Inter-Island Steam Navigation Company was headquartered in

Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...

and ran steamship passenger and cargo service between the

Hawaiian Islands The Hawaiian Islands () are an archipelago of eight major volcanic islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the Pacific Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the Hawaii (island), island of Hawaii in the south to nort ...

from 1883 until 1947. Inter-Island constructed the Kona Inn in 1928, the first hotel in Kona on the

Big Island of Hawaii Big or BIG may refer to: * Big, of great size or degree Film and television * ''Big'' (film), a 1988 fantasy-comedy film starring Tom Hanks * ''Big'', a 2023 Taiwanese children's film starring Van Fan and Chie Tanaka * '' Big!'', a Discover ...

. In 1929, Inter-Island created an airline subsidiary, Inter-Island Airways, that is still operating as

Hawaiian Airlines Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. ( ) is a commercial U.S. airline headquartered in Honolulu, and a subsidiary of the Alaska Air Group. It is the largest operator of commercial flights to and from the island state of Hawaiʻi, and the tenth largest ...

History

Shipbuilder Thomas R. Foster moved to Hawaii in 1857 and founded Inter-Island Steam Navigation in 1883 with partners W.B. Godfrey, G.N. Wilcox, A.S. Wilcox, and J.M. Sass. Inter-Island's early ships included the ''SS James Makee'', ''SS Planter'', ''SS CR Bishop'', ''SS Iwalani'', and the ''SS Helene''. Inter-Island's headquarters were at 902 Nuuanu Avenue in downtown Honolulu in the T.R. Foster building. James A. Kennedy was recruited from the Honolulu Iron Works to become President of Inter-Island in 1902. In 1905, Kennedy absorbed the Wilder Steamship Co. into Inter-Island, creating the largest fleet of steamers serving the Hawaiian Islands. In 1925, Inter-Island had four steamers: ''SS Humuula'', ''SS Hawaii'', ''SS Waialeale'', and ''SS Haulalai''

Kona Inn

To promote travel to the Big Island, Inter-Island's board of directors approved the construction of the Kona Inn, the first hotel in Kona. They hired architect

Charles William Dickey Charles William “C.W.” Dickey (6 July 1871 – 25 April 1942) was an American architect famous for developing a distinctive style of Hawaiian architecture, including the double-pitched Dickey roof. He was known not only for designing some of ...

, who was known for his distinctive Hawaiian style design. The oceanfront Kona Inn opened in 1928, with 20 rooms, a salt water swimming pool, tennis courts, spacious lawns, cocktail lounge, and luaus. The Kona Inn eventually expanded to 220 rooms, and helped turn Kona into a premier tourist destination The Kona Inn was converted into the Kona Inn Shopping Village in 1980.

Inter-Island Airways

James Kennedy's son, Stanley Kennedy Sr., returned from

WWI World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting took place mainly in Europe and th ...

after flying Curtiss H-16 flyingboats for the

US Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

and joined his father in management at Inter-Island. Stan Kennedy convinced the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Board of Directors to expand their business into the fledgling aviation industry. On January 30, 1929, the company founded a subsidiary,

Inter-Island Airways Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. ( ) is a commercial U.S. airline headquartered in Honolulu, and a subsidiary of the Alaska Air Group. It is the largest operator of commercial flights to and from the island state of Hawaiʻi, and the tenth largest co ...

, that would later become

Strike of 1938

On August 1, 1938, protests against the company by several unions resulted in the Hilo massacre. Inter-Island's ''SS Waialeale'' arrived in

Hilo Hilo () is the largest settlement in and the county seat of Hawaii County, Hawaiʻi, United States, which encompasses the Island of Hawaiʻi, and is a census-designated place (CDP). The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 census. I ...

crewed by strike-breakers, to be met by 200 protesting

longshoremen A dockworker (also called a longshoreman, stevedore, docker, wharfman, lumper or wharfie) is a waterfront manual laborer who loads and unloads ships. As a result of the intermodal shipping container revolution, the required number of dockworke ...

. A riot ensued between the police and longshoremen with at least 16 rounds fired (7 birdshot and 9 buckshot), at least one bayonet stabbing, clubs, and fire hoses. There were no fatalities, but many injuries.

Downfall

During

WWII World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Inter-Island Steam Navigation's ships were commandeered into military service by the

War Shipping Administration The War Shipping Administration (WSA) was a World War II emergency war agency of the US government, tasked to purchase and operate the civilian shipping tonnage the United States needed for fighting the war. Both shipbuilding under the Maritime C ...

. The lack of civilian cargo ships led to the proliferation of airborne cargo and passenger transportation between the Hawaiian Islands. The 14 hour voyage from

on a steamer, could now be done in 100 minutes on a

DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper ...

aircraft. Inter-Island Steam Navigation's passenger and cargo service was essentially a victim of Inter-Island Airways success, as well as the creation of

Aloha Airlines Aloha Airlines was an airline in the United States that operated passenger flights from 1946 until 2008. It was headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, operating from its hub at Honolulu International Airport (now Daniel K. Inouye International Air ...

in 1946, and discontinued operations in 1947.

Fleet

* (-1923), bought in March 1923 by the Los Angeles Steamship Company for their Los Angeles-San Francisco service. * (1923-), replacement for the ''Wimea'' (unclear if purchased or not).

References

{{Reflist Defunct companies based in Hawaii Ferry companies of Hawaii Transport companies established in 1883 1883 establishments in Hawaii Transport companies disestablished in 1947 1947 disestablishments in Hawaii Hawaiian Airlines