August 21: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
ON THIS DAY IN 1901, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle published the following letter: “About Lahaina, Hawaii: In previous communications the beautiful scenery of this town has been referred to, as well as the climatic conditions, which are just what is needed by delicate persons with a tendency toward pulmonary diseases. Although Lahaina was never officially known as the capital of the Hawaiian Islands, for many years it was the favorite resort of the royal family and the palace is still in good repair. The Pioneer Mill Company, as the name implies, was the first established organization for the manufacture of sugar in the islands, and, under the present management, the plantation of 5,000 acres is producing large profits for the owners. Some idea of the prosperity of the town may be derived from the following post office report, which is kindly furnished by Postmaster A. Waal: ‘Amount received for domestic money orders from July 12, 1900, to the same date of the present year: $164,917.63. Registered letters, 2,810.’ This record (so far as the amount received is concerned) makes Lahaina the second office in the Islands, being surpassed only by the post office at Honolulu. The sea bathing at Lahaina is delightful, the water being so nearly the temperature of the human body that persons can remain in the water for hours without danger of taking cold.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1906, the Eagle reported, “The work of reconstructing Fort Hamilton is to be begun at once. For many years the officers connected with this army post have been unceasing in their efforts to have the present old, unserviceable buildings replaced by modern structures which would meet the requirements of the fort and garrison … Fort Hamilton is one of the heavily armed coast defenses of the country, and is the headquarters of the Southern Artillery District of New York. Connected with Fort Wadsworth by cables in an elaborate system of fire control, the two forts combined form the strongest fortification on the Atlantic coast, and are the chief defense of the city against hostile attack by way of the southern entrance to the harbor. A new system of communication between the two forts for the location of vessels by day and night has recently been installed, which, in thoroughness and efficiency, is unsurpassed in the service. That the post itself is to be reconstructed on a scale in keeping with its importance and location in the city is eminently proper.”
Brooklyn Boro
View MoreNew York City’s most populous borough, Brooklyn, is home to nearly 2.6 million residents. If Brooklyn were an independent city it would be the fourth largest city in the United States. While Brooklyn has become the epitome of ‘cool and hip’ in recent years, for those that were born here, raised families here and improved communities over the years, Brooklyn has never been ‘uncool’.