The Governor H. Rex Lee Auditorium, also called Fale Laumei ("Turtle House") in Samoan, is the largest indoor meeting space in the United States territory of
American Samoa
American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the International ...
. It is located in the village of
Utulei
Utulei or Utulei is a village in Maoputasi County, American Samoa, Maoputasi County, in the Eastern District, American Samoa, Eastern District of Tutuila, the main island of American Samoa. Utulei is traditionally considered to be a section of Fag ...
, surrounded by other government buildings. The main body of the building is a roughly ovoid structure, with a curved roof (finished with wooden shakes) that is reminiscent of the thatch roofs of traditional Samoan structures. The auditorium was built in 1962 under orders from Governor
Hyrum Rex Lee
Hyrum Rex Lee (April 8, 1910 – July 26, 2001) was an American government employee and diplomat who was the last non-elected Governor of American Samoa. Lee served as governor from 1961 to 1967, and again briefly from 1977 to 1978. Governor Lee ...
as part of a major initiative to modernize the territory's infrastructure and facilities. It was built by a construction squadron of the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
, and was completed in time for the 1962 South Pacific Conference. It was later named in honor of Lee, who was the territory's longest-serving governor, and oversaw much of its modernization.
The building was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 2010.
It was built to house the delegates of the 1962 South Pacific Conference. The structure would later be known as ''Fale Laumei'' (Turtle House).
In 2017, the
Fono
The Legislative Assembly ( sm, Fono Aoao Faitulafono a Samoa), also known as the Parliament of Samoa ( sm, Palemene o Samoa), is the national legislature of Samoa, seated at Apia, where the country's central administration is situated. Samoan P ...
building in
Fagatogo
Fagatogo is the downtown area of Pago Pago (the territorial capital of American Samoa).Grabowski, John F. (1992). ''U.S. Territories and Possessions (State Report Series)''. Chelsea House Pub. Page 51. . Located in the low grounds at the foot of M ...
was demolished and the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
began utilizing the auditorium's North Wing — which faces
KVZK-TV
KVZK-TV is the public government-owned broadcaster of the U.S. territory of American Samoa, based in Pago Pago. A subsidiary of the Office of Public Information, currently directed by Tialuga Vince Iuli, it was established in 1964. KVZK-TV broadc ...
and the main Education Department building — for legislative meetings.
Design
The civic auditorium was constructed in 1962. Governor
H. Rex Lee
Hyrum Rex Lee (April 8, 1910 – July 26, 2001) was an American government employee and diplomat who was the last non-elected Governor of American Samoa. Lee served as governor from 1961 to 1967, and again briefly from 1977 to 1978. Governor Lee ...
decided the territory needed an auditorium for the 1962 South Pacific Conference which would show American resolve to its only South Pacific territory. Lee ordered the building to be solid, of Samoan motif, and with the ability to house a thousand people. Nationally recognized architect
George J. Wimberly of Hawai’i was chosen to do the design. The architectural firm has also designed Hawaiian buildings such as the Waikikian Hotel, the
International Market Place
International Market Place is an open-air shopping center located in Waikiki, Waikīkī on the island of Oahu, O‘ahu. It first opened in 1956 as a commercial, retail and entertainment center. After closing for complete renovation in 2013, the I ...
, King Hilton on the Big Island,
Coco Palms Resort
Coco Palms Resort was a resort hotel in Wailua, Kauai County, Hawaii, Wailuā, Kauai, Kauaʻi, Hawaii, Hawaiʻi, that was noted for its Cinema of the United States, Hollywood connections, Hawaiian-themed weddings, torch lighting ceremonies, dest ...
on Kauai, and others. The building was renamed Lee Auditorium by a general memorandum signed by Governor
Owen Aspinall
Owen Stuart Aspinall (September 21, 1927 – February 7, 1997) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 45th Governor of American Samoa from August 1, 1967, to July 31, 1969. He was born in Grand Junction, Colorado; his fat ...
on July 1, 1963.
Wimberly, Whisenand, Allison and Tong of Honolulu received an Honor Award from the
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...
, Hawai’i Chapter, in 1965, for the design. It was the first award-winning structure in the South Pacific Ocean. The same architects also designed the
Rainmaker Hotel
Rainmaker Hotel was a 250-room luxury hotel in Utulei, American Samoa, Utulei, Pago Pago, American Samoa. It was the only proper hotel in American Samoa and was operated by the government. The hotel was at its peak in the 1960s and 1970s, when it w ...
, government housing (now the Department of Social Services), and Pacific Coconut Processing (now part of
StarKist
StarKist Tuna is a brand of tuna produced by StarKist Co., an American company formerly based in Pittsburgh's North Shore that is now wholly owned by Dongwon Industries of South Korea. It was purchased by Dongwon from the American food manufactur ...
). They also designed
Leone High School
Leone High School is a senior high school in Vailoatai and Leone, in the Western District, American Samoa. It is operated by the American Samoa Department of Education. It is the second-largest high school on Tutuila Island.
It was opened in S ...
, from which they received their second award for a building in American Samoa.
[Sunia, Fofo I.F. (2009). ''A History of American Samoa''. Amerika Samoa Humanities Council. Page 281. .]
See also
*
References
Buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in American Samoa
Government buildings completed in 1904
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