Oʻahu Prison

In the ahupuaʻa of Honolulu, which lies in the moku of Kona here on Oʻahu, once stood one of the walls to Honolulu Fort which housed the predecessor to OCCC.

We are speaking of Oʻahu Prison.

With coral block walls approximately 12-feet high, 20-feet in thickness, and built in a rectangle shape enclosing about 2 acres, Honolulu Fort housed several administrative functions including the prison where prisoners were put to hard labor.

Other functions of the fort included the barracks, officer’s quarters, the house of the Governor, and the old courthouse.

In 1855, the construction of a new prison began.

Stories share that prisoners cut coral blocks from a nearby reef to build the structure.

After two years, Oʻahu Prison opened in Iwilei and the Honolulu Fort was dismantled with its debris used to fill in and extended the shoreline.

Honolulu harbor and the area of Iwilei were drastically different compared to what we see today, so allow me to paint you a picture.

The Salvation Army building behind me was where Oʻahu Prison was located.

The road that I am standing on now, Iwilei Road, was originally a path to the prison splitting two ancient fishponds that no longer exist.

Built on coral fill as much of Iwilei was mudflats and shallow reef, Oʻahu Prison resembled a fortress as stated by Mark Twain.

With Kūwili fishpond on one side and Kawa fishpond on the other, Oʻahu Prison was nearly cut off from the main island earning the nickname “The Reef.”

As time progressed, so did development.

The fishponds and marshlands were eventually filled in and Iwilei began to expand.

In 1914, a site in Kalihi was chosen as the new location for the prison.

It took four years before its construction was completed.

Renamed as Territorial Penitentiary, the prison remained until the mid-1970s when it was remodeled and given a new name, Oʻahu Community Correctional Center, or OCCC.

Did you know? Now you do!