The Historic Cable Station Housing Complex was demolished in October of 2013
By direction of the Fish and Wildlife Service
One of Five Cable Station Buildings was partially restored
GAO Report – June 2, 2016 – Stated – “Cable Houses – Eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places
The mess hall was built by the Commercial Pacific Cable Company in 1903 for the employees who operated the relay stations for the first trans-Pacific telegraph line. It is eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials said that the building is not in use and cannot be restored.”
Per the 2016 GAO Report;
“FWS has demolished seven historic properties and completed another undertaking with adverse effects on historic properties that was not contemplated by the agreement without directly notifying parties who had previously expressed interest in historic preservation issues on Midway (hereafter referred to as key parties) and seeking their comments and input, and, in some cases, without providing public notification or opportunity for the public to express its views on resolving the adverse effects. In addition, FWS did not conduct consultations before approving three of the four undertakings even though, according to Advisory Council on Historic Preservation officials, the intent of consultation is to inform agency decision making.”
These historic structures were demolished without consultation with the IMMF,
as required by Public Law 106-113.
Cable Houses # 619, 623, 626 and 628 were demolished
Cable House # 643 was saved and partially restored
Photo Credit – NW Demolition And Environmental
It doesn’t surprise me that millions were spent on the process of destroying these buildings on Midway Island but somehow there “weren’t enough funds” to keep the visitor program going or to make the island a historic site.
What a disgrace those buildings have been destroyed. FWS shameful.
I was stationed there from Feb 1955 to Feb 1956 was an aviation storekeeper Worked as a lifeguard and at the em club had a lot of good times. I was really sad to what our government wild life service did to Midway Island. It was a beautiful island
Hello Walter,
Very interested in Midway Island after watching the remake of the movie Midway last year. Cannot see why such historic buildings were not preserved??! Would seem the US government is as stupid as the Australian government!?
Jon
Brisbane
Queensland
Australia
I was stationed there in 1981 – 1892. It’s ashame those old buildings could not be restored. They were stunning.