Our Museum...

The Laupahoehoe Train Museum and visitors' center opened on March 1, 1998, and celebrates the story of Hawai'i's railroads, as well as the rich history of the Hamakua Coast. 

A labor of love by the community residents, this museum is housed in the old station agents home, on the site of the Laupahoehoe Train Station. The  home has been lovingly restored and is beautifully furnished in the period of the early 1900s. Photos, memorabilia and stories fill the rooms and help bring the past alive. 
 

Out in the yard in an area known as the wye, a narrow gauge, diesel switch engine has been made to run again after escaping the scraper. A narrow gauge box car await restoration and a standard gauge caboose has been built, similar to those that ran down the line of the Hilo railroad. The wye is an area of the yard amidst tropical fruit trees and ornamentals, where the railroad could switch an engine from facing north to facing south, an ironic reminder of the power and utility of the once thriving railroad.  

Our visitors...

As small as the museum is we are over 5000 visitors yearly. Visitors came from almost every state in the U.S., and many countries, including China, Japan, Sweden, Norway, Germany, England, Canada, Scotland, New Zealand, Australia, and Samoa. And people didn't just visit; many recalled times and places of long ago, and shared their memories with us. Some of their accounts were even added to our collection, and are now available for others to enjoy!

Comments in our guest book are a testament to our visitors' enthusiasm and our community's accomplishments. They include: "Terrific little museum…"; "Keep up the good work…"; "Very informative…"; "Such a nice stop…"; "Outstanding accomplishment…"; "Wonderful historic sharing…"; "Really nice exhibits…"; "Lucky to see these treasures…"; "You are doing a wonderful job…"; "Wonderful project…"; "Looking forward to seeing your progress…"; and many more positive comments.

Our gift shop…

Our gift shop, while small, boasts a wide selection of Laupahoehoe Train Museum logo items including;t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, pins, and patches. Many of our items are hand-crafted by local residents, and are not readily available anywhere else. Other clothing, books, videos, pottery, leis, artwork, and other Hawaii-made treasures provide unique gifts and memories. A great book titled  "April Fool's," published by students at Laupahoehoe School, features stories from survivors of the deadly April 1, 1946 tsunami that so strongly affected the history of this community. 
 

Our Funding...

The museum is funded by admissions, donations, memberships, and aloha. Project grants have allowed us to do some projects at the museum, such as restore the track, engine and caboose. Grant funds have also allowed us to provide the community with a safe walking trail off the main highway on an old stretch of road down to Laupahoehoe Point. We have also worked towards our purpose by providing educational activities and drug prevention awareness along the coast. Though the station itself is gone, the memories are alive today.

Our Future...

The quest for artifacts, photographs and other memorabilia is ongoing! This is a community run museum but it has been built from the inside out by the community. Without the community's generousity and sharing we would not have the collection we have today.

Many photographs are still archived in the Lyman (Hilo) and Bishop (Honolulu) Museums. As funds become available we will broaden our collection of display photos. New display boards have been acquired and are being improved as photos are purchased or donated.

Documentation of personal recollections of the railroad, and other memories of life on the Hamakua Coast, is in progress via cassette and video tape.

Throughout the yard, as improvements are made, landscaping will continue. We are adding to existing plantings throughout the yard, with an emphasis on Native Hawaiian vegetation. We are working toward a small garden railroad in the yard as pieces of track and equipment become available. And our carport interior are being transformed into a model train display. We hope to have displays as early as the middle of 2005.  

Come celebrate our progress with us!!!