3949 Diamond Head Road - Fort Ruger was the first official US military installation in the territory of Hawaii, and its ruins can still be seen in Diamond Head Crater on the island of Oahu. The fort was established as the Diamond Head Reservation in 1906, and three years later, Major General Thomas H. The installation was named Fort Ruger in honor of Ruger, who was commandant of the US Army Military Academy at West Point from 1871 to 1876. Fort to demonstrate the government's unequivocal support for business after debates about the legality and morality of the action dominated the 1890s. After the Spanish-American War and the acquisition of Guam and other Pacific islands, American political sentiment was almost united in support of annexation. That military installation represented that solution and gave the military a way to control and protect the port of the new blockaded territory. The fort continued to be used during World War II. Although most of Fort Ruger's buildings no longer exist, some brick and stone remains that protected the former gatehouse and guard house, as well as the former artillery battery. A small portion of the fort is now the headquarters of the Hawaii National Guard and the Diamond Head State Monument. It is estimated that up to 3000 people visit the site every day for its walking trails and incredible views.

Kapahulu Tunnel - After widening in 1922 and 1932, the Kapahulu Tunnel is now 15 feet wide and 17 feet high.

3949 Diamond Head Road

3949 Diamond Head Road

Chambers in tunnel walls. These rooms were originally used by the Harbor Defense Command and are now used as warehouses by the Red Cross.

Homestead Jackson Hole 2022 By Circ Design

Diamond Head Crater and surrounding area was purchased by the United States government in 1905 for $3,300. This 720-acre site was developed into Fort Ruger as part of the US Army Coast Artillery Defense System. Fort Ruger was the first coastal defense fortification built on the islands by the US military. The fortifications contained artillery, fire stations and two tunnels. - Attacks based on Honolulu harbor and land attacks from the east of the island. The location of Diamond Head Crater made it a natural fire center.

Construction of Fort Ruger began in 1907. A camp was built north of Diamond Head Crater and artillery batteries were built in and around the crater. Battery Harlow was the first battery built and completed in 1910. For even smaller batteries made between 1914 and 1915: Battery S.C. Mills, Battery Dodge, Battery Hullings and additional unnamed batteries. In addition to the battery, a fire control station and battery command post were built around 1911. There were also five 60-inch coastal search light stands for enemy detection at night.

Between World War I and Fort Ruger during World War II, many changes took place. Four batteries were deactivated: S.C. Mills, Dodge, Hulings, and an unnamed battery. An air service depot was built in the 1920s for the Fire Control Balloon Company. In 1927, the Harbor Defense Headquarters was moved to Fort Ruger. Bombing began in 1932 on the harbor defense command post built in the Kapahulu Tunnel. The new complex had eight rooms and a fire control switchboard room. Also in the 1930s, Battery Granger Adams and Battery Ruger were added. They had 155 mm guns and were aimed more at land defense than coastal defense.

Construction began on Battery 407 on the south side of the crater during World War II. Battery not fully charged or armed. Construction was halted in 1945 at the end of the war. Both mortar batteries were deactivated in 1943 due to ineffectiveness in naval combat. Only Battery Granger remained active until the end of World War II. It was finally deactivated in 1946.

Diamond Head Rd

Fort Ruger became the headquarters of the Hawaii National Guard in 1950, and most of the reservation was moved to Hawaii. The Cantonment area is now the site of Kapiolani Community College. The rest of the reservation is part of the Diamond Head State Monument. The remains of the battery and fireproof sites are still owned by the state and federal governments. The 475-acre Diamond Head Monument (Fort Ruger) inside and outside the crater is open to the public.

1 Diamond Head Hike. undated, September 24, 2009. Accessed September 20, 2017. http://www.diamondheadhike.org/militaryhistory.html. 2 Fort Ruger. wow 09 June 2017, 20 September 2017. http://www.wow.com/wiki/Fort_Ruger. 3 Fort Ruger. Cruise B., 20 September 2017. https://www.cruisebe.com/fort-ruger-honolulu-hawaii. 4 Fort Ruger Historic District. Historic Hawaii Foundation. Accessed on 20 September 2017. https://historichawaii.org/2014/08/11/fort-ruger-historic-district/.

Waikiki and Diamond Head Walking Tour This scenic walking tour begins near the resort areas of Waikiki and includes many landmarks, monuments, and historical sites related to native Hawaiian culture and the island's tourism and ties to the US military. More entries will be added soon.

3949 Diamond Head Road

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