John Young Homestead

In the 1790s, John Young built a two-story house in the rain shadow of two volcanoes on the Big Island of Hawaii. He had been given his home site by King Kamehameha the Great, for whom he served as a “War Advisor.” Years of extreme weather conditions led to the deterioration of the homestead’s original masonry and compromised its stability. The National Park Service commissioned ARG Conservation Services to stabilize and preserve the remaining original material.

ARG/CS began the conservation effort with a preliminary investigation phase in which various materials and methods were tested. After consultation with the client, a complete conservation effort was undertaken that integrated archaeological excavation and documentation provided by an archaeologist, with stabilization treatments provided by our own team of staff conservators. Conservation treatment involved reattaching plaster, capping stone with amended soil mortar, and constructing a combined stabilization and drainage system.

The unique design and conservation resources of ARG Conservation Services simultaneously improved the site’s interpretive value while providing stabilization for its future preservation.