One year ago, museum curators working on a full-scale Oval Office replica for the newly opened Obama Presidential Center approached Punahou’s Design Technology and Engineering Department with a unique request: to recreate an 1849 Patented Morse Telegraph that sat on a bookshelf in the Oval Office during the administration of President Barack Obama ’79. Given Obama’s connection to Punahou as an alumnus, the project provided a meaningful opportunity for current students to contribute to an exhibit honoring the former president.
The telegraph was one of several patent models Obama selected for display in the Oval Office because it reflected the spirit of American innovation and invention. He once described the telegraph as “the start of the Internet,” viewing it as a symbol of creativity, problem-solving and technological progress.
Working from historical blueprints and measurements provided by museum staff, Design Technology and Engineering Department Head Eddie Kinnear assembled a team of students to take on the challenge. Kala‘i Kelekolio ’26, Trevor Hirano ’26, Tyler Wee ’26, Liam Snyder ’26 and Ryder Kawachika ’26 used CAD software, CNC fabrication processes and specialized finishing techniques to accurately reproduce the telegraph’s intricate brass and wooden components.
Throughout the project, the team participated in regular design reviews with museum personnel to ensure the replica met the exhibit’s exact specifications and remained on schedule. The project was completed three months before the center’s opening.
Today, the telegraph is on permanent display in the Oval Office exhibit at the Obama Presidential Center, serving as a lasting example of the craftsmanship, technical expertise and collaborative spirit fostered through Punahou’s Design Technology and Engineering program.