Welcome to the
Kona Historical Society
In 1975, a small group of Kona residents began to meet because
they shared a concern for the history of the Kona District on the Island of Hawaii. The
area was changing rapidly and historic structures were disappearing. These concerned
citizens formed the Kona Historical Society, a non-profit organization, and focused their
attention on the preservation of Kona history. This small enthusiastic group eventually
grew to 800 members and achieved national recognition in 1993 with an Award of Merit from
the America Association for State and Local History.
The Kona Historical Society is housed in the Greenwell
Store, a general merchandising store built around 1875. This building has been placed on
the National Register of Historic Places. The Greenwell Store now serves the Kona
community as both a museum and archives. The museum is open M-F 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The
archives are open by appointment.
