The Kilauea Lighthouse began lighting the way for mariners in 1913. It served as a pivotal navigation aid for ships sailing on the Orient run. The historic light station consists of a concrete lighthouse, three field stone keepers’ quarters, a fuel oil shed, cisterns, and a supply landing platform. It is one of the nations most intact historic light stations.
Even in the early years, travelers came to enjoy the area’s scenic beauty and to explore the magnificent light. Today Kilauea Point is one of Kauai’s most visited sites with more than 500,00 visitors a year. The landmark played a prominent role in the life of the nearby sugar plantation town of Kilauea. The lighthouse is a symbol of the town; and the Point is one the island’s best loved places.
Kilauea Point is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. After the light was decommissioned in 1976, the US Fish and Wildlife acquired it in 1985 and currently manages the 31-acre site as part of a 203-acre wildlife refuge. Dedicated in 1913 the Kilauea Lighthouse served as a pivotal navigation aid for ships on the Orient run.
You can help keep the light shining – and leave your lasting imprint at Kilauea Point. Help us restore this precious gem by purchasing a personalized brick. Time and the harsh tropic marine environment have taken their toll on the historic buildings. The result is a site now in critical condition.
Recognizing the local and national value of the light station, the current USFWS administration sought advice from the community on ways to restore and care for the Point’s historic resources.The not-for-profit organization association with the refuge, the Kilauea Point Natural History Association, expanded it’s mission to include historic preservation and established a dedicated Kilauea Point Historic Preservation Fund.
A community-based historic preservation committee was established to undertake the planning, fund-raising, restoration, maintenance, and interpretation of the site (and more volunteers are needed!) Preservation professionals assessed the condition of the resources and prepared a preservation and maintenance plan for the light station. In it, the national experts detail the considerable damage and deterioration and lay out a straight forward approach for preservation and continuing maintenance.
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