HONOLULU (KHON2) – In the ahupuaʻa of Waikiki, which lies in the moku of Kona here on Oʻahu, stands the busy roadway into and through Waikīkī.
Get Hawaii’s latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You
We are speaking of Kalākaua Ave.
David Kalākaua was Hawaiʻi’s last male monarch who served as King to the Hawaiian Kingdom for nearly 17 years.
Prior to the 20 th century, Waikīkī Road was the name of the roadway that branched off King Street and passed through taro patches into Waikīkī.
In 1889, mule-drawn cars began carrying passengers from Honolulu into Waikīkī via Waikīkī Road for only ten cents.
By 1903, they were replaced with electric cars and in 1905, the road was renamed Kalākaua Avenue in honor of the King.
As time progressed and the popularity of Waikīkī grew, so did the construction to protect and evolve the thoroughfare.
Like many other Hawaiian rulers throughout history, King Kalākaua owned land in Waikīkī and had his own estate.