The H.N. Greenwell Store was an important focal point of the Kona community in the late nineteenth century. The store museum provides a fascinating glimpse into what life was like in 1890s Hawai’i and is well-worth a visit.
The Kona Historical Society runs the H.N. Greenwell Store Museum which is located right beside Greenwell Farms. The store was originally built in 1870 and sold a variety of goods including fish, soap, leather, farming supplies, coffee beans and fruit. The store also served as the local post office, pharmacy, bank and general meeting place for those in the relatively isolated South Kona district.
The Greenwell Homestead
Beside the store was the Greenwell Homestead. Henry Nicholas Greenwell built the two-story home in 1850. Greenwell arrived in Hawaii in 1850 where he bought land in Kalukalu. He grew coffee, sold hides of goat and cattle, and produced butter which was shipped to the mainland. Today only the ruins of his house remain.
Constructing the Greenwell’s house presented a number of challenges. Slate was imported for the roof while lava rock was sourced locally for the walls. A considerable effort was required to bring the rock to the building site, most likely using a Hawaiian sled. Wood used as part of the internal structure of the house was shipped over from the West Coast. Wood used for the furniture inside the home was made from either koa or ‘ohi’a found in the island’s forests.
Fresh water sources in the Kona area were scarce and difficult to access. The Greenwell’s collected rainwater using the run-off from the slate roofs and storing the water in underground cisterns next to the house. Today you can see the remains of the cisterns (see photo below).
The Store Museum
The store was a community hub and was run by Henry Greenwell’s wife Elizabeth Caroline Greenwell when he was away. The store was also the central office for the ranching operation that the Greenwell’s developed on thousands of surrounding acres that formed his enormous landholding.
The store is one of the oldest buildings in Hawai’i. Restoration of the building first began in 2006. Original lime mortar was replaced with modern materials and the shutters were repainted. The attic was also structurally reinforced.
In order to recreate the store as authentically as possible Greenwell’s diaries were consulted and the original inventory list of what he ordered was found in the Bishop Museum. Products were then reproduced to match those on the list.
Entry fee is a donation ($5 per person is recommended) and the museum is only open Mondays and Thursdays from 10am-2pm. The coffee farm is located right next door (Greenwell Farms). They offer great tours and free tastings.
When and where?
H.N. Greenwell Store Museum. Mondays and Thursdays only, 10am – 2pm.
81-6551 Mamalahoa Highway, Kealakekua, HI
Author: Angus Meek
