Poof!! The Pole is Gone!

In 1959 our grandparents, for ONE dollar, gave the Hilo Electric Light Company (now Hawaii Electric Light Company, Helco) the right and easement to put up an electric utility pole in the coffee land. Don’t misunderstand; I’m not criticizing them. Everyone does their part to bring electric power to all.

However, a decade or so later a house was built, and that pole and the lines were smack dab in the middle of the view from the lanai (deck). We’ve talked and joked about it a fair amount. We even came to appreciate it for the “vintage” or “retro” mood it adds.

Kona sunset photo with utility pole in the foreground.
Kona sunset with coffee land (including macadamia and banana trees) in the foreground, as viewed from the lanai.

It was in Helco’s recent plan to rewire our local network’s power lines and poles to follow the Mamalahoa Hwy. We were excited when a few (three?) years ago work was being done. But to our dismay, the work stopped just a mile or so north of our property!!

We have been inquiring about this pole being removed for a few years. The moment finally came yesterday!! And then it was gone. It’s a new dawn.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *