Back in 1963, I took a photo a couple of blocks from the house where I grew up, and where my parents lived for about seven decades. The photo was taken from a car on Moho Street at the corner of Makaiwa. Ahead at the end of the next block is Kahala Elementary School. The rear of Diamond Head looms in the background. I found a copy of the scanned image while backing up data from several old hard drives, part of my attempt to do useful work as we “shelter in place” in our current home. If you haven’t figured it out, it’s my parents’ old house. The same one. A couple of blocks from the street corner in the photos.

The two photos appear below. The top, taken in 1963. Below, a photo in the same location taken this week.

At first glance, it looks like little has changed.

But looking closer, I see many subtle differences.

• In the 1963 photo, I count more than a half-dozen coconut trees. None remain in 2020.

• Tall Areca Palms are now visible in yards on both sides of the street.

• In 1963, most of the houses have well manicured hedges in front. Those have been replaced by walls, either half height or full height, although some walls are concealed by landscaping.

• In 1963, there’s a relatively small tree in front of the school. Fifty-seven years later, it blocks most of the view of Diamond Head.

• There were two light poles on the right side of the street in 1963. In 2020, they have been replaced with new poles in much the same style, and the addition of a third on the corner just across from the school.

• In June 1963, a 3-bedroom home on this block of Moho Street was offered for sale. The home had been built in 1952. Asking price in 1963: $31,750.

The same home today is assessed for tax purposes at $1,566,900, real estate records show.

1963

2020