town that is certainly worthy of every inch of nostalgia I could fit into it. I designed this print in collaboration with the Historic Hawaii Foundation. It was fascinating to look through 100 year-old photos and learn about the the town's buildings, signage, and place in Honolulu history.

Kaimukī is a classic early twentieth century neighborhood on the Koko Head side of downtown Honolulu. Its name means ‘tī oven’, a reference to the legend of the Menehune cooking tī roots in the area. A place where ostriches once roamed wild over the land when it was King Kalākaua’s farm in the 19th century. Today, it is a quaint neighborhood filled with small shops, locally-owned eateries, and it's very own brand of charm. 

For this print, I wanted to capture the diverse architecture, like the Spanish-style fire station, mid-century modern look of the Superette and Art Deco feel of the Queen Theatre. Iconic views of Palolo and the Koʻolau Mountains round out this nostalgic look at the "Top of the Hill Town'.

Together with the Historic Hawai’i Foundation, we launched the print at a special walking tour of the area that ended at one of Kaimukī's best restaurants, Mud Hen Water. If you'd like to purchase the print, you can do so here or by visiting the Kaimukī Superette. 

Nick Kuchar with chef, owner of Mud Hen Water, Ed Kenney courtesy of the Historic Hawai’i Foundation