Did you know The Outdoor Circle was started by seven women before they were legally allowed to vote?

Cherilla Storrs Lowrey, first President of The Outdoor Circle, with the Executive Committee, 1916

The Outdoor Circle was started in 1912 by seven women: Anna Rice Cooke, Mrs. Isaac Cox, Francis Lawrence, Cherilla Storrs Lowrey, Laura Sherman, Kulunanu Ward, and Ida Waterhouse. Their united goal was to beautify Hawai‘i. They started in Honolulu by planting trees and creating a campaign to oppose billboards which dotted the landscape at the time. Their efforts grew to include the entire island of Oahu as well as other islands across the state.

Over 111 years later, The Outdoor Circle is responsible for planting hundreds of thousands of trees, establishing public fountains, parks, playgrounds, and gardens across the island chain while championing the conservation of native trees and shrubs, spawning generations of environmental stewards, and working to keep unsightly outdoor signage and visual blight under control.

We are extremely grateful to these seven visionary women whose influence has spanned generations and will continue to do so for many generations to come.
​