Congressman Faleomavaega announced that the Breakers
Point Naval Guns have been added to the U.S. National Register of Historic
Places.
“Congratulations on this achievement go to Stan Sorensen, Historian
in the American Samoa Historic Preservation Office for the preparation
and submission of the application, and to Governor Tauese’s office for
administrative support,” said Faleomavaega. This is the 16th listing
of a National Historic Site for American Samoa, and reminds us all of our
long relationship with the United States.”
To be selected for listing on the National Register of Historic
Places, a location must be of “national” significance, and in the case
of the Breakers Point Guns is considered a property associated with events
that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our
history.
Part of the application (prepared by our local ASG office) for being
listed on the National register, includes this reference to local efforts
to help the national WWII effort in the Pacific:
“The guns were emplaced in August, 1941 by a unique method.
Alex Jonsson, an Icelander who supervised the Utah Construction Company’s
activities in American Samoa, had ordered steel rails and small railway
flatcars from the U.S. mainland. These would be used to build a miniature
railway, which would be powered by a ‘donkey engine’, connected to the
flatcars by a system of cables and pulley wheels. The ten-ton guns
would be secured to the flatcars, and pulled up the mountain to their sites.
As the threat of war with Japan drew closer, Jonsson grew impatient waiting
for the rails and cars to arrive. He therefore engaged the services
of Samoan master carpenters, who carved temporary rails and flatcars (with
flanged wheels) from ifi lele (Intsia bijuga), a very dense Samoan hardwood.
This wooden railway was emplaced, connected to the engine and pulleys,
and used to move the guns. When the steel railway parts arrived,
they replaced the ifi lele system.”
The Breakers Point Naval Gun is the 16th listing on the National
Register in American Samoa. Two of the first listings were Government
House and the Atauloma Girls School (both March, 1972), and others include
the Blunts Point Naval Gun (1973), the Fagatogo Courthouse (1974),
and the Fagatele Bay site (1997). |
![[106th Congress]](/faleomavaega/press/press_2000/images/106.jpg)
