Kailua-Kona in Hawaii County, Hawaii — Hawaiian Island Archipelago (Pacific Ocean)

Ki'ope Pond

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 9, 2018

1. Ki'ope Pond Marker

Inscription.
This sacred pond was built with lava rock and coral mortar in the mid 1800's. It once served as a bathhouse for the royal families. Fresh water empties into Ki’ ope pond through underground springs along the edges of the wall. Because of its rich nutrients caused by a mixture of sea water and the abundance fresh water, the King later converted it into a fish pond. A gate (makaha) was added to increase filtration and fish control. Ki'ope Pond is one of the last sacred brackish water ponds along the Kona coast on the Island of Hawaii.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Churches & Religion • Government & Politics • Waterways & Vessels.

Location. 19° 38.339′ N, 155° 59.648′ W. Marker is in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, in Hawaii County. Marker can be reached from Alii Drive near Kahikina Lane, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located beside the subject pond, on the grounds of the Hulihe‘e Palace Historic Site. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 75-5718 Alii Drive, Kailua Kona HI 96740, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Hulihe‘e Palace (within shouting distance of this marker); The First Hawaiian Christian (within shouting distance of this marker); Hulihe‘e Palace / Moku‘aikaua Church

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

(within shouting distance of this marker); Mokuaikaua Church (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Niumalu Beach / Kailua Bay (about 400 feet away); Marine Life (approx. 0.2 miles away); Ahu'ena Heiau (approx. ¼ mile away); Kamakahonu (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kailua-Kona.

Also see . . . Kailua-Kona A Royal Retreat. Coffee Times website entry:
Today, it's easy to overlook the significance of a pile of stones topped with a thatched hale, or the graceful building beyond a wrought iron fence during a stroll along Ali'i Drive as balmy trade winds blow, but these are the places where King Kamehameha I died and the old kapu system was discarded, ushering in the Christian religion. The king sailed to Kamakahonu, in a sandy cove near the present site of King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel and built his residence, a hale called "Papa" nearby. John Papa I'i, an attendant of the succeeding King Liholiho, described the area, "Outside the (royal) enclosure, by the edge of the sea, was a spring called Ki'ope...It was a gathering place for those who went swimming and a place where the surf rolled in and dashed on land when it was rough. It was deep enough there for boats to land

Ki'ope Pond Marker (<i>tall view</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 9, 2018

2. Ki'ope Pond Marker (tall view)

when the tide was high..." (Submitted on September 15, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Ki'ope Pond Marker (<i>wide view</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 9, 2018

3. Ki'ope Pond Marker (wide view)

Ki'ope Pond (<i>wide view from marker; Kailua Bay in the background</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 9, 2018

4. Ki'ope Pond (wide view from marker; Kailua Bay in the background)

Credits. This page was last revised on May 13, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 15, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 349 times since then and 37 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 15, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.