Columnist Bob Sigall writes the weekly column “Rearview Mirror,” which takes a look back at historic Hawaii through stories, interviews and photos.
A few months ago I wrote about former judge James Seishiro Burns and how he came to have a Japanese middle name. Burns was a son of Gov. John A. Burns. He married TV journalist Emme Tomimbang. Read more
It’s hard for many of my friends to believe it’s already 2025. Some tell me they long for the “good old days.” Were things better then? Through the magic of this column, let’s jump into my Way Back machine and travel to 1925. What was Hawaii like 100 years ago? Let’s see. Read more
If you watch the local television news today, you’ll see as many female reporters as male. But that wasn’t always the case. TV news reporters were all men until one woman broke through the glass ceiling in 1969. Her name is Linda Coble. Read more
This week and next, columnist Bob Sigall is presenting his annual Rearview Mirror Awards for those who made, preserved or shared Hawaii’s history. Read more
The Barefoot Bar was one of the most popular places in town. “You couldn’t get in unless you knew someone,” recalls Miyuki Hruby, who started working with Spencecliff in 1944. “There was always a big line.” Read more
This year in Rearview Mirror, we learned about a pilot who flew his plane under a Kauai bridge, we looked into the writing of the song “Mr. Sun Cho Lee,” by Bob Magoon and the Beamer brothers, and we learned about a buoy off Waikiki that was painted pink in protest. Read more
Every December, I review the previous 11 months and write a two-part series of things I learned during the year. Writing this column is a process of discovery for me that I thoroughly enjoy. Here are some highlights. Read more
I was looking for information on a Japanese submarine between Maui and the Big Island during World War II. I found an article about it written by journalism professor and writer Peter von Buol. Read more
The oldest school on Oahu, founded in 1833, was on that site until 10 years ago. Today it’s occupied by a middle school and a park. Where is it? That’s what we’ll explore today. Read more
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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
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
