Ko`olau Summit Trail History V

 Ko`olau Summit Trail History V

Posted to OHE on 14 May 2001 by Stuart Ball

V. Summit Trail Building–Black Junction to Kawailoa (1/34-9/34)

     In early 1934 Forester Judd assigned his assistant, Glenn W. Russ to direct the Emergency Conservation Work (ECW) projects on O`ahu. Realizing that his small staff could only manage the forestry aspects of ECW, Judd asked the Governor to transfer the business functions to another department. On 10 January Governor Judd designated his Budget Director, James W. Lloyd as ECW Business Administrator, and Contracting and Purchasing Officer.

     Lloyd faced several immediate problems, including a critical shortage of trucks on O`ahu to transport workers to the job sites. He quickly ordered nineteen 1.5-ton stake body trucks from the mainland for $1,037.86 each. However, they did not arrive until 14 March, delaying the start of the actual work until late that month. There was, of course, no shortage of enthusiastic, but inexperienced young men willing to build trail and plant trees.

     The unemployed men hired to work on ECW projects became members of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). On O`ahu the CCC was organized in two separate divisions, the Wahiawâ Camp and the Honolulu Unit. Both divisions had about 200 men and 10 foremen, but each was operated differently. The Wahiawâ Camp resembled a mainland CCC camp where the men lived in barracks and were provided with food and clothing. The camp was located at the National Guard camp in Schofield Barracks, courtesy of General Wells. Assistant Forester Russ assigned the men there to build the Poamoho and Kawailoa Trails.

     The Honolulu Unit was a local adaptation of the Puerto Rican model. The men lived at home and provided their own food and clothing. The unit had a small field office in back of the Board of Agriculture and Forestry building at Young and Ke`eaumoku Streets. Heading the Honolulu Unit was Project Superintendent Gunder E. Olson. He and his men would build the Waiawa [Kîpapa] and Ko`olau Summit Trails.

     The Honolulu Unit began operation on 26 March. The newly arrived trucks fanned out over O`ahu to pick up workers at staging areas and transport them to the job sites. One day, probably in April, a thirty-man trail crew climbed the Pûpûkea-Kahuku Trail to a marked point just beyond the broad windward overlook. There the crew began clearing due south along a side ridge leading to the Ko`olau summit. The Army later named the new intersection, Black Junction. On the ECW Monthly Work Progress Report it was called Mile 0.0 of Project T3, the Ko`olau Summit Trail.

     On 18 May Forester Judd ignored the paperwork on his desk and joined a CCC crew realigning the Pûpûkea-Kahuku Trail. He and Ranger Max Landgraf helped set charges to blast rock in `Ohi`a `Ai Gulch. The two then hiked to Black Junction and walked about 0.3 mile to the end of the Summit Trail. There they found Foreman Ernest W. Landgraf and his crew pushing southeast around the head of `Ohi`a `Ai Gulch. Judd and Ranger Landgraf scouted ahead to mark a route for the new trail.

     During the first two weeks of June, Judd and Russ prepared a program report with cost estimates for the second six-month ECW period (10/01/34-03/31/35). The report included all ten of the original O`ahu trail construction projects still outstanding from the first six-month period. Also included was a new trail, Wailele [Lâ`ie], which would connect with the Summit Trail. On 16 June the new Governor, Joseph B. Poindexter mailed the report to Secretary of the Interior Ickes. Later in the month ECW Director Fechner approved the projects and expenditures of about $234,000.

     On 30 July Judd, Russ and Foreman Landgraf climbed the Pûpûkea-Kahuku Trail and started hiking the Summit Trail. They finally reached the forward trail crew 0.5 mile south of the Mâlaekahana junction. Judd commented,

“The new trail is well built, but muddy and will require going over in a few places after it dries up somewhat.”

 The three then descended the Mâlaekahana Trail past the pig hunters’ cabin, now turned into a CCC camp to house the trail crews during the workweek.

     The first six-month ECW period ended on 30 September 1934. By that date the Ko`olau Summit Trail stretched from Black Junction to Pu`u Ka`inapua`a, a distance of about 5.2 miles. The Honolulu Unit had also extended the Castle Trail to the summit, and built the Waiawa Trail to within 0.75 mile of the top. Men from the Wahiawâ Camp had pushed the Kawailoa Trail to within one mile of the summit and the Poamoho Trail even closer.

 

Next: Summit Trail Building-Castle to Kawailoa-almost (10/34-3/35)

Mother Nature strikes back! Wild pig for dinner 5 days a week??

 

References:

Ickes, Harold L. various letters, 1934.

Judd, Charles S. Daily Journal, 1934.

Judd, Charles S. “Division of Forestry Report”. Report of the Board of Commissioners of Agriculture and Forestry for the biennial period from July 1, 1932 to June 30, 1934. 1934

Judd, Charles S. Program for Emergency Conservation Work, Territory Of Hawaii, Second Enrollment Period, 1934.

Lloyd, James W. various letters, 1934.

Olson, Gunder E. CCC Project Map, 1934.

Olson, Gunder E. Narrative Report-Island of Oahu, Men Working from Homes, 5^th Enrollment Period, 1935.

Poindexter, Gov. Joseph B. various letters, 1934.

Wells, Maj. Gen. Briant H. various letters, 1934

Author:  Stuart Ball <lmasu@hgea.org>