Konawaena Elementary School gives Virtual Field Trip Scavenger Hunt an A+
Kona Historical Society welcomed the entire third grade class of Konawaena Elementary School on a virtual field trip Sept. 23. Public Programs Manager Audrey Blair took the class on a scavenger hunt and tour of our H.N. Greenwell Store Museum.
The H.N. Greenwell Store Museum gives a telling glimpse into life in Kona before the turn of the 20th century and the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi’s place in the global economy. The Society restored this historic general store to approximately 1891. This represents the peak of Henry Nicholas Greenwell’s ranching operations and his mercantile. It is also the year he died.
The H.N. Greenwell Store Museum, as well as the Society’s administrative offices, Portuguese Stone Oven, Kalukalu Pasture, and Native Forest Exhibit, are all located on a 3-acre site in the ahupuaʻa ili known as Kalukalu, in the city of Kealakekua. Roughly 300 acres at Kalukalu was purchased by Henry Nicholas Greenwell in 1852, which was at the time full of native forest and farmland stretching from the coast to the foothills of Mauna Loa. ʻOlelo Hawaii was the predominant language spoken in the area, and agriculture throughout the ahupuaʻa consisted of sweet potatoes, dry land taro and breadfruit.
By the end of the 19th century, Kalukalu became the headquarters of Kona’s largest cattle and sheep ranch. The homestead was surrounded by cattle pens, a blacksmith shop, a saddle house, and carriage houses. As a bustling hub of commerce, Greenwell worked with vendors, farmers, purveyors and customers from the many different cultural groups moving to Kona to make their way. Chinese cooks, Hawaiian sheepherders, Portuguese launderers, and others did business in the general store and shared their languages, foods and values.
Prior to their virtual field trip, the third-graders were given a document with four mystery artifacts that they would find in the museum during the tour. Together, students, their ʻohana and teachers made observations about the artifacts and offered ideas about their uses.
"The students were so creative in their observations," Blair said. "We had some really fun guesses at what our butter churn barrel might be. Some students thought it could have made smoothies back in the 1890s!"
After investigating the artifacts, students made comparisons between the modern and historic versions of each object.
Altogether, Kona Historical Society hosted 49 students, three teachers, and quite a few siblings and parents who tuned in for the virtual field trip.
"It was truly valuable and provided a real-time glimpse into the past that they would not have gotten anywhere else as we study the history of our unique Kona communities," said teacher Pattie Kunitomo. "I can't wait for the time when we can bring them there in-person! The thoughts about past and present provided a great springboard for more wonderings and to reflect on history and the progress made from needs that people recognized."
To learn more about our Virtual Field Trips, go to https://konahistorical.org/field-trips.