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July 24, 2024 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Kaunaʻoa

Areas where fishponds existed and potable water could be easily obtained were the primary areas of settlement – ie, on the South Kohala Coast (south to north) ʻAnaehoʻomalu, Kalāhuipua‘a, Puakō, Hāpuna, Kauna‘oa, Waiʻulaʻula, Mauʻumae, Waikuʻi, ‘Ōhai‘ula, Kikiakoʻi and Pelekāne.

In general, permanent residences were taken up in the coastal region of South Kohala by ca. 600. Between 900 and 1500, there was a gradual increase in population, with steady trends in residency through AD 1778.  By 1800, many of the remote area residences were abandoned, a few residents at ʻAnaehoʻomalu, several families at Puakō, and the strongest population at Kawaihae.  (Maly)

The primary traditional narratives which describe events and the occurrence of place names throughout the region of South Kohala date from around the middle-1600s.

Then, Lonoikamakahiki (Lono) was the Mōʻi (Chief) of Hawai‘i.  He was a descendant of Pili (a high chief from Tahiti from the 13th century.)  Lono was son of Keawenuiaumi and grandson of ʻUmi (and great grandson of Līloa.)

During Lono’s reign, his elder brother Kanaloakua‘ana attempted to rebel and take control of Hawai‘i. The rebel forces were situated at: “the land called ʻAnaehoʻomalu, near the boundaries of Kohala and Kona. … The next day Lono marched down and met the rebels at the place called Wailea … Lono won the battle, and the rebel chiefs fled northward (to Kaunaʻoa.)”

The rebels said, “Let the (next) battle be at Kaunooa (Kaunaʻoa) where there is plenty of sand, and let it be fought there, so that when Lonoikamakahiki reaches the spot we would be in possession of the sand, so that whilst rubbing their eyes the rocks will fly and victory will be ours.”  (Fornander; Maly)

After Lonoikamakahiki became victorious at the battle of Kaunaʻoa he consulted his kahuna (priests) as to what steps best to take in order to lead to later victory. The priests noted “Pay no heed to Kohala ….” (Fornander)

Fast forward a few centuries … the beach at Kaunaʻoa still has plenty of sand and a 1960 helicopter tour, with Governor Bill Quinn and RockResorts head Laurence Rockefeller on board, was scouting for beachfront sites for a possible resort use to help turn around the fledgling State’s troubled sugar-based economy.

From the air, Rockefeller saw a crescent-shaped beach at the edge of an arid moonscape of lava (Lindsey; NY Times) – he liked what he saw, and noted “Every great beach deserves a great hotel.”  (Blair, PBN)

They stopped at Kaunaʻoa; Rockefeller asked if he could go in for a swim. From the water, he looked upslope at the towering summit of Mauna Kea and was inspired to create a great hotel that reflected the spirit of the place.

Laurance Spelman Rockefeller (May 26, 1910 – July 11, 2004) was fourth child of John Davison Rockefeller, Jr and Abigail Greene “Abby” Aldrich. His siblings were Abby, John III, Nelson, Winthrop and David.  He was grandson of John D Rockefeller Sr and heir along with them to the fortune of Standard Oil.

Started in the mid-1950s, Rockefeller’s RockResorts opened resort hotels in zones of comparative wilderness that catered to the new traveling upper middle class seeking to reconnect with nature in gracious and controlled surroundings.  (Skidmore, Owing & Merrill)

A pioneering venture capitalist who used his family’s oil fortune to underwrite aviation start-ups and other bold enterprises, Rockefeller’s primary motivation as a resort developer in the 1950s and 60s was the preservation of one-of-a-kind sites.  (McCallen)

Rockefeller negotiated a 99-year lease from Parker Ranch land from the cattle ranch owner Richard Smart.  Smart reportedly noted, “It’s on land the cows don’t like but the tourists love – hot and barren.”  (Andersen) (Eventually, exclusive development rights and later fee simple acquisition of 1,800-acres were made.)

Following his business strategy of “experting” (hiring the best person for the job,) he contracted Belt Collins, site planners and engineers; Skidmore Owings Merrill, building architects’ Davis Allen, interior designer; and Robert Trent Jones, golf course architect.

He called his resort the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel; when it opened on July 24, 1965, the Mauna Kea was the most expensive hotel ever built at the time, at $15-million.  It initially had 154 guestrooms; in 1968, the Beachfront wing was added, giving the resort a total of 310-guest rooms.

The Mauna Kea Golf Course debuted with a televised “Big 3” match between Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player.  The course’s 3rd hole over the water remains in the top lists of memorable golf holes.

Rockefeller added a 1,600-piece collection of museum-quality Asian and Oceanic art and artifacts throughout the hotel and grounds. Among them are 18th-century gilt bronze Thai Buddhist disciples, ancient Japanese tonsu chests and New Guinea and Solomon Islands drums.

A 17th-century pink-granite Indian Buddha rests on a platform at the top of a long flight of stairs, his folded hands invariably holding a flower, the traditional offering.  (Porter)

In each guestroom, there is a book detailing the collection. According to Don Aanavi, art history professor at the University of Hawaii, “Rarely does one find such a large collection of significant art works in a resort hotel.”

Back then, the “exorbitant” room rates started at $43, including breakfast and dinner in the Pavilion, which featured rotating menus of international cuisines.

True to Rockefeller’s initial remarks that a “great beach deserves a great hotel,” when it opened, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel was praised by travel writers and critics worldwide.  The luxury resort hotel was named one of the “three greatest hotels in the world” by Esquire magazine (the other two were the Plaza in New York and the Gritti Palace in Venice.)

There were also enthusiastic reviews from House & Garden, Time and Fortune (Fortune called it one of “10 best buildings of 1966;) In 1967, it was presented with an honors award by the American Institute of Architects (AIA.)

A decade later, AIA placed the Mauna Kea in the top 150 of its America’s Favorite Architecture list. Twelve years after opening, it was still described as “the best resort hotel in America.”  The accolades continue today.  (Lots of information from Prince Resorts.)

© 2024 Hoʻokuleana LLC

Kaunaoa Bay-Before Hotel-MKBH
Rockefeller and his wife walk the beach at Kaunaoa Bay (robbreport)
MKBH-early site plan-SOW
MKBH-early site plan
Kaunaoa Bay-Hotel Under Construction-MKBH
Robert Trent Jones and Laurance Rockefeller at Dorado Beach in the 1950s
MKBH-Etched_Mondavi_Reserve_(Magnums)-1979
MKBH Logo
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel-3rd Hole Golf Course
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Sign
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel (SOW)
Mauna Kea Beach (SOW)
Kaunaoa-MKBH-Mauna_Kea
Kaunaoa-MKB-Barela
Kaunaoa_Beach-MBKH (SOW)
Kaunaoa
Kaunaoa

Filed Under: Place Names, Economy Tagged With: Hawaii, Hawaii Island, South Kohala, Kaunaoa, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Nelson Rockefeller

December 8, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

The Big 3

In 1953, the Canada Cup golf tournament was founded by Canadian industrialist John Jay Hopkins, for “the furtherance of good fellowship and better understanding among the nations of the world through the medium of international golf competition” (SI) (It changed its named to the World Cup in 1967).

The tournament traveled the globe and grew to be one of golf’s most prestigious tournaments throughout the 1960s and 1970s. With play starting in Montreal Canada, and later held in England, Ireland, Paris, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, Mexico City and Melbourne, in 1964, the Canada Cup was held in Kaanapali, Maui for what was Hawai‘i’s first major sporting event.

At the time, ‘The Big Three’ (Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player) dominated golf. They won four of 10 Vardon Trophies for low scoring average, seven of 10 PGA Tour money titles and 17 of the decade’s 40 majors.

Then, they came to Hawai’i for the Canada Cup on Maui. “Jack Nicklaus surged from behind … and beat out his collapsing team¬mate, Arnold Palmer, for the individual title in the 12th Can¬ada Cup international golf tour¬nament.”

“Nicklaus fired a final 70 for a 72-hole score of 276. Palmer, a front‐runner for’ three days, three‐putted the final two greens for a 78 and a score of 278.”

“Player, starting the final round only three shots back of Palmer, went into a tailspin on the final nine, getting four bogeys in a row for a closing 76.” (NY Times, December 7, 1964)

The team of Nicklaus and Palmer won the tournament team play (with a record score) and Nicklaus the individual prize (Hawai‘i’s Ted Makalena was tied for 3rd with Gary Player)). (Gary Player Golf)

Following the tournament, The Big Three came to the Big Island to open the newly completed Mauna Kea Beach Hotel’s golf course and tackled its Number 3 hole.

The Big Three spent years traveling around the world, playing in exhibition matches and filming for television audiences. It was these years that brought them closest as the golfers and their families spent a lot of time together on these travels.

These matches designed for just The Big Three were unlike other tournaments where plenty of other golfers and their families were present.

Traveling together, rooming together, and even vacationing together and staying in one another’s homes brought the three and their families very close, forming life-long friendships. (Gary Player Golf)

‘Big Three Golf’ was a made-for-television series of golf matches between the three. The first season, in 1964, included four rounds at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Then, the Big Island.

There, Laurance Rockefeller decided to build the world’s finest resort along the Kohala coastline of the then undeveloped Mauna Kea (Hawaiian for White Mountain), he knew he needed a golf course worthy of his vision.

Rockefeller turned to Robert Trent Jones Sr., the preeminent designer of the day and the architect of more than 400 courses around the world.

As they overlooked the panoramic view of Kauna’oa Bay, Jones’ response was a promise that has become a golfing legend. “Mr. Rockefeller, if you allow me to build a golf course here, this’ll be the most beautiful hole in the world.”

On December 8, 1964, for a Skins game broadcast nationwide on NBC, the trio reached No. 3’s tee box it was set back 250 yards from the green – with 170 of those yards over the crashing waters of an inlet. Only Arnold Palmer reached the green.

No. 3 was instantly iconic. (Mauna Kea Living)

The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel opened on July 24, 1965, as the most expensive resort of its time and outranked the family’s Rockefeller Center on the American Institute of Architects awards a year later.

Price tag: $15 million, or roughly $113 million in today’s dollars. Rates started at $43 a night, breakfast and dinner included. (Clark; Daily Herald)

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© 2018 Hoʻokuleana LLC

Number 3-Mauna Kea Living
Number 3-Mauna Kea Living
Number 3-Big Three plaque
Number 3-Big Three plaque
Robert Trent Jones Sr., center in jacket, designed the Mauna Kea golf course-Laurance Rockefeller to his right
Robert Trent Jones Sr., center in jacket, designed the Mauna Kea golf course-Laurance Rockefeller to his right
Mauna-Kea-Golf-Course-Number 3
Mauna-Kea-Golf-Course-Number 3
Mauna-Kea-Golf-Number 3
Mauna-Kea-Golf-Number 3
Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player
Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player
Palmer, Nicklaus, Player
Palmer, Nicklaus, Player
Palmer, Gerald Ford, Nicklaus, Player
Palmer, Gerald Ford, Nicklaus, Player

Filed Under: General Tagged With: Gary Player, Hawaii, Canada Cup, Hawaii Island, Maui, South Kohala, Kaanapali, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Robert Trent Jones . Number 3, Big 3, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus

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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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