Sugar in the Sea: The History of Lai’e Pier at Pounders Beach, Lai’e, Hawai’i, U.S.A as a Unique Example of Structures that Supported Late Nineteenth Century Hawai’ian Inter-island Steamboat Shipping

Abstract

The Lai’e Pier is a little-known maritime structure that lies near the village of Lai’e, on the Hawai’ian island of Oahu. Lai’e lies along the northeast coast of the island. The pier was a wharf that was built to ease the process of loading sugar that was produced at the Lai’e Plantation’s sugar mill. While there was some debate of when the structure was actually built, historical records indicate it was built in 1887. It was used extensively by small, inter-island, steam ships that carried mail, sugar, molasses, and other supplies between coastal villages and Honolulu, Hawai’i. Records indicate it was used from 1887 until 1898, but with the advent of rail lines linking the various sugar plantations, the pier was abandoned. All that remains of the pier is an array of large iron posts that served as the support structure for the loading crane and platform. It is, however, one of the few remaining examples of such structures that were used during the unique historical period of Hawai’ian inter-island steamboat shipping, especially on the Island of Oahu. This paper describes all that is known about the pier, its use, and its present state.