Midway: An Unnatural History of a Hawaiian Atoll

Situated at the far northwestern end of the Hawaiian archipelago, Midway Atoll is a place of paradox: a strange mix of the wild and the very much trammeled. This rich wildlife refuge was a naval fortress for most of the years that have passed since an American whaler put it on the map in 1859. So while the tiny, fragile landfall has been used and plundered in ways similar to many remote Pacific islands, its role as strategic North Pacific post and Cold War spy station cloaked the atoll in secrecy and left a partly hidden legacy of damage. Big Island author Pamela Frierson (The Burning Island, The Last Atoll) spent time on Midway between 1995 and 2011, observing, researching, assisting in cleanup efforts, and documenting the present and changing state of this remarkable ecosystem. Join us this evening as she shares with us her impressions of Midway and its legacy through the present day.