Fort Kamehameha was the largest US army base on the Hawaii coast. It was built in 1916 just at the shore of Honolulu Beach, Fort Kamehameha was made up of more than seven batteries that offered security to Pearl Harbor. The Fort was abandoned after WWII and is currently a historic site and park.

Rise of Fort Kamehameha

It was originally called Fort Upton or locally as “Queen Emma Military Reservation”, Fort Kamehameha was established in 1916 when president Roosevelt ordered the establishment of a coastal defense to protect and guard Honolulu beaches. The land or site which was used by the military as a burial site was acquired officially after the president’s order and construction of the fort began. Construction was done in phases where battery Sulfridge was the first fort to be built while battery Closson was the last. A total of eight batteries were spread all through the extensive property. The fort’s name was changed from Upton to Kamehameha in honor of the former king of Hawaii. The military base with its many batteries was a major help during the world war.

Fall of the fort 

Major damages were impacted on the fort by World War II which forced the US of defense to decommission the fort. It was abandoned and troops were sent to other functional forts that were still in the state. Local residents turned the unused fort into homes as several of them occupied the former homesteads left by the troops. The first two batteries, Selfridge and Jackson, were turned into the Air National Guard base shortly after the desertion. The last battery which had the best lawns was turned into a golf course. To the west, a wastewater treatment plant and Hickam Air Force base are located.

Fort Kamehameha Historic Park

The site and the surrounding properties were listed on the national register of historic places and are currently a park. Residents who occupied the fort were all forced out of the property leaving several abandoned homes at the site. Mother nature has caused major destruction to the fort’s structures rendering most of them unrestorable. Those that could be restored were restored and replicas of those that collapsed have been erected. By 2009, Fort Kamehameha was all over the news, with its existence being threatened by demolition. This came about due to its close proximity to Honolulu International Airport. Many fears of an aviation accident might be caused by the buildings’ blocked view. However, after several reconsiderations, the fort was given a second chance to live when the state disapproved of the demolition. Currently, the fort is still hanging on to life allowing visits and tours to whoever is interested.