In March 1918, the Daughters and Sons of Hawaiian Warriors first proposed a memorial to the more than 10,000 men from the then Territory of Hawaii who volunteered to serve in the great war.

The Honolulu Ad Club agreed with the idea and on November 20, 1918, appointed an investigative committee led by Colonel Howard Hathaway, Ned Loomis, and W.D.

Westervelt to bring together representatives from all civic organizations to collaborate on the concept of a memorial beginning with a conference which was held on December 6, 1918.

Governor Charles J. McCarthy appointed the members of the commission: A. Lester Marks, Chairman John R. Galt, Secretary A.L.C.

"It reveals a fine, discriminating taste and ability in architectural design, and in such landscape treatment as reflects the highly individual color and flavor of Hawaii and Honolulu; it forecasts a memorial which will sustain an appropriate interest into the distant future, and perpetuate the noble thought and purpose which animated the original conception of the project."

In the opening ceremonies on August 24, 1927, the local Olympic gold medal holder Duke Kahanamoku made the first swim (it was his birthday).

However, it closed to the public in 1979 due to safety concerns and city council political support has oscillated between renovation and demolition of the structure.

Adjacent to the south of the Natatorium lies Kaimana Beach, a popular destination for the resident Honolulu population of the Kaimuki, Manoa, Diamond Head and other surrounding communities.

It is also known as Sans Souci Beach, (French for "without worries") for the hotel once run by George Lycurgus in 1893, named in turn after the Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam.

Duke Kahanamoku's uncle, David Piikoi, was said to have been the person who dragged the underwater cable through Kapua Channel and onto Kaimana's shore in 1902.