Columnist Bob Sigall writes the weekly column “Rearview Mirror,” which takes a look back at historic Hawaii through stories, interviews and photos.
Last week I mentioned the Cavalier restaurant and Eagle’s Nest lounge in the Pan Am Building on Kapiolani Boulevard. They were there from 1969 until 1982, but, as is often the case, I heard from many who were involved or touched by the story. Read more
Readers ask me questions every day. Sometimes it’s about a topic I have written about and know well; sometimes it’s about a subject I have never thought of. Read more
Peter Rivera, a reader, sent me a photograph of the great Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella from the 1950s. He was wearing a lei. I wondered what the occasion was. Read more
If you ask people to point to someone who made a big difference in their lives, they will often mention a person who coached them as part of school athletics. Read more
Every now and then I find myself with several short stories that are not large enough to take up a full column on their own. Read more
These companies and organizations are celebrating 2024 anniversaries. Read more
I’ve written Rearview Mirror since April 2010 and this is my 704th column. Read more
Reader Melvin Masuda wrote to me recently. “Long ago, the ‘Dick Tracy’ comic strip featured then-Honolulu Police Chief Dan Liu. Read more
This week I thought I’d share several stories that readers told me in the past few months. Newspapers often have stories about crime, political divisions or problems we are facing. Rearview Mirror tries to balance that out with more lighthearted topics. Read more
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Dennis Ching asked me about teahouses. “I believe there may have been one located near Stream Drive in Nuuanu, mauka of Wyllie Street. Access may have been by Liliha Street or a road off Pali Highway, where Temple Emanu-El is now located. Read more
The Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest symphony west of the Rocky Mountains. It began in 1902 with a newspaper invitation to “Any professional or amateur musician, both vocal and instrumental, of good repute, to become a member of the Honolulu Symphony Society.” Read more
I’ve been conversing with Barry Lundquist about Hardware Hawaii, founded by his father 70 years ago. Read more
Hana is a special place, and some interesting people have been drawn to it. Beatle George Harrison, aviator Charles Lindbergh, entertainers Jim Nabors and Kris Kristofferson, and Sam Pryor, to name a few. Several readers shared stories about some of them. Read more
Two weeks ago I wrote about Duke Kahanamoku’s first year in competitive swimming. In 11 months he went from entering his first swimming contest in August 1911 to winning the gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle swim at the Stockholm Olympics in July 1912. Read more
The Summer Olympics are here, and I love the way the Games often bring out the best in us. It can pluck someone from relative obscurity and transform their life. It did that for Duke Kahanamoku, Hawaii’s first Olympian. Read more
Nearly every day, a reader will ask me a question about something historical. Sometimes I know the answer. Sometimes I don’t and I have to research it a bit, which I love doing. Read more
In June, Jeanie Stowe sent me a question about Hal “Aku” Lewis’ morning radio show. “Back in the mid-1950s, Aku played a song called ‘The Thing,’ sung by Phil Harris. The first verse was: Read more
I was thinking last week that I knew a lot about Barack Obama II, who was born on Oahu in 1961, attended Punahou and became our 44th U.S. president. I knew much less about his father. Read more
My column is usually about one topic, but every now and then, I like to fill it with several short subjects. Today they all revolve around music in one way or another. We’ll start with Frank Sinatra and John F. Kennedy, then spend $2 to go to a KPOI “Million Dollar Party.” Read more
From the 1930s through the 1970s, two retail “variety” stores were very popular in the islands: S.H. Kress and F.W. Woolworth. They were known as five-and-dime stores, as most of the items they sold were inexpensive. Read more
For over 150 years, tourists have been drawn to the active volcanoes on Hawaii island. As far back as 1865, visitors would often take a boat from Oahu to Hilo (a trip that took two to four days), then ride a horse or carriage up to Kilauea Crater (eight to 12 hours) to see one of the great wonders of the world. Read more
