Glimpse back to the early days of Hawaiian aviation. Ward Field once buzzed with the excitement of pioneering flights. This unassuming field played a significant role in Honolulu’s aviation history.
Ward Field existed around where Ward Warehouse stands today. It opened around 1929. However it likely closed within just a few years. The first test flight of Inter-Island Airways occurred here. This airline is known today as Hawaiian Airlines. The flight went from Ward Field to John Rodgers Field. Today, that field is Honolulu Airport. That momentous flight occurred in 1929.
Ward Field served mostly as a place for pilots. These pilots gave airplane rides to the general public. Imagine the thrill of taking to the skies. These flights offered a unique perspective of Honolulu.
In 1944, a plan arose to build an airport. The planned location was the area where Ala Moana Center stands. However, this airport never came to fruition. Ward Field remained a smaller, but important, airfield.
The Ward family played a significant role in this area. They contemplated developing the estate. Their plans included mixed-use projects. These included condo towers, large shopping areas, and open space. This was in the 1960s.
What is happening now with Ward Village has similarities. It echoes what the Ward family envisioned decades ago. The Howard Hughes Corporation now oversees Ward Village.
Victoria Ward was born in 1846. She championed Hawaiʻi throughout her life. She opened her home for traditional gatherings. She continued the practices of Hawaiian arts, music, and language. Her vast estate included 100 acres of land. It stretched from Thomas Square towards the ocean. This encompassed much of the area known as Kakaʻako. These lands became known as a peaceful sanctuary. It sat between Downtown Honolulu and Waikīkī.
Curtis and Victoria Ward purchased over 100 acres of land in the 1880s. They established their home. It became a self-sufficient farm. The farm was located where the Neal S. Blaisdell Center now stands.
In 1930, Victoria Ward and her daughters created Victoria Ward Limited. They stewarded the land for generations. By about one block per year, they transformed Honolulu’s ocean-front land. Ward Village is now a design-forward neighborhood. It includes market homes. It also includes reserved housing for Hawaiʻi residents. Ward Village offers a variety of community enhancements.
Though Ward Field is no longer an active airfield. Its legacy lives on. It reminds us of the early days of aviation in Hawaii. It highlights the vision of the Ward family. It shows their contribution to Honolulu’s development.