The housing market has gone out of sight the past few years, with the median price for a single-family home rising above half a million. So I was fascinated by a little book I found at Bestsellers downtown. It's by Catherine Summers and it's called, "The Hawaiian Grass House in Bishop Museum."

We're talking about 1900 when the grass house was going the way of cultural symbols today like the Hawaiian sampan and drive-in restaurants and giving mangoes to neighbors.

The first director of Bishop Museum, William T. Brigham, a burly fellow with a bushy beard, saw that the Hawaiian grass house was on its way to extinction so he decided to find one, take it apart and rebuild it as a Bishop Museum display.

He had his eye on a grass house in Miloli'i Valley on the Na Pali Coast of Kaua'i. Remember, this was before helicopters. There was no trail to Miloli'i Valley. The only way in was by sea, and that meant going in the early morning in the summer when the water was calm.

The first step was to buy the house from Eric Knudson, a Kaua'i legend, who offered to donate the house on condition that he could get it back if the museum decided not to put it up in their new hall.

There was a fellow in Hanalei, W.E.H. Deverill, who had a collection of Hawaiiana. Brigham talked him into bringing the grass house from Miloli'i Valley to Honolulu for $50. But by the time Deverill could get to the valley, the grass house was a wreck with only the posts standing.

At least it was a start. The museum had the measurements of a genuine grass house plus posts and beams with notches that fit together the ancient way. The house could be duplicated if somebody could find the right materials, like long sticks of lama wood used to lash the thatching to the roof and sides of the house.

Deverill said he would need 120 poles of lama 8 feet long and another 120 sticks 7 feet long. The museum appropriated the princely sum of $45 for the poles. Deverill asked for an additional $25 because the poles had to be carried out of Hanakapi'ai Valley on the trail to Hanalei on the backs of bearers.

Then Deverill put the poles on the little steamer Malolo when it stopped at Ha'ena for a load of rice. Next Brigham needed 'uki'uki leaves for making cordage. A fellow named Keawe found some 'uki'uki where Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is now and shipped five sacksful at a cost of $4.50. Understand, all of this had to be approved by the trustees. We're talking big money here.

Brigham also contracted with Keawe to build the house for $150 plus $100 for laying the stone base. The total cost of the house came to $364.50. I'd hate to think what it would cost today even if you could find the materials.

Reach Bob Krauss at 525-8073.