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Interview with Mary Alice Evatt (excerpt)
Mrs. Mary Alice Evatt was the wife of Dr Herbert Vere Evatt, a prominent Australian politician in the mid 1900s. This excerpt describes time she spent on Palmyra during the early 1940s when it was occupied by the US Navy.
Date: 1973-04-26
Palmyra May be Lonely but Life There Must Have its Good Points
Great article discussing the aerial survey of Palmyra in 1921, and featuring some great photographs from the trip, including the first one we've discovered of the plane used to take the photos.
Includes some unique details, like the model of plane…
Includes some unique details, like the model of plane…
Date: 1921-09-09
Maids Plan an Adamless Eden
In 1916, a Chicago group called the Bachelor Girls’ Social Culture Club, offered to purchase Palmyra from then owner Henry Cooper, to use as a colony for women only.
The article details the intentions and details of the group, and is a fascinating…
The article details the intentions and details of the group, and is a fascinating…
Date: 1916-03-21
Shipwreck Saga Ends at Police Station
This brief account covers the 1982 shipwreck of John Harrison and his two daughters. The story would be like so many other simple shipwrecks on Palmyra over the years, but for two details:
1. The father was wanted by the police and immediately…
1. The father was wanted by the police and immediately…
Date: 1982-01-06
Collection of Letters from Alta Norton
Alta Norton was a member of the CAA colony who occupied Palmyra from 1948 to 1949. One of her sons, George, was the first (and only) graduate of the short lived school program created during the time of the colony. He also maintained a large…
Date: 1948/1949
Issues of The Palmyra Circle
From 1948 to 1949, a colony of several dozen families working for the CAA (forerunner to the FAA) lived and worked on Palmyra. While there, they published a weekly periodical with news and highlights on events around the atoll.
The small paper…
The small paper…
Date: 1948/1949
CAA Colony Collection (Island Life)
From our photo collection of the CAA Colony who occupied Palmyra from 1948 to 1949. All materials were generously donated to us by Eugene Norton's family, by way of the Nature Conservancy in Hawaii, to whom we are very grateful. For more information…
Date: 1948
CAA Colony Collection (Portraits)
From our photo collection of the CAA Colony who occupied Palmyra from 1948 to 1949. All materials were generously donated to us by Eugene Norton's family, by way of the Nature Conservancy in Hawaii, to whom we are very grateful. For more information…
Date: 1948
Search for Captain Ulm
In 1934, Captain Charles Ulm and his fellow crew members were flying from California to Hawaii, when they disappeared over the ocean. They had radioed in to report they were having problems and landing in the ocean, not exactly sure where they were.…
Date: 1934
CAA Colony Collection (Buildings and Nature)
From our photo collection of the CAA Colony who occupied Palmyra from 1948 to 1949. All materials were generously donated to us by Eugene Norton's family, by way of the Nature Conservancy in Hawaii, to whom we are very grateful. For more…
Date: 1948
CAA Colony Reunion Visit
In 1980, members of the CAA families who lived on Palmyra from 1948 to 1949, reunited for a visit the atoll. These photos show them wandering the atoll, exploring the few buildings and structures to survive the years of exposure in the Pacific. …
Date: 1980
Shrimp Mariculture Survey
In 1980, the owner's of Palmyra granted a lease to the Undersea Resources Ltd company to farm shrimp in the lagoons of Palmyra. These photos were part of the extensive survey report, created to describe to potential investors what such a farm would…
Date: 1980
Palmyra from the Air
This interesting and extensive article describes the voyage and work of the cargo ship US Eagle 40's crew while on an aerial photography mission to Palmyra. Included is a spread of photographs from the trip, showing the wildlife, scenery, crew, and…
Date: 1921-10-10
Harry Setzer Collection
These photos were taken by Naval Photographer Harry Setzer during May and June of 1944, while he was visiting Palmyra on his tour through the Pacific with USN Scouting Squadron VS-47. They feature several very unique images:
1. Actress and Singer…
1. Actress and Singer…
Date: 1944-05
Excerpt from Air Pilot Manual of the Pacific Islands
This book was published throughout World War 2, and gave pilots general overviews of friendly island facilities throughout the Pacific, and instructions for landing on them.
Unfortunately the scan is lower quality, but the text and images are…
Unfortunately the scan is lower quality, but the text and images are…
Date: 1944
Coconut Crab Specimen
This jar from the Bishop Museum's specimen collection dates to the early 1900s, and contains 3 Palmyra coconut crabs donated at various times between 1904 and 1924.
Our suspicion is the crabs came to Hawaii from Captain Weisbarth in 1904, Judge…
Our suspicion is the crabs came to Hawaii from Captain Weisbarth in 1904, Judge…
Date: 1924
Palmyra Isle Land of Wonders
Extensive piece covering the return journey and discoveries of Judge Henry Cooper on his initial visit to Palmyra, after purchasing it for $750. He sailed aboard his ship the Luka, with a small crew that included the then curator of the Bishop…
Date: 1913-08-1913
Correspondence on visit to Palmyra
This newspaper account comes from a letter, presumably written by a crew member of the USS Portsmouth while on their surveying mission. It describes several details not mentioned other places, and is one of the earliest recordings of certain bird…
Date: 1874-04-02
A Fish Story (pt. 2)
This is part 2 of 4, from an article series written by Lorrin Thurston, on his recent trip to Palmyra. It describes, in colorful detail, several methods for dealing with sharks while wading on reefs like those at Palmyra.
Thurston owned the…
Thurston owned the…
Date: 1922-08-09
Documents of Executive Order 8616
This group of memos and letters trace the development of Executive Order 8616, which put Palmyra under the official management of the US Navy. Most date from 1939 offer a unique view into the process of how land was acquired by the military during…
Date: 1939
