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July 1, 2024 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

ʻĀinahau Hotel

“’Have you seen the Cleghorn Gardens?’ is a frequent question to the malihini, and only another way of asking if one has seen the gardens of the late Princess Victoria Kaʻiulani, lovely hybrid flower of Scottish and Polynesian parentage, daughter of a princess of Hawaiʻi, Miriam Likelike (sister of Liliʻuokalani and Kalākaua) and the Honorable Arthur Scott Cleghorn.”

“We are too late by twenty years to be welcomed by Likelike, and eight years behind time to hear the merriment of Kaiulani in her father’s house Kaʻiulani, who would now be of the same age as Jack London.”

“The famous house, ʻĀinahau, is not visible from the Avenue. Here the bereft consort of Likelike lives in solitary state with his servants, amid the relics of unforgotten days. He receives few visitors, and we felt as if breaking his privacy were an intrusion, even though by invitation.”

“But the commandingly tall, courtly old Scot, wide brown eyes smiling benevolently under white hair and beetling brows, paced halfway down his palm-pillared driveway in greeting, and led our little party about the green-shady ways of the wonderland of flowers and vines, lily ponds and arbors, ‘Where Kaʻiulani sat,’ or sewed, or read, or entertained all in a forest of high interlacing trees of many varieties, both native and foreign.”

“I was most fascinated by a splendid banyan a tree which from childhood I had wanted to see. This pleased the owner, whose especial pride it is ‘Kaʻiulani’s banyan’ … Into nurseries and vegetable gardens we followed him, and real grass huts that have stood untouched for years.”

“And the house. The portion once occupied by the vanished Princess is never opened to strangers, nor used in any way. Only her father wanders there, investing the pretty suite of rooms with recollection of her tuneful young presence.” (Charmaine London, June 29, 1907)

Princess Kaʻiulani inherited 10-acres of land in Waikīkī from her godmother, Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani. Originally called Auaukai, her mother named it ʻĀinahau; Princess Kaʻiulani spent most of her life there.

The stream that flowed through ʻĀinahau and emptied into the ocean between the Moana and Royal Hawaiian Hotels (where the present Outrigger Hotel is located,) was called ʻApuakehau (the middle of three rivers that used to run through Waikīkī.)

The family built a two-story home on the estate. At first the home was used only as a country estate, but Princess Kaʻiulani’s family loved it so much, it soon became their full time residence.

Miriam Likelike passed away at ʻĀinahau 12-years before Kaʻiulani herself passed in 1899; Cleghorn lived until 1910 and also passed away there.

“ʻĀinahau, the beautiful residence and park at Waikiki, formerly the home of Governor Cleghorn, has become the property of the public, the will of the late governor, filed for probate yesterday, bequeathing the property to the public use as a park, to be known as Kaʻiulani park, after his daughter the late Princess Kaʻiulani.” (San Francisco Call, November 20, 1910)

“Mr. Cleghorn … felt that he held ʻĀinahau in a sort of trust, to preserve it for the memory of Kaʻiulani, and indirectly also of Likelike.” (Honolulu Star Bulletin, April 16, 1913)

“A bill to accept the fine gift passed the senate in 1913 but was killed in the house, and it was admitted at the time that some of the heirs under the will had joined in fighting against the acceptance bill.” (Honolulu Star-Bulleting, September 23, 1913)

“The deal by which the property was leased was completed yesterday. The name of the lessee is withheld at this time, but it was learned that local persons are interested in the project.”

“On the first of July the buildings already on the estate will be opened as a hotel. The buildings include one large structure, five cottages and one grass house. … The lease is made for a short period of time, with the privilege of extension. It includes the entire area of beautiful ʻĀinahau.” (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 21, 1913)

Mrs EH Lewis rented the property from the Cleghorn estate and operated the property as ʻĀinahau Hotel from 1913 to 1917.

“The ʻĀinahau, with its waving, coconut trees, stately palms and winding roads and paths, has always been known as one of the most beautiful and romantic spots in Honolulu.” (Honolulu Star-Bulleting, September 23, 1913)

“The ʻĀinahau Hotel has its entrance opposite the Moana and is not on the beach, but in the beautiful tropical jungle which was the residence of the late AS Cleghorn, father of the deceased Princess Kaʻiulani. This is also on the cottage plan, and accommodates 75 guests. American plan $1.50 to $2.50 per day; $40 to $75 per month.” (The Aloha Guide, 1915)

“ʻĀinahau is entered by a roadway opposite the Moana Hotel at Waikiki and was the residence of the late AS Cleghorn, father of the former Princess Kaʻiulani.”

“Mr. Cleghorn, upon his death in 1911, devised ʻĀinahau to Honolulu as a public park specifying certain conditions, among them that it should be closed after 6 pm.”

“Using this as a pretext, the legislature of 1913 rejected the gift, the city being now the poorer for it, for here tropical trees, plants, vines and shrubbery abound in such profusion and luxuriance as to offer wonderful opportunities for parking.”

“The property is now operated as a hotel, the numerous cottages being used for the purpose. The large banyan tree growing in front of the main building was a favorite retreat of Robert Louis Stevenson while he sojourned here.” (The Aloha Guide, 1915)

Then, newspaper accounts noted, “ʻĀinahau, the beautiful home of the late Governor AS Cleghorn at Waikiki and the spot perhaps best loved by Robert Lewis Stevenson of any place on the islands, will soon be only a memory, for it has been sold to James W Pratt and other interests and will immediately be cut up into building lots.”

“The price of the land, which comprises 11 2/3 acres, was $60,000. It is the plan of Mr. Pratt to subdivide the estate into 40 lots and make it an exclusive and one of the most beautiful residential districts in Honolulu.” (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, January 19, 1917)

Shortly after, ads started getting posted in the local papers, “For sale – Entire furnishings of ʻĀinahau hotel, 40 bedroom sets, billiard and pool tables, etc.” (Honolulu Star Bulletin, March 26, 1917)

© 2024 Hoʻokuleana LLC

Ainahau-when used as hotel-cars-1915
Ainahau-when used as hotel-cars-1915
Ainahau Hotel-brochure-1913
Ainahau Hotel-brochure-1913
Ainahau_-_Kaiulani's_House_after-1897
Ainahau_-_Kaiulani’s_House_after-1897
Entrance_to_Ainahau,_near_Honolulu,_residence_of_Princess_Kaiulani-1901
Entrance_to_Ainahau,_near_Honolulu,_residence_of_Princess_Kaiulani-1901
Ainahau_-_Kaiulani's_House_after-1897
Ainahau_-_Kaiulani’s_House_after-1897
Interior_of_house_at_Ainahau
Interior_of_house_at_Ainahau
Ainahau_-_Kaiulani's_House_after-1897
Ainahau_-_Kaiulani’s_House_after-1897
Liliy_pond_and_coconut_groves_at_Ainahau
Liliy_pond_and_coconut_groves_at_Ainahau
Banyan_tree_at_Ainahau
Banyan_tree_at_Ainahau
Ainahau_Estate_over_present_map-CulturalSurveys
Ainahau_Estate_over_present_map-CulturalSurveys
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Kaiulani_at_Ainahau_1898
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Princess-Likelike-HSA

Filed Under: Ali'i / Chiefs / Governance, Buildings, Economy Tagged With: Hawaii, Ainahau, Miriam Likelike Cleghorn, Kaiulani ; Archibald Cleghorn

June 30, 2024 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Lalani Village

“In this idyllic setting, you will thrill to the romance of Island yesterdays. Delicious foods of the lū‘au will please the discriminating, Ancient Hula … native maids … weird chanting … thumping gourds … strumming ukulele … plaintive Island melodies … majestic palms … quaint grass huts.”

In 1932 George Paele Mossman opened the Lalani Hawaiian Village in Waikiki with demonstrations of traditional crafts, music and lū‘au as a way of preserving and teaching what he termed “Hawaiian lore that is fast vanishing.”

The village, conceived of as living museum, archive, school and tourist entertainment center, of 8-grass houses was erected on 1-acre and a program of classes (in Hawaiian language, hula, music, food preparation, surfing and fishing.)

For $2, the visitor received a 1-hour lecture on village life, followed by a lūʻau and a show, with performances led by the Mossman family.

Born March 28, 1891, Mossman was one of 11 children. His father was Scottish and his mother, Nahua Kealoha, was Hawaiian. George grew up fluent in Hawaiian culture. On January 21, 1910, Mossman married Rebecca G Kainapau.

The earliest written account of the life of George Mossman appeared in a Time magazine article describing a teenage Mossman’s attempt at the craft of violin making in 1908.

But it was not the violin that became Mossman’s musical instrument; Mossman turned his craftwork efforts to building ukuleles.

Mossman entered the ukulele business the year before the 1915 Pan Pacific International Exposition, in San Francisco. The Exposition featured Hawaiian culture of music and dance – including a new and curious instrument, the ukulele.

As an ukulele maker, Mossman was a major influence during the golden era of ukulele popularity and innovation. In 1927, he claimed to have perfected a ukulele which could be heard from half a mile away and yet still retain its clarity and tonal sweetness (he called it the Bell Tone.)

By 1933, he suspended the manufacture of ukuleles and devoted his time to Lalani Village. Lalani Village was designed to look and feel like an ancient Hawaiian community, one that had existed before western contact and long before the development of Waikiki as a visitor destination.

Lalani Village was the first of its kind and “probably the first ‘Hawaiian cultural center’” ever “for what (Mossman) hoped would be a great cultural awakening”. (Kealoha)

The Village, situated at the corner of Kalākaua and Paoakalani Streets (where the family was residing and now is the present site of the Waikiki Beach Marriott,) conducted hula and musical performances, featuring the entire Mossman family dressed in the fashion of the ancient aliʻi; Mossman himself in a loincloth and feather cape.

The family operation included every member of Mossman’s immediate family: his wife, Emma; several sons; and three daughters: Leilani, Piʻilani and Pualani.

Pualani was known for her “Volcano hula” dance, the highlight of the show. She would dance alone on a raised platform with another performer blowing fire and lighting a model of a volcano. (Pualani later performed at the Hawaiian Room in the Hotel Lexington.)

It was “called the last stronghold of real Hawaiian culture. It is encircled by a high wail and every day a cross-section of life as lived by Hawaiians 200 years ago is reenacted. There are grass huts for the men and grass huts for the women.”

“The native dances, the language, the customs are taught and preserved. There is a heiau (temple), and an imu (underground oven) where pigs are roasted.”

“Guides take you from point to point, lecturing on a picturesque form of living that has practically disappeared. It is Mossman’s idea to a preserve this culture through education. (The News, Frederick Maryland, August 11, 1938)

In 1934 the hula teachers, kapa makers, and canoe builders were joined by the 87-year-old Kuluwaimaka, who became a resident of the village; Kuluwaimaka was court chanter for the King David Kalākaua.

There were also afternoon shows targeting the regularly arriving ocean liner passengers, where a presumably less elegant show that could be enjoyed for a mere 50 cents. Also, for those who were residents or staying for a while, 40 hula lessons cost $10. Ukulele and language lessons were also available.

The Lalani village provided a restaurant, Lalani’s Poi Inn, where the visitors would adventure and where the kamaʻāina would savor genuine tradition.

A Lalani Village was considered for New York, as well. An August 24, 1938 newspaper article noted, “Yes, I like this. It will do. I don’t know just where it will be, but New York is the right place for it.” (Mossman quoted in the Free Lance-Star after a driving and aerial tour of Manhattan.)

During World War II, the military took over the property and used it for army bathhouses and a post exchange. The Mossmans finally reopened the village in 1946, and it stayed open until 1955 (the year Mossman died.) (Lots of information here is from Imada, Tucker, Desmond, Reynolds and King.)

© 2024 Hoʻokuleana LLC

Hula Show at Lalani Hawaiian Village, Waikiki-BM-ca.1935
Grass house at Lalani Village, Waikiki-PP-32-4-001
Grass house at Lalani Village, Waikiki-PP-32-4-003
Grass house at Lalani Village, Waikiki-PP-32-4-005
Grass house at Lalani Village, Waikiki-PP-32-4-006
Grass house at Lalani Village, Waikiki-PP-32-4-007
Grass house at Lalani Village, Waikiki-PP-32-4-008
Grass house at Lalani Village, Waikiki-PP-32-4-009
Grass house at Lalani Village, Waikiki-PP-32-4-010
Hawaiian man thatching a grass house at Lalani Village, Waikiki-PP-32-3-004-1930s
Hawaiian man who built grass houses at Lalani Village, Waikiki-PP-32-4-021
Hawaiian_man who built grass houses at Lalani Village, Waikiki-PP-32-4-021
Lalani Village-Coconut Tree Climbing-ebay
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Pualani Mossman dancing the hula at Lalani Village, Waikiki-PP-33-1-017-1935
Tourist at Lalani Village, Waikiki-PP-32-4-004
Tourist at Lalani Village, Waikiki-PP-32-4-011
Tourist at Lalani Village, Waikiki-PP-32-4-024
Two hula dancers with ukulele, wearing tapa outfits, Lalani Village-PP-32-10-007

Filed Under: Economy, Hawaiian Traditions Tagged With: Pualani Mossman, Waikiki, Hawaii, Lalani Village

June 21, 2024 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Hale O Aloha

The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) was founded in London, England, on June 6, 1844, in response to unhealthy social conditions arising in the big cities at the end of the Industrial Revolution (roughly 1750 to 1850).

Growth of the railroads and centralization of commerce and industry brought many rural young men who needed jobs into cities like London. They worked 10 to 12 hours a day, six days a week.

By 1851 there were 24 Ys in Great Britain, with a combined membership of 2,700. That same year the Y arrived in North America: It was established in Montreal on November 25, and in Boston on December 29.  (YMCA)

“One of the most interesting foreign YMCA’s of this period was that of Honolulu formed … by ten young Americans, (including) the Association’s first president, Sanford B. Dole”.  (Hopkins)

“In Spring 1869 in Honolulu, three friends met at Peter Cushman Jones’s home and decided to form the Young Men’s Christian Association of Honolulu.”

“In the first year, many community leaders joined the YMCA Honolulu, including Sanford B. Dole, Theo H. Davies, and Samuel M. Damon.” (UH)

“From 1887 to 1922, Hawaii newspapers ran the ‘YMCA Notes,’ which reported the local YMCA news, including club meetings and events (e.g. preparing for boy summer camp). The content would usually fit in one to two columns and appear in a middle page of the newspaper.”  (UH)

Then, associated camps started to form across the Islands.  “Dr and Mrs WD [William Drake] Westervelt at a meeting of the YMCA board at noon today presented the board the keys to their mountain home near Kilauea, symbolic of the deed which had already been executed ….”

“The property consists of five acres of fine timber land with improvements of two houses, garages, water tanks and equipment. … In speaking of the gift Dr Westervelt said ‘We want that beautiful mountain home, 4,000 feet above sea level, to be available for a vacation home and center for Christian workers and, as the YMCA sees fit, for groups pf boys and girls.’” (Star Bulletin, Nov 16, 1933)

“If it is possible to develop there, particularly for the boys of Hawaii Island, a camp similar to the fine Harold Erdman camp on Oahu, it will be our pleasure. We have every confidence in the YMCA and are glad to turn over the property without strings. For it to be used in the interest of youth and character building.” (Westervelt, Sat Bulletin Nov 16, 1933)

“Camp Westervelt is the former volcano home of Mr and Mrs WD Westervelt, who, seeing the need of a YMCA camp to accommodate parties … deeded the home over to the YMCA during the past year.” (Star Bulletin, July 14, 1934)

Then “the gift of a five-acre lot on the Volcano Road adjoining Camp Westervelt, the YMCA Volcano campsite” was donated by Mrs Catherine W Deacon and her three sons as a memorial to the three sons’ aunt, Francis M Wetmore. “It is the plan of the Hawaii County YMCA to enlarge their volcano campsite whenever finances permit.” (Hawaii Tribune Herlad, April 27, 1935)

“Camp Westervelt has been used extensively during the past several years”. Then, in 1937 the YMCA announced plans for “the construction of a new and larger volcano camp building”; [t]he new building will be located on the Deacon property, which adjoins the present Camp Westervelt site.”

Then, “Due to the sustained and sustaining generosity of Mr Frank C Atherton; to the old-time open-handedness of the Rev and Mrs WD Westervelt; to the unflagging interest of our own Dr Thomas A Jaggar, who has other matters on his mind than seismic disturbances …”

“… there has been quietly and unostentatiously created at 28 miles from Hilo on the Volcano road a resort for the foregathering of Christian young men which is splendid monument to the quality and cumulative interest of all those persons who are interested in the betterment of their fellow men.”

“In these rather troublesome days when the minds of men appear to be centered upon politics, labor troubles, or other definitely worldly matters, the enterprising and alert persons who have other aims in life than political preferment, or personal ambitions …”

“… have established … one of the best builded and adequately and comfortably arranged YMCA camps to he found within the jurisdiction of that useful institution in the vicinity of cities where the membership is counted by the thousand, instead of by the score, as is the case of the Hilo YMCA.”

“Not the least of the many attractive features of this well-designed gathering place for young men is the unique feature of the Fireplace of Friendship, and it is a distinctive pleasure to chronicle the fact that Supervisor August S Costa brought to this fine occasion the kindly greetings of the board of supervisors, and that the Hawaii county band was also present to add its quota of harmony to this important event.” (Hawaii Tribune Herald, Oct 12, 1938)

“Built of lava-rock masonry, the construction includes ‘100 stones sent from 34 countries and coins from 56 countries, as well as 1200 friendship tokens, bought by individuals at 25 cents to $100 each to honor friends’”. (NPS)

The tradition of the Friendship Fireplace is to exemplify “world brotherhood, peace or friendship” hence the different stones from around the world were “in keeping with the spirit of the fireplace that arrowheads and such implements of war should find their proper place in decorating a fireplace of friendship as well”. (NPS)

“This ideal of a “Christian Brotherhood” promoted to the young men involved in YMCA manifested in the construction of the “Fireplace of Friendship” at the Lodge. Hardly a new idea, Friendship fireplaces began in the YMCA Seattle, Washington chapter under the leadership of Tracy Strong. The Friendship Fireplace at Hale-o-Aloha was similar to the fireplace at Camp Erdman.” (NPS)

“[T]he objective of the fireplace was to promote a perspective in the boys and a value at the camp that extended beyond its isolated, rural locale.” (NPS)

Now known as Kilauea Lodge and operated as a B&B lodge/restaurant, the property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013; its contributing elements include the YMCA Lodge, Dormitory, and Bunkhouses, the Westervelt Caretaker’s Cottage, two original redwood water tanks, and four entrance and exit stone pillars placed along the front semi-circular driveway. (HHF)

© 2024 Ho‘okuleana LLC

Filed Under: Economy, General, Buildings, Missionaries / Churches / Religious Buildings, Place Names, Prominent People Tagged With: Kilauea Lodge, Hale O Aloha, WD Westervelt, Camp Westervelt, Catherine Deacon, Friendship Fireplace, Fireplace of Friendship, Hawaii, Volcano, YMCA

June 16, 2024 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Young Brothers – Innovation and Opportunity

John Nelson Young had 5-kids – Edith, Herbert, William, John and Edgar; they hailed from San Diego.

In the summer of 1899, the four boys ran a glass-bottomed boat at Catalina Island; this was the beginning of the famous glass-bottom boat rides that continue today.

It marked the beginning of the innovation and opportunity that followed the brothers.

They took guests out fishing during the day; to help promote their activities they took hotel employees on moonlight sails.  It’s not clear if this was the beginning of the booze cruise or pau hana parties.

They saw opportunity in Hawai‘i; in January 1900, Herbert (29) and William (25) arrived in Honolulu; in October of that year, their younger brother, John Alexander Young, arrived – they called him Jack (18).

They formed Young Brothers.

Their early years were focused around Honolulu Harbor.  They would run lines for anchoring or docking vessels, carry supplies and sailors to ships at anchor outside the harbor, and various other harbor-related activities.

They built a glass bottom boat and started a sport fishing service – and would take pictures of the people with their fish. Some suggest this was the beginning of the charter boat business in Hawai‘i. 

They expanded into shark fishing … Jack also saw another opportunity and a new sport was born – they took customers out to ‘hunt’ flying fish, with customers at the bow of their skiff with shot guns “taking pot shots at fish on the fly”.

Back then, there were two inter-island freight carriers, Inter-Island Steam Navigation and Wilder Steamship Company.  In 1905 Inter-Island bought out Wilder. (Later Inter-Island became Hawaiian Airlines.)

Opportunity knocked again for Young Brothers.

Libby’s shut down its pineapple operation in windward O‘ahu and started planting pineapples on the west end of Molokai.

Libby’s built a wharf at Kolo,  just below Maunaloa.  Kolo had a shallow channel and the Inter-Island Steam Navigation ships couldn’t get in.

The brothers made a special tender and with its first barges, YB-1 and YB-2, Young Brothers got into the freight business, carrying pineapple from Kolo Wharf to Libby’s O‘ahu cannery.

With expanded freight service to Molokai (to Kolo and Kaunakakai,) Young Brothers further innovated with the practice of tandem towing – towing two barges with one tug.

They pioneered the system because two barges were needed to serve Molokai – they would drop one off at Kolo and then carry on to Kaunakakai; they’d pick up the Kolo barge on the way back to Honolulu.

(The 1946 tsunami destroyed Kolo Wharf. Rather than repair it, Libby’s bought trucks and shipped their pineapples out of Kaunakakai.)

Young Brothers’ innovation did not stop.  In 1929, their new tug, the Mikimiki, was launched.

The excellent performance of the original Mikimiki led to the adoption of her basic design for a large fleet of tugs that the US Army Transport Service copied for World War II service.

Young Brothers continued with another innovation; the Kapena class tugs that modernizes the Young Brothers’ fleet.  They are named for two prior captains; the first was named for Jack Young Sr and his oldest son Jack Young Jr.  Both were instrumental in making Young Brothers a leader in inter-island shipping. 

Jack Young had three children, Jack Jr, Babe and Kenny.  Jack Sr had 11 grandchildren, but he and his wife had died knowing only one of them. Jack Sr is my grandfather, but I never knew him or my grandmother; Kenny is my father.

While the Youngs have been out of Young Brothers for a long time, we still feel very much a part of it and its heritage.

© 2024 Ho‘okuleana LLC

Filed Under: Prominent People, Sailing, Shipping & Shipwrecks, Economy, General Tagged With: Hilo Breakwater, Nawiliwili Breakwater, Tug Boat, Hawaii, Jack Young, Young Brothers, Shark, Mikimiki, William Young, Herbert Young

June 13, 2024 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Alexander & Baldwin

In 1843, Samuel Thomas Alexander and Henry Perrine Baldwin, sons of early missionaries to Hawaiʻi, met in Lāhainā, Maui. They grew up together, became close friends and went on to develop a sugar-growing partnership.

Alexander was the idea man, more outgoing and adventurous of the two. He had a gift for raising money to support his business projects.

Baldwin was more reserved and considered the “doer” of the partners; he completed the projects conceived by Alexander.

After studying on the Mainland, Alexander returned to Maui and began teaching at Lahainaluna, where he and his students successfully grew sugar cane and bananas.

Word of the venture spread to the owner of Waiheʻe sugar plantation near Wailuku, and Alexander was offered the manager’s position.

Alexander hired Baldwin as his assistant, who at the time was helping his brother raise sugar cane in Lāhainā. This was the beginning of a lifelong working partnership.

In 1869, the young men – Alexander was 33, Baldwin, 27 – purchased 12-acres of land in Makawao and the following year an additional 559-acres.  That same year, the partners planted sugar cane on their land marking the birth of what would become Alexander & Baldwin (A&B.)

In 1871, they saw the need for a reliable source of water, and to this end undertook the construction of the Hāmākua ditch in 1876.

Although not an engineer, Alexander devised an irrigation system that would bring water from the windward slopes of Haleakala to Central Maui to irrigate 3,000 acres of cane – their own and neighboring plantations.

Baldwin oversaw the Hāmākua Ditch project, known today as East Maui Irrigation Company (the oldest subsidiary of A&B,) and within two years the ditch was complete.

The completed Old Hāmākua Ditch was 17-miles long and had a capacity of 60-million gallons per day.  A second ditch was added, the Spreckels Ditch; when completed, it was 30-miles long with a capacity of 60-million gallons per day.

Before World War I, the New Hāmākua, Koʻolau, New Haiku and Kauhikoa ditches were built. A total of ten ditches were constructed between 1879 and 1923.

Over the next thirty years, the two men became agents for nearly a dozen plantations and expanded their plantation interests by acquiring Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company and Kahului Railroad.

In 1883, Alexander and Baldwin formalized their partnership by incorporating their sugar business as the Paia Plantation also known at various times as Samuel T Alexander & Co, Haleakala Sugar Co and Alexander & Baldwin Plantation.

By spring of 1900, A&B had outgrown its partnership organization and plans were made to incorporate the company, allowing the company to increase capitalization and facilitate expansion.

The Articles of Association and affidavit of the president, secretary and treasurer were filed June 30, 1900 with the treasurer of the Territory of Hawaiʻi. Alexander & Baldwin, Limited became a Hawaiʻi corporation, with its principal office in Honolulu and with a branch office in San Francisco.

Shortly after, in 1904, Samuel Alexander passed away on one of his adventures. While hiking with his daughter to the edge of Victoria Falls, Africa, he was struck by a boulder. Seven years later, Baldwin passed away at the age of 68 from failing health.

After the passing of the founders, Alexander & Baldwin continued to expand their sugar operations by acquiring additional land, developing essential water resources and investing in shipping (Matson) to bring supplies to Hawaii and transport sugar to the US Mainland markets.

A&B was one of Hawaiʻi’s five major companies (that emerged to providing operations, marketing, supplies and other services for the plantations and eventually came to own and manage most of them.)  They became known as the Big Five.

Hawaiʻi’s Big Five were: C Brewer (1826;) A Theo H Davies (1845;) Amfac – starting as Hackfeld & Company (1849;) Castle & Cooke (1851) and Alexander & Baldwin (1870.)

What started off as partnership between two young men, with the purchase of 12 acres in Maui, has grown into a corporation with $2.3 billion in assets, including over 88,000 acres of land.

(In 2012, A&B separated into two stand-alone, publicly traded companies – A&B, focusing on land and agribusiness and Matson, on transportation.)

A&B is the State’s fourth largest private landowner, and is one of the State’s most active real estate investors.  It’s portfolio includes a diversity of projects throughout Hawaiʻi, and a significant commercial property portfolio in Hawaiʻi and on the US Mainland. (Information here is from Alexander & Baldwin.)

© 2024 Hoʻokuleana LLC

Filed Under: Economy, Prominent People Tagged With: Big 5, Alexander and Baldwin, Hawaii, Maui, Matson, Samuel Alexander, HP Baldwin, East Maui Irrigation, Hawaii Commercial and Sugar

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Images of Old Hawaiʻi

People, places, and events in Hawaiʻi’s past come alive through text and media in “Images of Old Hawaiʻi.” These posts are informal historic summaries presented for personal, non-commercial, and educational purposes.

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Hoʻokuleana LLC

Hoʻokuleana LLC is a Planning and Consulting firm assisting property owners with Land Use Planning efforts, including Environmental Review, Entitlement Process, Permitting, Community Outreach, etc. We are uniquely positioned to assist you in a variety of needs.

Info@Hookuleana.com

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