Mapping the Lands & Waters of Hawai‘i: Place and the Hawaiian Government Survey

The Hawaiian Historical Society invites its members and friends to Mapping the Lands & Waters of Hawai‘i: Place and the Hawaiian Government Survey. The program will take place on Thursday, May 19, 2005, at 7:30 p.m. at the Mission Memorial Auditorium, 550 South King Street, Honolulu. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. The presentation is free and open to the public.

The program will feature a Powerpoint presentation by author Gary L. Fitzpatrick, an authority on Hawai‘i maps.

On October 30, 2004, Hamilton Library at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa sustained extensive damage to its map collection from flooding. Since then, the public has been asking questions such as why do these old maps matter and can't they be replaced? Mr. Fitzpatrick will answer these and other Hawai‘i mapping questions in this timely program. He will discuss the history of the mapping of Hawai‘i and the importance of maps in understanding and preserving our heritage. The next step in making these materials and other valuable maps available to other institutions and the public is to digitize them. The Hawaiian Historical Society supports Mr. Fitzpatrick's efforts in implementing a statewide map digitization program.

The Society's annual business meeting to present the president's report for 2004–2005 and to elect new trustees and the president for 2005–2006 will precede the evening program.

For further information, contact the Hawaiian Historical Society office, 560 Kawaiaha‘o Street, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813. Telephone 808-537-6271.

Gary L. Fitzpatrick retired in 2004 after thirty-three years at the Library of Congress. His last position there was as the senior specialist for digital programs in the Geography and Map Division. In addition to writing The Early Mapping of Hawai‘i, Mr. Fitzpatrick coauthored with Riley M. Moffat Surveying the Mahele and Mapping the Lands and Waters of Hawai‘i. They are currently working on another book, The Mapping of Honolulu.