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Founded in 1844, Oahu Cemetery is Hawaii's oldest public
graveyard. It was established at the height of the whaling
era to meet the burial needs of Honolulu's growing foreign
population, particularly whalers and sailors who were "put
out" at this busy port due to lingering illnesses or bad
behavior aboard ship.
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These
strangers-in-a-strange-land include an "ordinary crewman"
from the British ship Juno, a "greyhead Indian"
off the U.S. Brandywine, and a "drowned Russian
seaman" belonging to the barque Alexander.
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Over
the years, Oahu Cemetery has become the permanent residence
of hundreds of prominent history makers, including the so-called
"Father" of American baseball, Alexander J. Cartwright;
internationally acclaimed mythologist, Joseph Campbell;
noted Pacific anthropologist, Kenneth Emory; railroad pioneer,
Benjamin F. Dillingham; noted artist, Jules Tavernier; and
National Geographic explorer, Joseph Rock.
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Also
resting peacefully here are Lorrin A. Thurston, leader
of the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy; Cherilla
Lowry, founder of the Outdoor Circle in Hawaii; Hawaiian
historian John Papa Ii; Baha'i Faith leader Martha Root,
and Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame inductees Johnny Noble,
Bina Mossman, Albert "Sonny" Cuhna, and R. Alex Anderson.
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Located
on 18 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds in lower Nuuanu
Valley, near downtown Honolulu, Oahu Cemetery is a "classic"
example of an early American "rural" cemetery, distinguished
by a park-like setting, and an eye-catching array of ornately
carved tombstones. Soaring obelisks, Celtic crosses, mini
neo-classical temples, and an assortment of bas-relief sculpture
make this site a visual garden of delights and a wonderful
outdoor museum.
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