United States historic place
| Menehune Fishpond | |
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| Alekoko Fishpond | |
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| Location | On the Hulēʻia River south of Līhuʻe (viewable from lookout on south side of Puhi Road) |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Līhuʻe, Hawaiʻi |
| Coordinates | 21°57′09″N 159°22′31″W / 21.9525°N 159.375278°W / 21.9525; -159.375278 |
| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Architectural style | Hawaiian fishpond |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000677 |
| Added to NRHP | March 14, 1973 |
The ʻAlekoko Fishpond, known locally as the Menehune Fishpond, near Līhuʻe, Hawaiʻi, on the island of Kauaʻi, is a historic Hawaiian fishpond. Also known as Alakoko Fishpond, it has been listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places since 1973.
The pond is bounded by a 900-foot-long wall (270 m) at a large bend in Hulēʻia River. It has been deemed "the most significant fishpond on Kauaʻi, both in Hawaiian legends and folklore and in the eyes Kauaʻi's people today". As the largest fishpond on Kauaʻi, it is estimated to have been constructed in the 15th century, and may be the first brackish-water fishpond in the Hawaiian Islands. Its construction is traditionally attributed to the Menehune, a mythical people said to have inhabited Hawaiʻi before the arrival of the Hawaiians.
It was first listed on the U.S. National Register in 1973; the listing included one contributing site and one contributing structure. In 2021 it was purchased by The Trust for Public Land and conveyed to Mālama Hulēʻia, which has been restoring the land since 2018. Restoration projects have included removing 26 acres (11 ha) of invasive mangrove and rebuilding a rock wall.
References
- ^ "Menehune Fishpond". National Park Service. March 14, 1973. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
- "Draft Compatibility Determination for Right of Access for Mālama Hulēʻia Community Workday" (PDF). United States Fish and Wildlife Service. October 21, 2023. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
- Kirch, Patrick Vinton (1996). "Menehune Fishpond". Legacy of the Landscape: An Illustrated Guide to Hawaiian Archaeological Sites. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. p. 23. ISBN 0-8248-1739-7.
- Fujimoto, Dennis (July 7, 2020). "New life for Alekoko". The Garden Island. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
- ^ Martin, B. Jean (September 29, 1971). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Menehune Fishpond / Alekoko Fishpond". National Park Service. and accompanying two photos from 1973
- Bodon, Sabrina (November 17, 2021). "Alakoko 'Menehune' Fishpond saved; Chan, Zuckerberg make $4 million donation". The Garden Island. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021.
- "Thousands of volunteers help restore 600-year-old Alakoko fishpond outside Līhu'e". Kauai Now. October 22, 2023. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
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- Archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Hawaii
- Farms on the National Register of Historic Places in Hawaii
- Fishponds of Hawaii
- Bodies of water of Kauai
- History of Kauai
- Protected areas of Kauai
- Buildings and structures in Kauai County, Hawaii
- Geography of Kauai County, Hawaii
- National Register of Historic Places in Kauai County, Hawaii
- Western National Register of Historic Places stubs
- Hawaii geography stubs