Columnist Bob Sigall writes the weekly column “Rearview Mirror,” which takes a look back at historic Hawaii through stories, interviews and photos.
In the 1500s, Europeans began sending ships to distant Asian ports for things like spices, tea, silk, cotton, diamonds, pearls and ivory. These traders developed a language so that they could understand each other. Read more
Brodie valued being both straightforward and appreciative, and his actions showed it. Let’s find out about one of Hawaii’s legendary entrepreneurs. Read more
Marketers have promoted Hawaii’s natural beauty and culture for decades: erupting volcanoes, rainbows, luau, surfing, tradewinds, music, hula, aloha shirts and li’dat. Read more
On the Ewa-mauka corner of 1022 Bethel and King streets downtown is a five-story building that Island Insurance occupied until 2024. Across the street, on the Diamond Head side of that corner, was Liberty House, then Macy’s and Walmart, from the 1850s to today. Read more
It’s sometimes the case that when one of my columns runs, readers send me a story or comment that I didn’t know about previously. Often, they are interesting enough to share with others, as a sort if “P.S.” Here are three postscripts to the original stories. Read more
Two weeks ago I wrote about the Moanalua Golf Course and whether aviator Amelia Earhart landed a plane on its third fairway in the 1930s. (I concluded it was probable but not conclusive.) Read more
I have a fondness for interesting names. In the 14 years I’ve written this column, I’ve zeroed in on some curious first names, nicknames, company names and street names. Read more
Every week, I find interesting questions in my inbox. I often learn something while researching them. The first one today deals with Amelia Earhart in Hawaii. Read more
When I was a teenager in the 1960s, bell-bottom pants were popular. I remember the last time I wore them, they had shifted in my mind from looking cool to ridiculous. Read more
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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
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
