“The Kukui Tree would pay big in the hands of anyone who could got a liquor license, or who would run a blind pig. … EP Irwin has decided to close the Kukui Tree, at Wahiawa. …”
“The place has not been paying. Mr. Irwin will devote all his attention now to his Waikiki place, the well known Hau Tree.” (Hawaiian Star, July 17, 1911)
Let’s look back …
Mr and Mrs Henry C Brown converted their Wahiawa home into the “Malukukui, their home-hotel among the pineapples at Wahiawa.” (Hawaiian Gazette, September 29, 1909)
“(I)ll health sent them to seek a quiet country life. They settled in Wahiawa, the largest pineapple country in the world, where they bought several acres of ground and built their home, evolving from it a small country inn in which they are now able to accommodate some fifty guests.”
“The house was built by Japanese carpenters and has some Japanese features; for example, the bedrooms on the sheltered side of the house have no glass in the windows, but only sliding screens and shutters which fold up on the outside to be used in the case of heavy rain.”
“The house is built of matched boards left rough on the outside but planed within, and over each joint, both inside and out, three-inch battens are laid. The roof is of galvanized iron, roofing much used in this district, and the whole is stained a dark moss green with white trimmings about the windows and doors.”
“Every room has a fine view either over the restful pineapple fields or down the deep ravine on the edge of which the house is built. In the distance can be seen magnificent mountain ranges and glimpses of the Pacific ten miles distant.”
“The house is of significance to us, not alone because of its attractiveness or the fact that many of the ideas for which we stand have been put into practice within it; but as an example of what can be done in a country where there are few resources, by people who really desire to build a home after their own hearts.” (The Craftsman, 1909)
Wahiawa Hotel operated under the American plan, $2.50 upward per day; $15 upward per week; $45 upward per month. (Aloha Guide, 1915)
“Wahiawa is 25 miles from town by rail. It is the original pineapple district founded by a colony of American agriculturists in 1899. It is a small village surrounded by pineapple fields, and being of an elevation of 1000 feet offers to pleasure-seekers and those seeking the cool atmosphere, recreation and rest.” (Aloha Guide, 1915)
It “also (has) several stores, markets, shops, laundry, etc., and two pineapple canneries. Now that the mails come twice a day by rail instead of twice a week by stage from Pearl City, as was the case formerly, a number of Honolulu people have built country houses.” (Paradise of the Pacific, Oct/Nov 1905)
“The Hawaiian Islands Pineapple cannery is located here and may be inspected whenever it is running, the height of the canning season being from July to September.”
“Oahu Railway & Land Co … which obtained its franchise in 1888 operates a narrow gauge railway from Honolulu as far as Kahuku, a distance of 71 miles with a branch line to Wahiawa (13 miles), the pineapple district and to Leilehua, the army post.” (Aloha Guide, 1915)
“A large dam has been constructed here for the purpose of storing up water for the Waialua Sugar Plantation.” (Aloha Guide, 1915) “Motor-boating on fresh water is one of the attractions of Wahiawa.”
“The Wahiawa Water Company, desiring to conserve the ten billion gallons of water which annually flowed through the Kaukonahua streams, for use on Waialua sugar-cane lands, spent over a quarter of a million dollars building a dam and system of ditches and tunnels.”
“Forty-seven million gallons was Waialua’s daily allowance recently during the planting season—a good help to dividends. The dam backs water three and one-half miles up one branch and four and one-half of the Wahiawa Colony, whence it passes through the holdings of all the colonists, giving them means of irrigating at moderate rates. Recently a pipe system has been installed, removing all fears of dry weather.” (Paradise of the Pacific, Oct/Nov 1905)
“The lease giving EP Irwin the control of the Wahiawa country resort formerly the Malukukui Hotel was signed yesterday by the trustees of the Atherton estate and the new proprietor took possession at once.”
“Numerous expensive additions and repairs about the place have been already planned and will be immediately executed increasing the capacity of the hotel and making it cosier and nearer the standards of the comfort in city hostelries.”
“An automobile will meet the trains at Wahiawa from the hotel and in its off moments act as a link between the Hau tree Irwins Waikiki Hotel and his new Wahiawa enterprise.” (Hawaiian Gazette, March 7, 1911)
“The Kukui Tree, formerly known as Malukukui, at Wahiawa, is now open and ready to receive guests. Extensive Improvement are under way and will soon be completed. No place in Hawaii is as suitable to spend a week end at as the Kukui Tree.”
“Run up today or tomorrow and stay over Sunday and see if this is not true. If you try it once, The Kukui Tree will become a habit with you. The table is excellent, as are the accommodations. Inquiries may be made of EP Irwin, at the Hau Tree, phone 1389.” (Hawaiian Star, March 24, 1911)
“The necessity for a place such as Mr Irwin has reopened exists and he deserves all the patronage his enterprise should bring him. As managers of the Hau Tree at Waikiki, Mr and Mrs Irwin have demonstrated the fact that they know how. (Hawaiian Gazette, March 24, 1911)
However, as noted in the initial quote, “The place has not been paying (and) EP Irwin has decided to close the Kukui Tree, at Wahiawa.” There is limited mention of the Malukukui or the Kukui Tree after that.
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