King Kamehameha's Statue - An Honor To King Kamehameha I
Kamehameha was born on the Hawaiian island of Hawaii in North Kohala. In 1810, at a period of growing western influence, he unified the Hawaiian Islands into a single sovereign monarchy. His renowned fury and power as a warrior were balanced by his diplomatic abilities and compassion for the Hawaiian people.
There are four sculptures of King Kamehameha that were built. Perhaps the most well-known statue is located in front of Aliiolani Hale (across from Iolani Palace) on the island of Oahu, in Downtown Honolulu. This 18-foot bronze monument of Kamehameha, sculpted by Thomas Gould in Florence, is one of Oahu's most photographed sights. This monument is ceremoniously covered with flower lei wreaths on the Friday closest to June 11 (Kamehameha Day) to honor Hawaii's greatest monarch.
The legislature allocated $10,000 for the monument and commissioned it to be created by a Boston artist residing in Florence, Italy. In 1880, the monument was shipped to France to be made in bronze and was destined for 'Iolani Palace. However, the ship that was to carry the monument was lost at sea near Cape Horn. Fortunately, the legislature had insured the monument for $12,000, which enabled the sculptor to swiftly produce another. Later on, the original statue was found and returned to the ship's captain. This original monument finally found its way to the islands, where it now stands neatly in King Kamehameha's birthplace on the Big Island, Kapa'au.
