Centuries ago, Nuʻuanu Valley was the principle valley of Honolulu ahupua‘a (a Hawaiian land division) thriving with wetland kalo, the food staple for Hawai‘i, among ‘ulu (breadfruit), ‘uala (sweet potato)  and many other vegetation. It is a place of remarkable diversity rich in the history of the Hawaiian monarchy and agriculture.  

In order to irrigate their crops, Hawaiians built an elaborate system of ditches, called  ‘auwai, that diverted water from the nearby Nu‘uanu Stream, passing through the lo‘i (kalo beds) and then returned it back to the stream.

King Kamehameha the Great tended his lo‘i within this valley, as well as the descending royalty there after.  The Battle of Nu‘uanu in 1795 wrecked areas of the ‘auwai and King Kamehameha III appointed Abnar Kuho‘oheiheipahu Pākī to rebuild it.  Utilizing a workforce of nearly 700 men furnished by the chiefs and other landowners, it took three days to complete.

‘Auwai O Nu‘uanu, which used to be referred to as the “Pākī ‘Auwai”, was constructed to carry water from Luakaha, at the upper reaches of today’s Nu‘uanu Pali Drive, to kalo fields below Wyllie Street.

Nu‘uanu is fortunate to still have flowing water through the ʻauwai system.  However, the loʻi kalo is long gone.

By the end of the 19th century, Honolulu’s population was 39,300 people. As a result of overcrowding and unsanitary living conditions, as well as consequences of the 1900 plague and Chinatown fire, residents began moving away from the city core and into the surrounding valleys to escape from the density and seek quiet and serene rural areas. 

The introduction of public transportation systems and construction of new roads made accessibility between the valleys and the city easier. Trolleys linked Waikiki to Manoa Valley and another from town, along Nu‘uanu Street, travelled into Nu‘uanu Valley. In 1897, plans for the construction of Pali Road were initiated connecting downtown Honolulu via Nu‘uanu Street with the windward side of the island. 

As the turn of the 20th century neared, additional infrastructure and utilities stretched beyond the urban core. With two reservoirs in place in Nu‘uanu Valley, a third one was under construction by 1890 and plans for a fourth reservoir were underway after the 1891 drought, ultimately commencing construction in 1905. 

The development of improved roads and transportation allowed for greater accessibility into Nu‘uanu Valley, and along with the development of water systems, these advances supported the lifestyles of those living in the valley area and spurred additional non-agricultural development. 

On the northern side of Nu‘uanu Street, O‘ahu Country Club, the island’s oldest private country club, was founded in 1906 with its golf course officially opening in 1907. In 1849, King Kamehameha III conveyed fee title of the land to T.C.B. Rooke and in 1905 a group of men led by Wade Warren Thayer obtained a long term lease from Rooke; ultimately purchasing the property in 1910. 

On the southern side of Nu‘uanu Street, improvements in the valley supported development of one of Oahu’s early residential subdivisions outside the city center: Dowsett Tract. 

Dowsett Tract was named after the family that once owned the land. James Isaac Dowsett was born in Honolulu to Samuel James Dowsett and Mary Bishop Dowsett (both from Kent, England) in December 1829. Following James Dowsett’s death in 1899, his heirs formed The Dowsett Co., Ltd. to help manage his extensive Hawai‘i property, including the Dowsett Tract lands. 

The Dowsett Tract was 273 acres of land in Nu‘uanu Valley, not far above Queen Emma Summer Palace and Pu‘iwa Street. On October 4, 1912, The Dowsett Company subdivided the property into two lots. Four years later, the property was further subdivided into 57 lots. 

The subdivision was accessed from Nu‘uanu Avenue via Dowsett Avenue, which was a loop road on the periphery of the subdivision, and Edward Street (now Wood Street). Alika Avenue was an interior road perpendicular to Edward Street. The street layout preserved some ‘auwai segments that run through the development, thereby maintaining flow to the many lo’i that still existed downstream. 

Hawaiian Trust, the sales agent for The Dowsett Co., Ltd., marketed the lots to the upper-middle class. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin advertisements in 1917 promoted the uniqueness of the neighborhood, its elevation and coolness, adjacency to the stream, and proximity to Honolulu’s business district. The ads also emphasized the “asphalt covered concrete streets, concrete sidewalks, curbs and gutters; water and gas to every lot, electricity and telephone at the edge of the tract ready for connections; and building restrictions that provide for homes of beauty and refinement.” 

Near the turn of the twentieth century, agricultural land in Nuʻuanu Valley began to give way to residential use.  The kalo fields slowly diminished with the last ones succumbing to housing development in the 1950’s.  During the transition from agriculture to housing, regular maintenance for the ʻauwai was adopted by the Board of Water Supply. Maintenance activity ceased in 1978 and the responsibility of the upkeep fell to the individual landowners. 

Out of the 14 original ‘auwai, there are now about eight that are either flowing or can be repaired. Only four of these eight are known to be flowing consistently.  The four 'auwai that are actively flowing are Puiwa, Lapalapake'a, Pahoa, and Pahoa Li'ili'i.

Turnover of residents in the neighborhood throughout the years have not been advised on what these intricate water systems are and how to care for them.  Many of the ‘auwai have been demolished, filled in, and misused due to this unknowing.  

Lack of regular maintenance is the reason we are now facing issues with the waterways. Accumulation of debris, deteriorating water quality, areas prone to blockage, and improper diversion of water are current 'auwai system problems.

Source:  “Auwai of Nuuanu Valley (2008).” Historic Hawaii Foundation, 17 Nov. 2016, historichawaii.org/2014/03/03/auwai-of-nuuanu-valley-2008/.

Fun Fact

The Nu’uanu stream, about 6 kilometers northeast of ʻIolani Palace, fed the first electric light station that powered Honolulu’s streetlights using hydroelectric power.

Source: https://spectrum.ieee.org/edison-and-the-king-how-hawaii-became-electrified