Aloha! Fort Shafter is perhaps one of the most beautiful military installations in the world, and reflects the pride and spirit of the Soldiers and Civilians of Today’s Army. As the oldest Army installation in Hawaii, Fort Shafter is very rich in military history.
Fort Shafter has been home to the senior Army headquarters in Hawaii for nearly a century. Prior to the Army establishment of Fort Shafter and long before the arrival of Europeans, Native Hawaiians lived and worked in the ahupua'a of Kahauiki. The Army has documented many archaeological sites on the post.
Construction began in 1905 on the ahupua'a of Kahauiki, former Hawaiian crown lands ceded to the United States government after annexation. The fort was part of an ambitious War Department building program that included the Army's Fort DeRussy, Fort Ruger, and Schofield Barracks. When the post opened in 1907, it was named for Major Gen. William R. Shafter (1835-1906), who led the United States expedition to Cuba in 1898.
Army planners laid out Palm Circle as a cantonment for an infantry battalion. They arranged the barracks and officers' quarters around a parade field ringed by Royal Palms. The 2nd Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment was the first unit stationed at the new post. After they marched onto the field on 24 June 1907, the battalion Soldiers became the first unit stationed in the barracks facing stately Palm Circle. In October 1984, the U.S. Department of the Interior added Palm Circle to the National Register of Historic Places as one of the fewer than 2,500 National Historic Landmarks across the entire Nation and its territories.
I was assigned to Ft. Shafter in 1997 and retired in 2002 with 25yrs. total. My 1st site of this Fort was breath taking. So beautiful with all the palms trees and old Hawaiian homes which are now lived by the BIG Kahuna's, i.e.; Generals, Command Sargent Majors. OH how I pictured the Royal Hawaiians Lived. Now that I’m retired and work here as a GS, This is my first cache around Ft. Shafter. The container is one of a couple around the Fort. BYP, Busy street, watch out for ants, but plenty of parking at corner. If you can sign into the Fort, go see the beautiful Royal Palm Circle, take a drive up Radar Hill and you'll be able to see far, far towards the Ocean and Pearl Harbor.
Congrats to ormustr's, FTF!!!!