Archival photo of Kīlauea crater eruption plume captured on early glass plate emulsion in the 1920s

Explore Hawaiʻi Island Visual Collections

DIGITAL ARCHIVE

— DIGITAL PHOTO ARCHIVE

Series I features complete photo descriptions, original glass-plate negative annotations, and field catalog notes for each historical image.

Welcome to the Digital Archive, where you can explore a collection of historical photographs from Hawaiʻi Island. These images offer glimpses into different moments, people, places, and experiences from the island’s past.

As you explore the collections, you’ll find photographs that capture both well-known moments in history and everyday life. Each image helps preserve a piece of the past and gives us a chance to see Hawaiʻi Island through the eyes of those who were there.

Take your time exploring the collections and contact us with any questions or if you recognize any of the photos!

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Digital Collections

Our primary focus is digitizing and cataloging the catastrophic tsunami events that reshaped Hawaiʻi Island's coastal communities. Explore high-resolution glass-plate negatives, eyewitness documentation, and recovery photographs currently indexed.

COLLECTION 01

Tsunami 1946 & 1960

FUTURE RELEASES

Upcoming Archival Collections

With hundreds of historical photos in our vault, additional series will open as digital indexing and preservation work progresses.

• COMING SOON

Hilo

Japanese Collection

Filipino Collecton

— DIGITAL PHOTO ARCHIVE

The 1946 and 1960 Hilo Tsunamis

Hilo, Hawaiʻi has experienced several major tsunamis throughout its history, but the tsunamis of 1946 and 1960 were two of the most devastating. Both were caused by powerful earthquakes far across the Pacific Ocean, sending waves thousands of miles toward Hawaiʻi.

The 1946 Tsunami

On April 1, 1946, a powerful earthquake occurred near the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. The earthquake generated a tsunami that traveled across the Pacific and reached Hawaiʻi in less than five hours. At the time, Hawaiʻi did not have a tsunami warning system, so many people had little or no warning before the waves reached the coast.

Hilo was one of the hardest-hit areas. Waves reached about 26 feet in Hilo, flooding neighborhoods, destroying buildings, roads, bridges, and homes, and carrying debris through the city. Across Hawaiʻi, hundreds of people lost their lives, with many of the deaths occurring on Hawaiʻi Island.

The disaster had a lasting effect on Hawaiʻi. The lack of warning showed how vulnerable coastal communities were to distant earthquakes and tsunamis. In response, the United States established a tsunami warning operation in Honolulu in 1948, which eventually became part of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

The 1960 Tsunami

Fourteen years later, Hilo experienced another devastating tsunami. On May 22, 1960, a magnitude 9.5 earthquake struck southern Chile. It generated a massive tsunami that traveled across the Pacific Ocean for about 15 hours before reaching Hawaiʻi.

This time, warnings were issued before the waves arrived. However, many people did not realize how dangerous the situation was, and some returned to low-lying areas after the first waves appeared to pass. The largest wave struck Hilo at about 1:04 a.m. on May 23, reaching approximately 35 feet in Hilo Bay.

The tsunami caused severe destruction throughout Hilo, particularly around the waterfront and downtown areas. 61 people were killed, and hundreds were injured. Homes, businesses, roads, bridges, and other structures were destroyed or severely damaged.

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Haili & Kamehameha Ave, 1946.

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Homes and vehicles damaged by the 1946 tsunami in the Keaukaha area.

Homes and vehicles heavily damaged by the 1946 tsunami.

Heavily damaged buildings.

An unidentified man carrying a woman through debris following the 1946 tsunami.

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Home damaged by the 1946 tsunami.

Wreckage and destruction following the 1946 tsunami.

Wreckage in front of the Hilo Macaroni Factory on Kino‘ole Street following the 1946 tsunami. The factory began in 1908 as Hilo Seimen Gaisha and became Hilo Macaroni Company Limited in 1914.

Wreckage and debris following the 1946 tsunami.

Damage along Haili Street following the 1946 tsunami.

Structural damage following the 1946 tsunami.

Extensive destruction following the 1946 tsunami.

Extensive damage and debris following the 1946 tsunami.

Tsunami damage and debris, possibly near Suisan.

View of the Wailoa River and Hilo Iron Works following the 1946 tsunami.

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View of Kalākaua Avenue and Kamehameha Avenue following the 1946 tsunami. The Hawaiian Bank is on the left, with the Hilo Electric Light Office on the right.

People fleeing as the tsunami approached Hilo during the 1946 tsunami.

Damage and debris following the 1946 tsunami.

Map showing the area affected by the 1946 tsunami

Wreckage and debris in downtown Hilo following the 1946 tsunami.

Tsunami damage and debris along the Hilo waterfront and bayfront area.

Building damaged by the 1946 tsunami.