A cultural landscape is a geographic area, including cultural and natural resources and the wildlife or domestic animals associated with a historic event, activity, or person or exhibiting other cultural or aesthetic values. The National Park Service has recognized cultural landscapes as cultural resources since 1983, and our responsibilities for their preservation are equal to historic buildings, museum collections, and archeological resources. Kalaupapa National Historical Park has identified three cultural landscapes and has documented two. The 400-acre Kalaupapa and Kalawao Settlements' cultural landscape contains all the resources associated with the Hansen's disease settlements. In contrast, the 23-acre Molokai Light Station cultural landscape is a smaller parcel of land associated with the construction and development of the lighthouse and lighthouse keeper's quarters. Cultural Landscapes Inventories (CLIs) have been completed for both landscapes. A third native Hawaiian cultural landscape has been identified but has not been researched. |
Last updated: December 14, 2022