LIHU‘E — The Kilauea Point Lighthouse on Kaua‘i’s North Shore will soon be renamed in honor of the late Sen. Daniel Inouye. Inouye was a key supporter of the establishment of Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge in 1985, as well
LIHU‘E — The Kilauea Point Lighthouse on Kaua‘i’s North Shore will soon be renamed in honor of the late Sen. Daniel Inouye.
Inouye was a key supporter of the establishment of Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge in 1985, as well as a proponent of the lighthouse’s ongoing restoration.
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar’s official announcement came Tuesday, recognizing Inouye’s distinguished career and longtime support of conservation in Hawai‘i, in particular at the KPNWR, according to a release from the U.S. Department of the Interior.
A formal dedication ceremony for the Daniel K. Inouye Kilauea Point Lighthouse will be held at the lighthouse May 4.
Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. said renaming the landmark after Inouye is a “fitting tribute.”
“Although he was best-known as a war hero and tireless supporter of the military, he was also a champion of the environment, education and historic preservation,” he said. “We are looking forward to the upcoming centennial celebration at the lighthouse and celebrating the renaming of this spectacular landmark.”
Yoshito L’Hote, president of the Kilauea Neighborhood Association, said he recognizes Tuesday’s announcement to rename the lighthouse as a “privilege” and an “honor.”
“(Inouye) has been crucial in the restoration (campaign) and it’s really too bad that he’s not here to be part of the centennial celebration,” he said.
The lighthouse is currently closed to the public while being restored to its original condition. Work is scheduled to be completed in time for the centennial celebration next month.
L‘Hote said that while a portion of the community has voiced its opposition to renaming the lighthouse, he is “neither hot nor cold” about Tuesday’s decision.
“The Kilauea lighthouse is a jewel in Kilauea, but also in the Pacific, and Mr. Inouye has worked relentlessly to make sure that site is recognized and funded,” he said.
On Tuesday, Salazar described Inouye as “an American hero,” both for his courage on the battlefield during World War II as well as his long and distinguished career representing the Hawaiian people in the U.S. Senate.
Inouye received the Congressional Medal of Honor — the nation’s top military honor — for his bravery charging a series of machine gun nests in San Terenzo, Italy, which cost him his right arm. In 1959, he became the nation’s first Japanese-American congressman and was later elected to the U.S. Senate, eventually becoming the second longest-serving senator in American history.
“His contribution to the American people will be forever memorialized on the lighthouse that stands as a monument to Hawai‘i’s colorful past,” Salazar said. “His legacy will continue to shine a light on the preservation and conservation of the island’s wildlife and cultural heritage.”
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe said Inouye served as “a beacon of hope for conservation issues” and that renaming the lighthouse in his name is “befitting of his lifelong work and contribution to the people of Hawai‘i and the conservation community.”
Inouye’s wife Irene said her husband placed a high priority on preserving pristine lands throughout Hawai‘i for future generations.
“Dan and I visited the Kilauea Point Lighthouse a few years ago and were taken by the overwhelming community support for its preservation. … Dan’s grandparents arrived on the island of Kaua‘i at the turn of the 1900s to begin a new life,” she said in a statement. “It is most fitting that the Department of the Interior’s site, which will bear his name, is on the island where it all began.”
U.S. Senator Brian Schatz applauded Salazar and President Obama’s administration for paying tribute to Inouye, who he described as a “giant” in the U.S. Senate and someone “truly committed to conservation.”
“Dan Inouye dedicated his life to public service and was committed to ensuring the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge had the resources it needed to guarantee its preservation,” he said.
U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa described Inouye as a “humble leader” who understood the importance of the lighthouse and the integral role it played in Hawai‘i’s history.
“I am so very pleased that we will honor his legacy by renaming this iconic landmark. … We can never repay him for all he did for Hawai‘i or his service to our nation, but I believe this is a fitting tribute to our beloved senator,” she said.
Located two miles north of Kilauea, the KPNWR includes 203 acres of protected land and is one of the few Hawaiian refuges open to the public, attracting more than 500,000 visitors each year.
Dedicated in 1913, the Kilauea Point Lighthouse guided ships and boats along Kaua‘i’s rugged North Shore for 63 before being deactivated by the Coast Guard in 1976. It was placed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
• Chris D’Angelo, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-0441 or lifestyle@thegardenisland.com.
