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July 9, 2025 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Halo

“My father came from Shimane-ken in 1906 with his wife. Shimane ken is on the Japan Sea side below Tottori-ken. … My mother was his second wife and they were already married when they arrived.” (Hirose, HawaiiSwim)

“When I was young, I was a bit on the rascal side, a free spirit you might say. I grew up doing some crazy things. … [Kiyoshi] Nakama and I grew up together. We started swimming from around age 3 or 4. He was a prankster too, a Kodomo Taisho who never got caught. I was not so lucky.”

“He was a natural athlete, the best in any sport we played. He was quarterback in barefoot football, shortstop in baseball, forward in basketball (I was standing guard). We always won in the Maui community/school competitions. Except, one year Haiku beat us in barefoot football.” (Hirose, HawaiiSwim)

Takashi ‘Halo’ (pronounced ‘Hollow’) Hirose was one of the fastest swimmers in the world. (Nakama, Advertiser)

While he was a notable swimmer, in his youth he was not necessarily that great at baseball.  They put him in the outfield … when the ball came to him it went through him.  His friends gave him the nickname ‘Hollow.’

Fast forward to his adult life when he joined the Army … they asked him his name, he didn’t want to be known by some abbreviation of Takashi or other Japanese reference, so he wrote ‘Halo’ in the paperwork.  (He wasn’t a very good speller either.)  The name stuck.  (Sono)

“He learned to swim in the irrigation ditches of Maui’s Pu’unene’s sugar plantation, where his parents worked as laborers. Watching over him and the other kids was Soichi Sakamoto, one of their elementary school teachers.  Sakamoto knew nothing about swimming, but in time, he would come to be regarded as a coaching genius.”  (ISHOF)

At age 15, Hirose placed second in the 200-meter freestyle and fourth in the 100 free at the National AAU meet. Also that year, 1938, Hirose was a member of the United States’ 400-meter freestyle relay team that set a world record in Germany.  (Nakama, Advertiser) He earned a lot more accolades as he continued his swimming career.

“People say and write that swimming was our ticket out of the plantations, to go to college. That was what motivated us. But when we were in the water swimming, things like that never crossed our minds. We just swam and had fun until Coach came along. Then it was hard work every day.”  (Hirose, HawaiiSwim)

“Lacking formal swimming facilities that were reserved for only wealthy white men, Sakamoto would train his swimmers in the nearby irrigation ditches on the plantation and in the process develop revolutionary training techniques still in use today in competitive swimming.”

“[The] swimmers [were brought] to local, national, and international prominence, defying the racial odds stacked against them.” (Nakamura)

“Coach was a genius. One summer two college students who were swimming for the University of Hawaii swim team came home for the summer. Coach made a challenge to have us … swim against them. And he made sure the plantation bosses would be there as fans. …”

“I was still in 8th grade. But we trained very hard to win. When the time came for the big event, we gave it all we had and beat them right in front of everybody including the big bosses. Then, they built the second pool for us.” (Hirose, HawaiiSwim)

“Actually, [we lived] in Camp 5. That’s something really unusual. Four guys living as neighbors, making a relay team and breaking the national record. I don’t think anything like that has ever happened before even to this day.” (Hirose, HawaiiSwim)

The 1940 Olympics had been canceled because of World War II.  “When the war broke out in 1941, I volunteered for the army and got into the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.”

“Later, the 100th Battalion was short of men [and I] decided to volunteer to join the 100th… [O]ne day this major came to see me and said ‘You must be an important person, Division Headquarters want to see you.’ So I got dressed and his jeep took me up there.”

“When I got there, Captain Kometani was there, and he told me that they had made a call for all swimmers to sign up for the Allied Olympics in Rome. …[W]e all went to Rome for 45 days and had a great time.” (Hirose, HawaiiSwim)

After the war, Hirose enrolled at Ohio State University and became a three-time All-American for the Buckeyes. (Nakama, Advertiser)

“One of the highlights in my life was that trip to Egypt …. In June 1946, I left Ohio State University to go the Grand Prix in Paris where I was invited to compete in a swim event. There, I met an Egyptian Prince whose was chauffeured around in the #4 Royal Limousine.”

“His name was Prince Lazuli Ratib and he was a member of the fourth family in succession to the thrown occupied by King Farruk. He was there with the Egyptian team, a swimmer and a diver. We stayed at the same hotel and got along great.”

“After the Grand Prix, there was an exhibition swim event in Morocco that we had to participate in. From there, I was supposed to return to Paris for the trip back to the United States. But, the Prince invited me to visit Egypt so I happily joined them on their flight to Cairo.”

“When we got to Cairo, they took care of all my expenses and showed me all over Egypt. They showed me the pyramids, the sphinx and all those ancient things and places you read about in the history books. I had a great time and it was an education I will never forget. I stayed there for almost a couple of months.”

“When I finally got back to Columbus, Ohio, it was March 1948. More than eight months had elapsed on this trip and the OSU officials didn’t appreciate it. I had to be reprimanded for violating some NCAA rule on travel. I don’t remember the specifics of the rule, but the trip was a great experience that I’ll never forget.”  (Hirose, HawaiiSwim)

After earning his degree in 1949, Hirose did graduate work in California and eventually returned to Hawai’i, where he was assigned to the 1st Circuit Adult Probation Division. Hirose later became the state’s chief probation officer and retired in 1982. (Nakama, Advertiser) He died August 24, 2002.

For The Record, Halo achieved the following: 1938 National AAU Meet: 2nd (200m freestyle); 4th (100m freestyle); 1939 National AAU: 4th (100m freestyle); 1940 National AAU: 2nd (100m freestyle); 1941 National AAU: 1st (100m freestyle, 800m freestyle relay); 1940-44 Member of the Mythical Olympic Team, which was not able to compete due to the war…

1946 Big Ten: 1st (100yd freestyle), NCAA: 1st (100yd freestyle), Ohio State University: Won Big Ten, NCAA and AAU Team Championships, 3 Time All-American; 1987: Inducted into Ohio State’s Sports Hall of Fame; 2017: Inducted into International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF).

© 2025 Ho‘okuleana LLC

Filed Under: Prominent People Tagged With: Halo Hirose, Swimming, Three Year Swim Club, Hawaii, Maui, Takashi Hirose

June 9, 2025 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Maui Agricultural Company

In 1922, “Maui Agricultural Company [MA Co] has the largest land holdings of any of the Maui plantations but in area planted to cane is second to Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar. … It is a Baldwin plantation and its fields extend from those of the Hawaiian Commercial Sugar Co and extend thence into Haiku and up into Makawao.”

“Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company or Puunene as it is so commonly called, was the plantation for which the late HP [Herny Perrine] Baldwin did perhaps more than any other, much as he did for his Paia plantation. The two went forward together after he acquired what is now Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company property.” (Maui News, Oct 10, 1922)

“[A]s one travels east along Hana Highway from the city of Kahului, two sugar mills can be seen among the cane fields which characterize central Maui. The first to come to view is Puunene Mill. Located two miles from Kahului, it is part of the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company (HC&S). “ (Stores and Storekeepers of Paia & Puunene, Maui, UH Manoa, Ethnic Studies Program)

“The Maui Agricultural Company was a copartnership of corporations consisting of the two historic plantations, Haiku Sugar Co., founded in 1858 and Paia Plantation dating back to 1883, and five companies chartered in 1903, the date of the formation of the Maui Agricultural Co.”

“Previous to 1883 and back to 1870 the upper portions of the Paia lands comprised a plantation owned by Mr HP Baldwin, the manager, and Mr ST Alexander as partners under the firm name or Alexander & Baldwin.”

“In 1886 the Haiku Sugar Co absorbed the East Maui Plantation Company located at Kaluanui and in 1889 the Paia Plantation purchased the Grove Ranch Plantation Co., doing business at Grove Ranch or Pahulei.”  (Maui News, Oct 10, 1922)

“Two miles further along Hana Highway, on a hill, appears Paia Mill. … [P]rior to 1948 when the two companies merged, Paia Plantation was part of the Maui Agricultural Company (MA Company).”

“Less sprawling than neighboring Puunene Plantation, Paia Plantation consisted of six main camps housing approximately 6,000 people. Besides the main Paia Camp which consisted of smaller ‘subcamps’ near the mill, the other camps were at Kaheka, Hamakua Poke, Keahua, Pulehu, and Kailua.”  (Stores and Storekeepers of Paia & Puunene, Maui, UH Manoa, Ethnic Studies Program)

“Paia and Puunene were almost the same company. [Maui Agricultural Company [Paia] and Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company [Puunene] were both subsidiaries of Alexander and Baldwin.]” (Minoru Hayashida, Oral History)  “MA Company and HC&S was different company – sugar company … Then, they merged, came HC&S [in 1948].”  (Kenichi Itakura, Oral History)

In 1900 Alexander & Baldwin incorporated as an agency for sugar plantations such as Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company and Maui Agricultural Company, Ltd., an A&B creation. (Stores and Storekeepers of Paia & Puunene, Maui, UH Manoa, Ethnic Studies Program)

Henry “Harry” Alexander Baldwin, son of Henry Perrine Baldwin, was President and Manager of Maui Agricultural Company which consolidated the sugar plantations over in the Ha‘ikū, Hamakuapoko, and Hāli‘imaile areas. (Orr)

In 1906 Frank F. Baldwin succeeded his father Henry Perrine Baldwin as manager of HC&S; and became both president and manager in 1911, when his father died.

In 1908 HC&S and MA Company jointly organized East Maui Irrigation Company, Ltd to manage their ditch system and divide water between them.

In 1917 Maui Agricultural Company, Ltd. built the first distillery in the US for producing alcohol from molasses; the plantations vehicles operated on molasses alcohol instead of kerosene or gasoline during World War I. The company also grew corn which they grounded at their Ha‘ikū factory, supplying the Territory of Hawaii. (Orr)

“Another case of pioneering on the part or the MA Co, was its installation of a plant for the manufacture of fuel alcohol. This process was devised by JP Foster, factory superintendent. ln this way the company utilized its waste alcohol profitably, manufacturing enough motor fuel to run all of its tractors and other motor vehicles.”

“It Is now furnishing the fuel to its employes for cooking purposes. This Is being done because of the growing scarcity and increasing cost of wood as a fuel, the plantation always having furnished the latter to its workers.”

“It experimented as to the cost of the new fuel compared with oil and found it more economical. It now  furnishes the necessary stoves at a lower cost than other stoves could be bought and the fuel alcohol gratis.” (Maui News, Oct 10, 1922)

“One of the world’s largest plantations at the time, Puunene Plantation consisted of 33,000 acres, 16,000 of which were cane land in 1935.”

“In 1935, 7,600 employees and their families lived in the twenty-six camps that dotted the area.  Among the plantation camps stood four public schools, three Japanese-language schools, ten churches, one large hospital, twelve day nurseries, three theaters, and a gymnasium.”

Maui Agricultural Company, Ltd. once had a thriving pineapple department; in 1932 the department became a part of Maui Pineapple Company. In 1948 HC&S and Maui Agricultural Company merged, forming one of the largest sugar producers. The following year HC&S abandoned its Pu‘unene railroad for the new trucking era. (Orr)

© 2025 Ho‘okuleana LLC

Filed Under: Economy, Buildings, Prominent People Tagged With: Maui Agricultural, Henry Perrine Baldwin, Samuel Thomas Alexander, ST Alexander, Haiku Sugar, Hawaii, Maui, HP Baldwin, Alexander and Baldwin, Paia Plantation

May 25, 2025 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Seabury Hall

“I give, devise and bequeath unto the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Hawaiian Islands, its successors and assigns forever, all of my right, title and interest in and to the said property to the said church.”

“It is the desire and intent of both the church and myself that the church shall maintain and operate on the said property a good school …” Katherine [‘Kate’] McGrew Cooper, Last Will and Testament, March 27, 1958.

From the 1950s, during a seven (7) year period of planning and discussion, Kate Cooper, together with then Episcopal Bishop Harry Kennedy and the Rev. Rodger Melrose, Seabury’s founding Chaplain and Headmaster, spent countless hours planning and praying on what Seabury Hall might become. (Seabury)

Whoa, let’s look back …

On the morning that the advertisement for “Maunalei” appeared in the Honolulu Advertiser (November 19, 1944), Mrs Charles B Cooper was sitting on the lanai with a group of friends. One of them tossed the paper to her, saying, “Here is the house that you should buy, Kate.” (Seabury Hall Alumni)

The advertisement read, “Situated at an elevation where it is constantly cool, this five bedroom house designed by Honolulu’s leading architect, is the last word in modem planning, comfort and construction. Set apart, it provides a home designed for peace and quiet living.”

“One looks out toward West Maui and the north shore while toward the south one sees the slopes of Lanai in the distance beyond the south shore. … The grounds, 8.79 acres, are fully landscaped in a manner which does not destroy the mountain beauty of the setting and yet is in keeping with the semi-colonial design of the house.” (Adv, Nov 19, 1944)

“Maunalei” was built in 1929 by Dr William Baldwin, the second son of Emily and Henry Perrine Baldwin. It was designed by Mr. Baldwin’s cousin, Charles W Dickey, one of Hawaii’s most outstanding architects. The contractor was Charles C. Savage.

Following Dr Baldwin’s death, the house was put up for sale to settle his estate. For some time, ‘Kate’ Cooper had been looking for just such a house.  Maunalei did seem to be the perfect answer for her. She purchased the estate (for approximately $109,000) and was settled on Maui by early 1945. She loved Maui and lived here very happily for 18 years.

In 1958, foreseeing a need for a boarding school for girls, Mrs. Cooper bequeathed her estate to the Episcopal Church in Hawaii, and at her death in 1963 Seabury Hall was born. (Seabury Hall Alumni)

(Seabury Hall is named after Rev. Samuel Seabury, the first Episcopal Bishop of the American Church. November 14, 1784, Samuel Seabury was consecrated Bishop in the Church of God. Seabury served the church in Connecticut.)

Founded in 1964 as an Episcopal boarding school for girls, Seabury Hall, in the 1970s the School accepted boys, and in the late-1980s it eliminated the boarding program to focus exclusively on serving Maui. It is now a coeducational independent day school.  (Seabury Hall)

The school is Episcopal in religious affiliation but nonsectarian in its instruction.  (Maunalei was later renamed the Cooper House and houses administrative offices, a reception area, a dining facility, and a chapel.)

“Groundbreaking ceremonies for Seabury Hall’s girIs dormitory, designed by Bruce Cruikshank, will take place tomorrow [February 20, 1964] near Makawao, Maui. Seabury Hall is to open in September as a boarding school for girls and a day school for girls and boys.”

“Its nine acres were a gift from the late Mrs Katherine McGrew Cooper to the Episcopal Church. The new dormitory will have 30 double rooms on two floors, an infirmary and teachers quarters. The Reverend Roger M Melrose, headmaster, will officiate”. (SB, Feb 19, 1964)

“’Seabury Hall is being established to fill a need in Hawaii for a girls’ boarding school,” Bishop Kennedy said. “’We need a school where girls living in a community learn to meet the changing demands of life and education with new and better methods, while maintaining an unswerving emphasis upon standards and ideals of lasting value.” (SB, June 3, 1964)

Beginning in 1993, the school has built a full-size gymnasium, a Middle School building, an Upper School building, parking for school and public events, a library, and most recently a new Arts, Innovation, and Music Center. Extensive playing fields support the PE and athletic programs.

Signature programs at Seabury Hall include an AP Capstone Program in addition to 22 AP courses and 10 Honors courses offered; Engineering and Technology; Hawaiian Studies and Hawaiian language; Community Service Leadership; Winterim Program and experiential learning.

Seabury has little over 500 students (325 in Upper School and just under 200 in Middle School).  It is accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges; Hawaii Association of Independent Schools. (Lots of information here is from Seabury Hall.)

© 2025 Ho‘okuleana LLC

Filed Under: Buildings, Place Names, Schools Tagged With: Maui, Maunalei, Seabury, Seabury Hall, Katherine McGrew Cooper, Cooper House, William Baldwin, Hawaii

April 24, 2025 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Olopua

Athens was named for goddess Athena after she disputed Poseidon’s claim (he plunged his trident into the ground and unleashed a salt water spring to symbolize his power as god of the sea.)   Athena planted an olive tree, saying that it represented peace and prosperity.

Zeus intervened and asked the other gods and goddesses to settle the matter by deciding who had given them the better gift. All of the gods voted for Poseidon and the goddesses for Athena, but as Zeus abstained, the women’s votes outnumbered the men’s by one, and Athena won.

Today, the olive branch continues as a symbol of peace and prosperity.

Hawaiʻi has an endemic olive, the Olopua (it is found only in Hawaiʻi.)  It belongs to the Oleaceae or Olive family which include olives, as well as forsythia, ash, privet, jasmine and pīkake.

The early Hawaiians had a number of uses for the very durable hard wood. Though it was difficult to work with and they fashioned spears (ihe,) digging sticks (ʻōʻō,) adze handles (ʻau koʻi,) daggers for warfare (pāhoa) and rasps for making fish hooks.

The strong wood was also used for posts, rafters and thatching posts or purlins in house (hale) construction. It was a preferred firewood, as it burned with a hot flame even when green.

Olives were also imported to Hawaiʻi – for its leaf tea, fruit and oil.  Don Francisco de Paula Marin (known to the Hawaiian as “Manini”) was a Spaniard who arrived in the Hawaiian Islands in 1793 or 1794 (at about the age of 20.)

Marin was known for his interest in plant collecting and brought in a wide variety of new plants to Hawai‘i.  His gardens were filled with trees, vines and shrubs – including olives.

Another early olive importer was another Kamehameha ally, Captain Alexander Adams (he arrived in Hawaiʻi in 1811;) among other crop plants, he brought olives from California.

Later, attempts were made (and/or encouraged) to expand Hawaiʻi’s agricultural diversity.

“We welcome His Honor Judge Jones back from his trip to Oliva Wainiha, Kauai, whither he went last week to plant olive trees and grape vines on his plantation.”

“We are glad to know that our people are taking a lively interest in the matter of introducing  fruits from abroad, and that a spirit of enterprise has taken hold which, if persevered in, will in due time bring forth good results. Every man should remember that ‘he who causes one more blade of grass to grow is a benefactor,’ and has not lived in vain.”  (Hawaiian Gazette, March 19, 1879)

“We noticed in our last Issue that a number of olive trees in fine condition had been imported by Mr. Bush. We have since learned that they were imported by Mr. Bush for Judge Jones, who has started a new Industry at Wainiha, Kauai.”

“He has a vineyard of 10,000 assorted vines and several hundred olive trees now growing and in a flourishing condition. We understand that be intends to add yearly to the number of his olives and vines, and for that purpose the late importation was made.”  (Pacific Commercial, March 6, 1880)

Then a newspaper article raised an interesting perspective, “In Southern California at the present time there are 2,500,000 olive trees, and the product of these trees is in ever increasing demand. The trees yield to the owner from three to seven dollars each, according to age.”

“The California pickled olive is gaining in favor in the East and is competing strongly with the olives from the Mediterranean seaboard, the fruit from the Pacific Slope being of finer quality. If Southern California can raise olives, undoubtedly the Hawaiian islands can.”  (Hawaiian Star, March 11, 1898)

Some took on the challenge, “Some years ago olives were grown up on this Island and shown to be a practical success. The trees were sturdy although not scientifically grown and bore fruit that an expert from Greece stated to be superior to any grown in Ionia.”

“’The trees were first planted by Judge Jones,’ said John Emmeluth this morning ‘and afterwards came into my hands. The growing of olives seems to be satisfactory and easy enough in these islands but in this instance were not properly looked after in the Initiatory stages of their growth.’”  (Hawaiian Star, December 16, 1901)

“From my observation it takes about twelve years for the trees to bear, a long time for the small farmer to wait for his profits, but It must be remembered that the trees can be cultivated as a subsidiary Issue for the first few years and that they will grow on the rocky uplands that could not be cleared and used for ordinary crops.”

“The greatest trouble we experienced and on which among other causes finally stopped the growing of olives was the destruction of the fruit by the birds, the trees flowered readily and if, as soon as the olive showed in fruitage, I covered the branch with netting and kept off the depredations of the birds, the fruit yield was most satisfactory.”

“I don’t think it was the mynahs that did the damage but rather the small rice birds that roosted in the branches over night and made their breakfasts on my young olives in the morning.  I imagine that they have similar troubles elsewhere and have found means of counteracting the difficulty. I think that there is little doubt but what the olive could he grown here successfully and profitably.” (Hawaiian Star, December 16, 1901)

Reportedly, Eben Parker Low planted olive trees around his hometown of Waimea on the Island of Hawaiʻi around 1895.

© 2025 Hoʻokuleana LLC

 

Filed Under: Economy, General Tagged With: Wainiha, Hawaii, Hawaii Island, Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Don Francisco de Paula Marin, Alexander Adams, Eben Low, Olopua, Olive

April 22, 2025 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Early Maui Agriculture

“Agriculture is deeply rooted in Maui history and will continue to be an important industry from an economic, social, and environmental perspective.”

“Although the face of Maui agriculture has evolved over the years, the important role it plays in the islands economy, environment, and way of life remains consistent, if not increasingly significant in the light of steady growth and expanding urbanization. Agriculture will continue to gain importance in shaping the form of future growth on Maui.”

“A strong agricultural sector is an important component of a balanced, diversified, and sustainable economy. Agriculture is an integral element of Maui’s economy, and community, cultivating a diversity of jobs, generating tax revenues, and producing a variety of crops for different local and export markets.” (Maui County Dept of Agriculture)

Two early commercial agricultural crops, sugar and pineapple, dominated, and the Baldwins (and others) had a hand in each, as well as the Maui Agricultural Company (which also grew and produced each).

Dwight Baldwin was born on September 29, 1798 to Seth Baldwin (1775 –1832,) (a farmer) and Rhoda Hull Baldwin in Durham, Connecticut, and moved to Durham, New York, in 1804. He was the second of 12 children.  (Baldwin Genealogy)

He was introduced by a friend to Charlotte Fowler, daughter of Deacon Solomon Fowler of North Branford, Connecticut, and a few weeks later was married to her on December 3, 1830. Twenty-five days later they set sail with the Fourth Company of missionaries to Hawaiʻi on the ship ‘New England;’ they arrived at Honolulu, June 7, 1831.  (Baldwin)

Dwight and Charlotte had eight children: David Dwight (1831–1912), Abigail Charlotte (1833–1913), Charles Fowler (1837–1891), Henry Perrine (1842–1911), Emily Sophronia (1844–1891) and Harriet Melinda (1846–1932). A daughter, Mary Clark died at about 2½ years of age in 1838; a son, Douglas Hoapili, died at almost 3 in 1843.

Between 1836 and 1861 there was an initial flurry of sugar planting and refining throughout Hawaii; however, lack of capital and an adequate market forced many planters out of business.

Henry Perrine Baldwin, the most successful sugar producer of the Hawaiian Islands (Mid Pacific, February 1912,) was born on August 29, 1842 in Lahaina, Maui.

It was Mr. Baldwin’s intention – he was 21 years of age at the time – to earn enough money to enable him to go to Williams College to take a medical course.   (His father was a physician.)  His youthful ambition to be a doctor was never realized.

Once launched in the sugar industry he continued in it, an increasingly important figure, for the remainder of his life.  Baldwin was particularly successful as an agriculturist, a developer of plantations.

Christopher H Lewers founded Waiheʻe sugar plantation on Maui.  It the mid-1860s it was managed by Samuel Thomas Alexander. Henry Perrin Baldwin took a ‘Luna’ (foreman) job with Alexander. (HP Baldwin and Alexander grew up together as kids in Lāhainā and became close friends.)

In 1869, Baldwin and Alexander became business partners and bought 12-acres in Hāmākuapoko (an eastern Maui ahupuaʻa (land division.))  (They later formed Alexander & Baldwin, one of Hawai‘i’s ‘Big Five’ companies – and the only Big Five still in Hawai‘i.)

In 1876, with the signing of the Hawaiian Reciprocity Treaty, the islands received the final catalyst necessary to drive the Hawaiian sugar industry into the future. The treaty with the United States allowed for duty free admission of Hawaiian sugar, resulting in a substantial increase of profits for island growers.

With this economic boost, growers immediately began increasing cultivation of sugarcane. On Maui, acres cultivated in sugarcane expanded from 5,080 in 1867 to 12,000 in 1880, an increase of 136 percent.

Maui’s Historic Sugar Plantations were  Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company (HC&S) (Puunene); Maui Agricultural Company (Paia); Pioneer Mill Company (Lahaina); Wailuku Sugar Company (Wailuku); and Kaeleku Sugar Company (Hana). Maui Island Plan)

“A heavy expansion of Alexander and Baldwin came with the acquisition of control of the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. of Puʻunene, Maui, formerly operated by the late Claus Spreckels.”

“Mr. [HP] Baldwin took personal charge of this plantation in 1902 and made it one of the most successful and productive estates in Hawaii. Today it ranks as one of the world’s finest and most modern sugar plantations.”  (Orr)

“As manager of the Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company, Mr. Baldwin had the satisfaction of seeing it become one of the greatest sugar plantations of the world, with other plantations under the control of his company ranking very high according to their size.”   (Mid Pacific, February 1912)

“In 1900 Alexander & Baldwin incorporated as an agency for sugar plantations such as Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company and Maui Agricultural Company, Ltd., an A&B creation and managed by H.A. [Henry “Harry” Alexander] Baldwin.” (Orr)

In 1917 Maui Agricultural Company, Ltd. built the first distillery in the US for producing alcohol from molasses; the plantations vehicles operated on molasses alcohol instead of kerosene or gasoline during World War I.  (Orr)

“Mr. [HP] Baldwin married Emily W. Alexander, daughter of Rev. and Mrs. William  Patterson Alexander, early missionaries, and a sister of Mr. Baldwin’s partner, S. T. Alexander, at Wailuku, Maui, on April 5, 1870.”

“Eight children were born to them, Harry A Baldwin, Frank F Baldwin, Mrs. Maud (Baldwin) Cooke, Arthur D Baldwin, Dr WD Baldwin, Mrs Charlotte (Baldwin) Rice, Fred Baldwin and AS Baldwin.” (Orr)

“Historically Maui’s second largest industry, pineapple, has also played a large role in forming Maui’s modern day landscape. The pineapple industry began on Maui in 1890 with Dwight D. Baldwin’s Haiku Fruit and Packing Company on the northeast side of the island.”

“West Maui was also cultivated with pineapple in the early 1900s by Baldwin Packers. Within just thirty years, the pineapple industry grew steadily; by 1930, over 28 percent of Maui’s cultivated lands were dedicated to pineapple.” (Maui Island Plan)

Baldwin Packers started pineapple canning in 1914 and at first its cannery was located close to its pineapple fields in the Honolua section.  Difficulty in securing labor in the busiest seasons of packing and the distance of the haul from the cannery to Kaʻānapali, which was then its shipping point, made it advisable to secure a location nearer town.

Baldwin Packers pineapple cannery was eventually located at Lāhainā, this addressed transportation (proximity to Mala Wharf) and labor concerns.  At Mala, the cannery was eight or ten miles from the fields and the fruit is transported to the plant by rail and truck.

The Baldwins’ growing and canning operations in Lāhainā continued for many decades. However, in 1962 the Baldwins’ east and west Maui holdings and pineapple operations were united when Baldwin Packers merged with Maui Pineapple Company. It was around that time that the Baldwin Packers pineapple cannery in west Maui was closed.

In 1987, the Lāhainā Cannery Mall was built on the same site where the original plant once stood; it was designed to look like a pineapple cannery with the corrugated style and factory-like open conduits inside were adopted for the design.

© 2025 Ho‘okuleana LLC

Filed Under: Prominent People, Economy Tagged With: Central Maui, Baldwin, Maui Agricultural, Hawaii, Henry Perrine Baldwin, Maui, Treaty of Reciprocity, HP Baldwin, Alexander and Baldwin, Pineapple, Baldwin Packers

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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.

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