The cultural resources at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park cross a range of archeological and historic sites found across Hawai`i Island. The archeological resources range from large coastal settlements to upland habitation sites and scattered resource procurement areas. They include house site complexes (L-shapes, C-shapes, U-shapes, terraces, Platforms, Enclosures), agricultural fields (pits, mounds, rock mulch), lithic quarries (basalt, volcanic glass), petroglyph fields, habitation caves, trails, and historic roads. Radiocarbon data suggest that ancient Hawaiians settled this area of Puna and Ka`u some time between A.D. 1200 and 1450. The coastal area was likely settled first. Evidence of living areas can be found in the remnants of house platforms and habitation caves still scattered throughout the lowland and upland areas. Enclosures which may have been used to pen livestock and excavated pits and rock mulch mounds suggest animal husbandry and a form of agriculture took place on what appears to be a barren lava landscape. Trail systems connected the villages along the coast to house sites in the upper regions as well as provided access to the upland resources. Upland resources included lithic quarry sites which provided both volcanic glass and basalt for tools. Resource procurement sites can also be found in the subalpine region - that of petrel nesting sites. These are natural areas selected by burrowing petrels to nest that have been excavated out by humans to capture the young birds.

Major historic events also took place in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park including the death of a large portion of a warrior party by an explosive volcanic eruption of Kilauea in 1790. Evidence of their last march can be found in footprints preserved in the hardened ash. The Ka`u Desert has also revealed evidence of intensive use of temporary shelter sites along a major trail system connecting the lower Ka`u District and Kilauea. Living on an active lava landscape can be found literally everywhere in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Over 14,000 prehistoric archeological features have been recorded.

Kilauea was also a popular area during the historic period. The first European to travel through here was the Reverend William Ellis in 1823. Since then millions of visitors have come to view the active lava flows. The early historic period was a particularly active time for Kilauea. Numerous eruptions and lava flows drew adventurers and scientists to the crater rim. Remants of these early visits can be found in the trails and historic roads that cross the park. The remains of two emergency landing fields built by the US Army in 1923 and again in 1925 are a testament to the role Hawaii National Park played in supporting the growing island population. The historic 1877 Volcano House, which overlooks the Kilauea Caldera, was one of the early guesthouses in the park. Today, it is used by the Kilauea Art Center. The 1941 Volcano House, perched on the caldera rim, continues to provide lodging for park visitors. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), founded in 1912, preceded the establishment of the park by four years. The Whitney Seismograph Vault, part of the 1912 HVO facility, still remains. Remnants of a former pulu factory remain hidden in the forest. World War II impacted the park as well. Several areas of the park were used for bombing practice and the historic Kilauea Military Camp which preceded the park establishment by only a few months, was developed as a rest and relaxation camp for military personnel and this use continues today. During World War II, it served various roles including housing of POW's.

The park was established in 1916. Work was initiated to provide basic infrastructure for the fledgling park in the 1920s, with more infrastructure development occurring in the 1930s as part of the Emergency Conservation Work program and later the Civilian Conservation Corps. With the start of World War II, the public works construction projects came to a close. Since World War II, infrastructure construction projects have occurred but not to the extent preceding the war. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, construction design was centered on the concept of rustic architecture, where the architectural designs harmonized with the natural character of the construction sites. Vernacular or local architectural elements were also incorporated into the designs. Roads, trails, visitor facilities, administrative facilities, housing, etc., were constructed that demonstrated unifying National Park Service design elements, while allowing for the incorporation of local design elements. The result was an architectural style that contributed to many of these park facilities being eligible for listing or listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

by Jadelyn Moniz Nakamura, PhD