Honolulu city (regional capital), history - Pictures
It is not known exactly when the first settlement was established in what is now Honolulu. There is archaeological evidence of human activity in the area from AD 1100, although the actual date of settlement may have been much earlier. In 1794 the English ship Butterworth, commanded by Captain William Brown, became the first ship to enter Honolulu Harbor (also known as Kulolia). He named the harbor Fair Haven. Other foreign captains referred to it as Brown's Harbor.
In 1796 Kamehameha I, ruler of the island of Hawaii, conquered Oahu while uniting all the Hawaiian Islands under his rule. In 1804 he moved his court from Hawaii to Waikiki. Five years later he relocated to the area that is now downtown Honolulu. In 1850 Kamehameha III proclaimed Honolulu the capital city of his kingdom.
