This historic marker was designed for the local churches to commemorate the 195th anniversary of the fulfillment of Hawaiian high priest Hewahewa’s prophecy: that the new God would come to this same rock in a “black box.” The first missionaries arrived to see the smoke of the heiau temples burning.
The first missionaries to arrive in the islands were from New England. Sailing in the Thaddeus, 14 missionaries (seven couples) and four Hawaiian boys left Boston. They arrived in Hawai’i after 164 days. While at sea, Kamehameha the great died, his son Liholiho became ruler, and the ancient kapu system was abolished, with no belief system to take its place.
Hewahewa himself burned his own temple in faith of what was coming. The first man ashore brought his Bible, protected in a black wooden box as he stepped on the very same rock at Kailua pier, changing Hawaii forever. With the prophecy complete, Hewahewa and many of the Ali’i royalty of Hawaii became Christians, despite the loss of privilege and title. Source: (
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The marker reads:
"The Plymouth Rock of Hawaii
Kailua-Kona Pier covers most of the lava outcropping here on Kai-a-ke-akua (Sea of God) Bay. A vestige is still visible on the north edge. On April 4, 1820, American Protestant missionaries aboard the 85-ft. Brig Thaddeus landed on this site where Kahuna Nui (High Priest) Hewahewa had prophesied the new God would land. Today, this site is known as "The Plymouth Rock of Hawaii".
In 1808, two native Hawaiian boys left this island and were educated at the Foreign Mission Scholl in Cornwall, Connecticut. They became accomplished scholars and also sincere followers of Jesus Christ. As they prayed together, they felt they were to return to share the message of God's Word with their countrymen. They were to return to share the message of God's Word with their countrymen. They were known as Henry Opukaha'la and Thomas Hopu.
After Opukaha'ia's untimely death in 1818, his journal was published. It inspired 23 Americans and Hawaiians in New England, including Thomas Hopu, to bring education and the gospel to the Hawaiian Islands.
On arrival in Hawaii, the missionaries stepped onto the exact place Hewahewa had prophesied. Liholiho (Kamehameha II) and co-regent Ka'ahumanu gave permission for the missionaries to stay to establish schools and churches. The people welcomed them with aloha and Liholiho gave them a home and a royal canoe shed, which they used as the first house of worship. With the help of Hawaiian teachers, they created a written language and finished a complete translation of the Bible by 1839.
In 25 years, the literacy rate of Hawaii was one of the highest in the world. Ships called "Morning Stars" carrying native Hawaiian missionaries sailed to the Pacific Islands and Oregon with the message of Christ.
"A great God, a mighty God, a living God, an everlasting God is Jehovah... a rainbow standing in the sea is Jesus our Redeemer..." Hewahewa
Ua Mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness" King Kauikeaouli (Kamehameha III)
The sign is a gift from the Kona Ministers Fellowship and the Christian churches of Hawaii."
A scale model of the brig Thaddeus is on display inside the Mokuaikaua Church in Kailua-Kona. (See our picture)