Kona Historical Society, historian to reveal true tale of ʻHorrible Suffering at Sea’
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Final installment of Mondays with Maile is Aug. 10
Join Kona Historical Society for the final installment of Mondays with Maile, a virtual talk story sharing Konaʻs unique history beginning at 1 p.m. August 10 on the Societyʻs Facebook Page.
Maile Melrose, a local author and historian, will take us back to the hot August of 1867 as she tells the true tale of “Horrible Suffering at Sea off the Hawai‘i Coast” and when Mr. Rogers built a boat on the sands of Napo`opo`o Beach. He had hoped carrying passengers and cargo up and down the Kona Coast from Kealakekua Bay to Ka`u could be profitable. Unfortunately for him, his high hopes were met with disaster and misfortune. This Kona tale made the Honolulu papers of the time and is found within the Jean Greenwell Library & Archives at Kona Historical Societyʻs Kalukalu Headquarters in Kealakekua.
“What I want my listeners to take away from this story is: Anything is possible!” Melrose said. “We often stare at the deep blue waters of the Pacific Ocean from Kalukalu and think of fun things like the Hawaii International Billfish Tournament or diving with mantas or looking for humpback whales. It is instructive to remember that not all sailing adventures have a happy ending! Life can surprise us at any moment!”
Melrose is one of this year’s honorees for the Historic Hawai‘i Foundation Historic Preservation Honor Awards. A long-time Kona Historical Society supporter and the president of Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden, Melrose has dedicated her life and much of her exceptional work to preserving Kona’s history. Melrose has contributed to our local history through the online publication, “Maile’s Meanderings,” which was created in collaboration with Kona Historical Society and is currently available as a free digital resource on the Society’s website. For years, Melrose has helped the Society with its programs, including guided special tours and events that immerse participants into Kona’s past.
Mondays with Maile is a digital program that Kona Historical Society started in April. A collaboration between Melrose and the Society, this engaging program shares stories and memories of Kona. Melrose also answers viewers’ questions live and often highlights resources found in the Society’s collections. As students, educators and staff head back to the classroom, Kona Historical Society has been reimagining its relationship with schools and our community. The Society’s Programs Team is ending Mondays with Maile to focus on creating more educational programs, including virtual field trips that are free for all Hawai'i schools. Past episodes of Mondays with Maile can be found on the Societyʻs website, https://konahistorical.org/mondays-with-maile.
Kona Historical Society is a community-based, nonprofit organization and long-standing Smithsonian Affiliate that has spent the past four decades collecting, preserving and sharing the history of the Kona districts and their rich cultural heritage within Hawai‘i. For more information, visit www.konahistorical.org.