Stained Glass Conservation Project: Historic Pearl Harbor Window

Stained glass windows are more than just a beautiful feature. They’re also an important part of our culture and history. Many stained glass windows tell a story and remind us about important events that have taken place in the past and helped shape our future. One great example of this is the famous Pearl Harbor Window in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Stained Glass Austin team was recently hired to assist with stained glass conversation efforts for this historic window. Below, we’ve recounted our experience in detail.

What Is the Pearl Harbor Memorial Window?

The Pearl Harbor Memorial Window is a historic stained glass window located in the Honolulu area of Hawaii. It belongs to the Moanalua Community Church, and was once part of the military base. The window was created by John Wallace of Wallace-Wiley Studio as a tribute to those who served. It features a beautiful design that incorporates various religious symbols as well as imagery representing branches of the U.S. military.

Preserving the Historic Stained Glass: Restoration & Conservation

We were contacted by the church committee who asked us to conduct an inspection. Some of the church elders had noticed changes in the window’s appearance. The exterior woodwork appeared to be rotting. Some of the glass pieces had also started to crack and were developing spiderweb-like fractures. Some of the metal was also buckling and damage had been caused by rocks kicked up by lawnmowers over the years. We determined that about 30% of the panels needed immediate repairs.

We decided that the best way to handle the restoration was to remove the stained glass and ship it to our studio. We created custom crates and had the panels transported via ocean freight. Once the crates arrived, we took apart the panels, repaired the damaged areas, and assembled them back together. Because we are stained glass conservationists, we worked to reuse as much of the original materials as possible. Once the repairs were complete, we flew back to Hawaii and reinstalled the newly restored stained glass.

Learn More About this Project

If you’re interested in learning more about this project or our services for stained glass conservation in Austin, please give us a call. We will be more than happy to assist you.