The history of Volcano House can be traced back to 1824
when
Chiefess
Kapiolani and her
entourage built a grass shack on the crater rim.
Throughout history, Ancient Hawaiians came to Kilauea crater
to worship
the Volcano goddess
Pele
with offering and prayers. In an ironic twist, the
first structure (a grass shack) was built on the crater rim
by Chiefess
Kapiolani (a Christian convert) and her entourage not to
worship but rather
to denounce Pele.
As in years past, people continued to
be drawn to the Volcano and in 1846
Benjamin Pitman, Sr. built a
grass house at the crater edge and coined
the
name Volcano House which has remained the name throughout the
many
manifestations of
this rustic inn. In 1866, a
more substantial Volcano House
was constructed made of grass and ohia poles. Mark Twain,
who stayed in
the hotel this same year described it as “ neat, roomy, well
furnished and a
well kept hotel. The surprise of finding a good hotel at such as
outlandish
spot startled me, considerably more than the volcano did.”
As the years progressed, Volcano House has continued to
evolve and in
1877 the
first wooden Volcano House was built,
featuring a large parlor
with a fireplace,
a dining room and six
bedrooms. This fireplace which is
symbolic of Volcano
House warm
hospitality and aloha has been burned
continuously for
over 125
years.
In
1895, Greece-born
George Lycurgus (known as
Uncle George to
locals) bought the hotel and his name became synonymous with
Volcano
House for most of the next 65 years until his death at the
age of 101.
In 1940 the main building of the hotel was destroyed
by fire, caused by an
oil burner,
not Pele. Items rescued included embers of the everlasting fire
from its large
fireplace, the Koa piano,
which is presently in our lobby, and
a few art pieces.
In 1941 Uncle
George rebuilt Volcano House. It was constructed of wood
and stone,
consisting of 30 rooms resting at the edge of the magnificent
Kilauea Crater. For decades Volcano House became a popular gathering
place
for local residents as well as visitors. Queen Liliuokalani, Mark
Twain
and President Franklin D. Roosevelt
were among its guests.
