Chee Kung Tong Society Building
|
Chee Kung Tong Society Building
|
|
The society building c.1981
|
|
| Location | 2151 Vineyard St., Wailuku, Hawaii |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 20°53′18.3″N 156°30′15.8″W / 20.888417°N 156.504389°WCoordinates: 20°53′18.3″N 156°30′15.8″W / 20.888417°N 156.504389°W |
| Built | 1904 |
| MPS | Chinese Tong Houses of Maui Island TR |
| NRHP Reference # | 82000171 |
| Added to NRHP | November 15, 1982 |
The Chee Kung Tong Society Hall was a former Chinese society hall located on 2151 Vineyard Street in Wailuku, Maui. Built to provide services to single immigrant Chinese males, mostly working for the sugarcane plantations, it provided religious and political help, in addition to mutual aid. Converted to a dormitory in the 1920s, it suffered neglect until finally collapsing in 1996. The site now contains remnants of the foundation, assorted cement structures, and a distinct lintel gate and wall facing the street. The site was placed on the Hawaii State Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places (under the Chinese Tong Houses of Maui Island TR nomination form), but delisted from the State register after its collapse; it is still listed in the NRHP database.
It is unclear when the society hall was first built due to conflicting information; County of Maui records indicate that the building was first listed as being built in 1897, though an article from December 1904 by the Maui News lists the building being built and celebrations made upon completion of the society hall on January 14 and 15, 1905.
The hall provided a place for Chinese immigrants to visit, socialize (such as playing pai gow), and provide aid.
Sometime in 1928, it was noted that the society hall was converted for use as a dormitory by single men, and this use was supposedly practiced up until the 1960s. After the last occupant died, the property was neglected.
In September 1988, part of a wall of the building collapsed, smashing adjacent trees, plants, and two clothesline poles in a neighboring property.
On April 17, 1996, the derelict wood building collapsed due to damage caused by wood rot, termites, and gravity. Before the collapse, Society Elders had planned to meet to discuss the fate of the building. Certain elements of the building were to have been recovered, and possibly reused in the reconstruction of the building.
The property is 4,544 square feet (422.2 m2) according to Maui County tax records via the Department of Finance's Real Property Division and the NRHP nomination form.
The entrance gate comprises two concrete posts and a lintel with Chinese characters on it. Formerly delineated in red, the front facing the street contains incused Chinese characters spelling out Chee Kung Fui Kon (the name of the society), and the back containing the phrase (translated as) Everyone is equal.
...
Wikipedia