At the beginning of the 1970s, the population of Honolulu was over 324,871. The Census Bureau reported Honolulu’s population as 33.9% white and 53.7% Asian and Pacific Islander. Honolulu experienced exponential growth during the 1970s. Ten years had passed since Hawaii became a state, and tourism was booming. It took a lot of planning to accommodate 1.7 million visitors each year, many of them in the state’s capital. New high rises were constructed, highways were expanded in Honolulu, and every square foot of space was utilized.
Here are some stunning vintage photos that show Honolulu in the 1970s.
I’d like very much to find a book that describes the history of Honolulu and how it evolved over the decades. When did iconic hotels appear (Moana Surf Rider), when did the first commercial flights from the mainland start arriving. Or when did tourists first start visiting Waikiki and so on. Same with the harbors and other significant construction projects.
I was in my teens. I remember in the late 60’s esrly 70’s the storage yard of military equipment parked along Nimitz highway to supply the Vietnam war. Also the roar of the large jets taking off from Hickam that reverberated through city and into the valleys.
Wtf is with the black & white photos? It’s the frickin’ 1970’s, there was color film then. We had it and all of our photos when we lived there (’76-81).