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>> Kalaupapa, Hawaii is one of those rare places.
Where the history that began in the 1860s, is still alive today.
This place has a story to tell.
That will become even more compelling, with time.
Located on the rugged north shore of Molokai.
The policia was home to native Hawaiians for nearly 800 years.
Archaeological sites in the form of walls, temples,
houses and fishing shelters are evidence of a once thriving culture.
Life changed dramatically here, in 1866.
The shear sea cliffs and pounding ocean, made this volcanic tongue an inescapable place
to isolate Hawaiians, who had contracted Hanson's disease, better known as leprosy.
Hanson's disease had reached almost epidemic levels among the Hawaiian people.
Those were freighting times.
Both for those inflicted and for those who came forward as Cauca, or helpers.
One person, who courageously stepped forward was a catholic priest
from Belgium, named Father Damien Divoster.
He devoted the rest of his life to improving the conditions of the people exiled to this place.
Over the years, some 8000 patients were sent to Kalaupapa.
History continues to live on here.
Although patients have been free to leave Kalaupapa
since 1969, approximately 50 people remain.
Who suffer the effects of Hanson's disease.
And have chosen to live out their lives in the community.
They provide a link between the past and the present.
And can best tell the story of Kalaupapa.
A central part of that story has been Pascal Hall.
Built in 1916 Pascal Hall is the largest structure in the community.
Until the early 1960s it was the center for social gatherings
and a wide variety of entertainment.
The hall was the setting for dances and shows by local artists,
and famous entertainers, and personalities.
Like Edgar Bergen, the Trap Family, Edward G. Robinson, Jack London, and many others.
But it was the movies shown with state of the art equipment that provided a regular
and valued escape for the patients and staff.
>> To my mind, the Ten Commandment was one of the best pictures that ever came here.
And -- .
>> Henry Nui Lua came to Kaluapapa in 1955.
>> For the Ten Commandments, what is an outstanding picture
because even people from Popside Malahide came down.
We had a full house in the theater.
And the film just came here and went back to Maru it didn't go to Mallorca.
So you know.
Those who came down had a treat too.
They have never seen a picture, no.
Only hear about it.
And a, that was one of the most outstanding pictures I think that they ever seen.
Of course after that we had those, some really good pictures coming in,
like Benver [assumed spelling] and things like that.
>> Because of its special meaning to residence, Pascal Hall was chosen
for a major historic preservation project.
It presented a daunting challenge because of its size and state of deterioration.
The work has been divided into four phases.
The first phase began in March 1998 and address the serious termite damage
to the structural members of the building.
The huge hall was jacked up and the damage steel plates, structural columns,
interior diagonal bracing, and roof tresses were repaired or replaced.
The second phase involved replacing the deteriorated composition shingle roof.
This was complicated by its shear size and the fact that it was so cut
up by hips, valley, and additions.
The new roof, now covered with cedar shingles appears as it did
in 1916.the third phase will be to restore the exterior sidewalls, windows, doors,
ornamental detailing, and to repaint the outside to the original paint color.
Phase four will be to restore the interior, the walls, and the ceiling.
The benefits of this restoration work are twofold.
Pascal Hall will continue to help tell the story of Kaluapapa
and park service employees will have gained new skills and confidence.
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[ Speaking a Foreign Language ]
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>> This is good because now.
What it did on the roof, at least I can show people all.
This is what we did.
You know? At least we can show a ways that nobody need
to come in here and put it up for us.
You know? And then, you know they ask us if we wanted to work
on push wall and give me an opportunity.
You know? To see if I can you know learn all these traits.
And if I can do it, then hey, we can do it on our own down here.
Take care of all these older, other structures that would need one day to repair.
>> Kaluvia Guo [assumed spelling] is a journeyman carpenter for the park service.
>> This is one of our, our beach house.
This is one of over 200 historical structures we have here in Kaluapapa that we need to maintain.
And it's, the problems that's wrong with the building is, is the same as, as Pascal Hall.
It's just a smaller version of it.
So normally the, our procedures for correcting the problems are the same as Pascal Hall.
We start off, where we are looking, we look at the structural deficiencies.
And we take care of them.
Mainly, you know, around the foundation and the attic.
Assuming, making sure everything is sound up there.
From there, we move on to penetration areas.
Places where the, the weather can get in.
places where damages occurring because of the weather.
So, which is things like the baseboards, you know around this, this apron.
The roof, where the water, where the water can get in.
doorways, windows, things like that.
And final once we get everything structurally sound and weather proofed,
then we move on to the cause of next stage.
Then, you can see from this building here, we're a long ways off from that stage.
The real benefit of Pascal Hall is it is probably one of our, our biggest
and most ambitious projects we've taken.
And once we've taken care of something that large and ambitious.
All these other little projects are, you know, relatively simple.
>> I'm Barney Weisberger, an instructor in Historic Preservation and technique.
And I find Kaluapapa to be truly unique.
There's diverse structures here, like a lighthouse, there's a gas station,
there's churches, there's even an old grocery store here to repair.
We've also got administrative buildings to take care of.
But the opportunities here are to deal with wood, termite damage, to deal with masonry,
we got the salt environment here.
We've got window repairs, we've got roofing, it's a preservation paradise here.
>> The skills and confidence gained from Pascal Hall will be put
to good use, within the community.
Almost all the buildings in Kaluapapa were constructed from 1900 to the 1960s.
Most were built in Hawaiian plantation style.
A style that's becoming scarce and more valuable as an historic resource.
They all need some type of preservation work.
>> The national park services invited the Kaluapapa, by the community residents here.
Because the residents were afraid that their lifestyle
and their community was going to be lost.
Establishing a National Historical Park was one alternative that they opted
for to preserve their community and the unique lifestyle
that the people down here have developed.
Those of us, who live here now have real special opportunity to interact
with form Hanson's Disease patients.
And to learn from them, firsthand what life was like here.
Not too many years from now, there won't be any patients left to tell the story.
And visitor who come here, will have to learn the story, through other means.
These building around us and the landscape around are going to be the physical reminders,
of what life was like here, in Kaluapapa.
And they're going to be essential for telling that story.
These building are subject to rapid deterioration
in a harsh marine environment and a tropical environment.
Termites, wood rote, wind damage, all have severe impact on these buildings.
The Western Preservation program has begun now and implemented immediately.
These buildings won't remain.
So the park service can tell the story of Kaluapapa.
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