Honokaʻa will make a lot more sense if you visit this museum. Sponsored by the Northern Hawaiʻi Education and Research Center, it's mainly a large photo collection documenting the plantation era and its demise, along with material from area families; it's like a peak into the region's collective grandmother's attic. Each picture speaks a thousand words.
From the main intersection downtown, follow Plumeria St uphill, then turn right on Lehua St.