Tour King Kamehameha Statue

The original piece currently stands in North Kohala, near the monarch’s birthplace, and is recognized as the most photographed landmarks in Oahu. It was made by  Thomas R. Gould, a Boston-native sculptor, ordered in commemoration of the 100th year anniversary of Captain Cook’s arrival in the archipelago. It’s quite controversial among historians as it wasn’t made in the likeness of the Polynesian royalty. Instead, it was believed to have a European likeness as the sculptor was studying in Italy at the time of its creation.

During delivery, the ship that carried the original statue got into a shipwreck. The statue was thought to be lost but luckily it was insured so another one was commissioned. However, the original statue was recovered by Falkland Islanders so it was still recovered even before the second statue was made. They still pushed through with the second statue which now stands in front of the Aliʻiolani Hale, the home of the Hawaii State Supreme Court. This is considered as the most recognized King Kamehameha Statue.

A third replica was commissioned in 1969 and it was erected in the United States Capitol by the Father Damien Statue. Another stands in the Big Island, overlooking the Hilo Bay in the Wailoa River State Recreation Area.

Oahu Private Tours is a great way to experience Honolulu. Book your Honolulu tours today!