Molokai Ranch

February 9, 2025 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Pāpōhaku

A chief from east Molokai and a few of his people boarded canoes and set off around the island. They found themselves on the southwest coast of Molokai. They paddled up to some fishermen who had a large catch of opelu. Hungry, they began to eat.

As they were all eating with great satisfaction, another group of fishermen came by and cried: “Stop. Do not eat the opelu. This is the season of opelu kapu.” However, the visiting chief only had a kapu for eating turtle, so they continued eating.

The fishermen attacked the visiting chief and his men. Overpowered, they were brought before the kahuna. The visiting chief became very ill, and the only way to make things right was a human sacrifice to save the chief from death. One of his men offered himself as a sacrifice and the chief recovered.

The kahuna ordered a tree planted on the grave of the willing victim. The grave was on shore; when the tide was high, the waves would wash sand from the grave. Thus, in a very short time, the body would be exposed.

In respect and remembrance, the chief ordered his men to build a stone wall. The chief himself put the last stone on the wall, saying as he did so, “I call this place Pāpōhaku, ‘Stone Wall.’” (DLNR)

Today, the sandy beach is seen as the primary feature here (it’s over 2-miles long and 300-feet wide, the largest on the island and one of the largest in the Islands.) It lies between two headlands, Puʻu Koaʻe to the south and Puʻu o Kaiaka to the north.

The sand caught people’s attention.

First, folks looked to replenish eroding beaches by harvesting sand from one area and filled in at another (primarily at Waikīkī.) Reports from the 1920s and 1930s reveal that sand was brought to Waikīkī Beach, via ship and barge, from Manhattan Beach, California.

As the Manhattan Beach community was developing, it found that excess sand in the beach dunes and it was getting in the way of development there. At the same time, folks in Hawai‘i were in need for sand to cover the rock and coral beach at Waikīkī.

Later, Waikīkī’s sand was trucked from various points around Hawai‘i including O‘ahu’s North Shore – in particular, Waimea Bay Beach, a sand bar off the town of Kahuku and Pāpōhaku Beach on Molokai.

Reportedly, before sand mining operations removed over 200,000 tons of sand at Waimea Bay to fill beaches in Waikīkī and elsewhere, there was so much sand that if you would have tried to jump off Pōhaku Lele, Jump Rock, you would have jumped about six feet down into the sand below.

Then came statehood, and the building boom of the following decades.

“Increased use of concrete by building contractors resulted in more output of sand required for blending with crushed basalt fines used in concrete aggregate. A substantial gain was noted in the use of coral dune sands from the north shores of Oʻahu Island. By yearend, Honolulu Construction & Draying Co Ltd (HC&D) was prepared to barge sand from Molokai Island to supply some of Oahu’s requirements for the critical material.” (Minerals Yearbook, 1959)

(HC&D was formed in 1908 by a quarry owner, three construction men and a retired sea captain. The base of the business was the draying (hauling) of construction materials by horse-drawn wagons. In late-1967, HC&D became a wholly owned subsidiary of American Pipe and Construction Co of Monterey Park, California (now it’s known as Ameron Inc.))

In the 1950s, a harbor was dredged and a wharf constructed at Hale O Lono by B&C (Brown and Clewitt) Trucking to ship out sand from Pāpōhaku (B&C also owned Seaside Inn and Pau Hana Inn.) A 1957 contract between Molokai Ranch and HC&D allowed for sand to be removed from a 297-acre southern parcel of Pāpōhaku Beach.

“Sand and gravel was produced at 16 principal beach, dune, and stream deposits. The largest operation was the Molokai sand facility of HC&D Ltd, Hawaiʻi’s major producer, consumer, and supplier of sand, cinder, and crushed stone.” (Minerals Yearbook, 1964)

“Some of the land out on the western tip of the island is leased to Honolulu Construction and Draying Company Ltd, which mines something like 200,000-yards of sand a year from Pāpōhaku Beach for shipment to Oahu for use in making concrete.” (Away From It All)

“All day long, every day, had trucks going back and forth from Pāpōhaku to Hale O Lono.” From the early 1960s to 1975, this massive cache of sand was the site of the largest sand-mining operation in the state.

Some of the sand was drawn from below the high water mark, which was public land and required a government permit; at times the dredge bucket even drew the sand out of the ocean.

This was not legal and HC&D was caught and reportedly fined, resulting in a million-dollar settlement. In lieu of payment of the fine, reportedly, Molokai Ranch gave the land at Ala Mālama in Kaunakakai.

Even with the decades of sand removal, Pāpōhaku Beach remains one of the longest white sand beaches, and the Pāpōhaku Dune system associated with the beach is among the largest in Islands.

Pāpōhaku Dune (like other sand dunes) is the first and last line of defense against coastal erosion and episodic high waves for the existing structures located behind it.

November 3, 2024 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Molokai

It used to be referred to as ʻĀina Momona (the bountiful land,) reflecting the great productivity of the island and its surrounding ocean.

It is about 38-miles long and 10-miles wide, an area of 260-square miles, making it the 5th largest of the main Hawaiian Islands (and the 27th largest island in the US.)

The island was formed by two volcanoes, East and West, emerging about 1.5-2-million years ago. The cliffs on the north-eastern part of the island are the result of subsidence and the “Wailua Slump” (a giant submarine landslide – about 25-miles long that tumbled about 120-miles offshore – about 1.4-million years ago.)

In separate volcanic activity about 300,000-years ago, Kalaupapa Peninsula was formed. Penguin Bank, to the west of the island, is believed to be a separate volcano that was once above the water, but submerged within the last 100,000-years.

Molokai is divided into two moku (districts,) Koʻolau on the windward side and Kona on the leeward side. (These are common district names that are universally used across of the Hawaiian archipelago (“Koʻolau,” marking the windward sides of the islands, and “Kona,” the leeward sides of the islands.))

Archaeological evidence suggests that Molokai’s East end was traditionally the home of the majority of early Hawaiians; large clusters of Hawaiians were living along the shore, on the lower slopes and in the larger valleys. Productive, well-kept fishponds were strung along the southern shoreline.

The water supply was ample; ʻauwai (irrigation ditches), taro loʻi (ponded terraces) and habitation sites were found in every wet valley. ʻUala (sweet potato) and wauke (paper mulberry) were cultivated in the mauka areas between long shallow stone terraces which swept across the lower kula slopes.

The windward valleys developed into areas of intensive irrigated taro cultivation and seasonal migrations took place to stock up on fish and precious salt for the rest of the year.

The drier coastal regions of the West end were sparsely populated on a year-round basis, although they were frequently visited for extended periods of fishing during the summer months. (Papohaku on the west shore is the longest stretch of white sand beach in Hawaiʻi (3-miles long and 300-feet wide.))

East end’s Pukoʻo had a natural break in the reef, good landing areas for canoes and nearby fishponds built out over the fringe reef. Archaeological evidence suggests it was a heavily populated area; it was also destined to become the first town in the western tradition on the island of Molokai.

When the American Protestant missionaries arrived on Molokai in 1832, they settled at nearby Kaluaʻaha. The first church was made of thatch (1833,) a school soon followed. By 1844, a stone church was built.

It was not long before a small community was forming around the church buildings. It became the social center of the entire island, with people coming from as far away as the windward valleys, over the pali and by canoe, just to attend church sermons on Sunday and socialize.

In the 1850s, Catholic priests began to visit the island; during the 1870s, Father Damien, who had come to Molokai to serve the patients at Kalawao, traveled top-side to gather congregations of Catholics. He built four Catholic churches on the East End of Molokai, at Kamaloʻo, Kaluaʻaha, Halawa and Kumimi.

In later years they built a wharf at Pukoʻo – it became the center of activity for the island and the first County seat. However, with economic opportunities forming on the central and west sides of the Island, Pukoʻo soon lost its appeal (there is no commercial activity there, today.)

Like Pukoʻo, Kaunakakai had a natural opening in the reef. In 1859, Kamehameha IV established a sheep ranch (Molokai Ranch) and built his home, Malama, there. “It is a grass hut, skillfully thatched, having a lanai all around, with floors covered with real Hawaiian mats. The house has two big rooms. The parlor is well furnished, with glass cases containing books in the English language.”

“On the north west side of the house is a large grass house, and it seems to be the largest one seen to this time. The house is divided into rooms and appears to be a place in which to receive the king’s guests.” (SFCA)

Rudolph Wilhelm became manager of Molokai Ranch for Kamehameha V in 1864. However, Kamehameha V was probably best known on Molokai for the establishment of the Leprosy Settlement on the isolated peninsula of Kalaupapa in 1865.

Meyer started to grow sugar shortly thereafter (1876.) By 1882, there were three small sugar plantations on Molokai: Meyer’s at Kalaʻe, one at Kamaloʻo and another at Moanui.

Meyer also served as the Superintendent of the isolated Kalawao settlement (Kalaupapa) (serving with Father Damien and Mother Marianne Cope (now, both are Saints.))

Kaunakakai Harbor was an important transportation link and key to these various activities. After 1866, it became vital to bringing in supplies for the Kalaupapa Settlement. Goods, personnel and visitors were landed at Kaunakakai then transported by mule down the pali trail.

During the 1880s, sugar and molasses from the Meyer sugar mill were loaded onto carts and taken to the harbor where they were transferred into small boats. These boats came up to the sand beach and take the sugar and molasses to larger ships anchored in the harbor. By 1889 a small wharf had been built at Kaunakakai.

After Molokai Ranch was sold to the American Sugar Company in 1897 a new, more substantial stone mole with a wooden landing platform at the makai end, was put up next to the old wharf to service their expected sugar shipments.

Finally in 1909, a political division of the island was made incorporating Molokai into Maui County and excluding the State Health Department administered area of the Kalaupapa Settlement. This district became known as Kalawao County.

During the 1920s Kaunakakai first began to develop as the main business center of the island. Several stores were built along either side of Ala Malama Street indicating the sense of prosperity of the times. This activity continued well into the 1930s, a period that corresponded to the largest increase in population on Molokai.

At that time and into the early-1930s, Kaunakakai gradually became the main hub of activity, partially due to its central location and increased population. It was here that a larger, improved wharf had been developed for the pineapple plantations and for the shipment of cattle.

Another major change occurred when the Government passed the Hawaiian Homes Act in 1921. Seventy-nine Hawaiian homesteading families moved to Kalamaʻula in 1922 and in 1924 the Hoʻolehua and Palaʻau areas were opened for homesteading on lands previously under lease from the government to the American Sugar Company Limited. The homestead population rose from an estimated 278 in 1924 to 1,400 by 1935.

In 1923, Libby, McNeil & Libby began to grow pineapple on land leased from Molokai Ranch; their activities were focused primarily in the Kaluakoʻi section of the island. Lacking facilities and housing, the plantation began building clusters of dwellings (“camps”) around Maunaloa. By 1927, it started to grow into a small town – as pineapple production grew, so did the town.

In 1927, California Packing Corporation, later known as Del Monte Corporation, leased lands of Naʻiwa and Kahanui owned by Molokai Ranch to establish a pineapple plantation with headquarters in the town of Kualapuʻu. The town takes its name from kaʻuala puʻu, or the sweet potato hill, the hill to the south where sweet potatoes were grown on its slopes.

The town was first created when Molokai Ranch (American Sugar Company) moved their ranch headquarters from Kaunakakai to Kualapuʻu after the demise of their sugar enterprise.

After the Hoʻolehua homesteads were opened up by Hawaiian Homes Commission in 1924, the ranch headquarters began to take on the character of a real town. However the real change came with the arrival of California Packing Corporation in Kualapuʻu to grow pineapple for shipment to the Oʻahu cannery.

In 1968, there were 16,800 acres of pineapple under cultivation on Molokai. The Libby plantation was sold to the Dole Pineapple Corporation in 1970, which very soon closed down the plantation when they determined it was no longer a profitable venture. After fifty-five years of operation, Del Monte began a phased shut down operation in 1982 which terminated in 1989.

Maunaloa and Kualapuʻu were towns created expressly for agriculture. Kaunakakai came into its own due to its harbor, central location, and the shift of population from the east end of the island. It gradually became the administrative and business center of Molokai, much as Pukoʻo had been many years before.

The image shows an 1897 map of Molokai. (Lots of information here is from Curtis.)

January 30, 2020 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

One-and-a-half-million years ago, two large volcanoes emerged and created the island of Molokai, Kamakou in the east and Maunaloa in the west. Somewhat later, a third and much smaller caldera, Kauhako, rose to form the Makanalua peninsula on the north side.

Over eons, the north side of the island eroded and fell into the sea, leaving behind the vertical sea cliffs which today make up most of Molokai’s impressive North Shore.

It’s the fifth largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago; 260 square miles in area, 38 miles long and ten miles wide at its widest point.

Situated in the center of the 8 major Hawaiian Islands, Molokai is 25-miles southeast of Oʻahu, and a 25-minute flight from Maui. From the eastern end of the island, it’s only 8-miles across the Pailolo Channel to Maui.

The oldest known settlement on Molokai occurred in Hālawa Valley, at the eastern end of the island. This side of the island was heavily populated in pre-contact Hawaii, a result of ample water from the mountains, fertile and level land for farming, and a rich and abundant ocean.

In November, 1778, Captain James Cook sighted Molokai on his first visit to the Sandwich Islands (as he named these islands,) but it wasn’t until 1786 when Captain George Dixon anchored off Molokai’s coast, that Europeans first visited this island.

Lot Kapuāiwa, who later became King Kamehameha V, gained the title to land on the western side of the island. He had a summer house and began raising cattle. Title later passed to Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani and then to Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop and then (with additional land purchased by Charles R. Bishop) became part of the Bishop Estate.

In 1897, a group of Honolulu businessmen (including Judge Alfred S Hartwell, Alfred W Carter, and AD McClellan) purchased 70,000 acres from the trustees of the Bishop Estate and leased another 30,000 acres from the Hawaiian government. Molokai Ranch was formed. At that time, American Sugar Company began sugar cane production on the lands.

About 10 years later, the land was bought out by Charles M Cooke and under his son, George P Cooke, they raised cattle, planted sweet potato and wheat crops and produced honey. It became the second largest cattle ranch in Hawaiʻi and a major producer of beef.

In the early days, the focus was on raising beef cattle for market, plus horses and mules for use and for sale elsewhere. Over time, other ventures were tried, with varying degrees of success. Some of these included raising sheep for market, honey production, a small dairy, and various grains and row crops.

Between 1923 and 1985, several thousand acres were leased to Libby and Del Monte for pineapple cultivation. During those years, pineapple was an economic mainstay for Molokai.

The Cooke family owned Molokai Ranch for almost 80 years until the late-1980s. It was operated as a family corporation separate, from Castle and Cooke.

More recently, activities related to the visitor industry were tried. However, in May 2008, the Ranch reduced its operations on the island. Today, Molokai Ranch encompasses about 53,000-acres which is roughly one-third of the island.

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September 8, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

George Paul Cooke

Born in Honolulu, December 2, 1881, George Paul Cooke was grandson of missionaries Amos Starr and Juliette Montague Cooke and son of Charles Montague Cooke and Anna Charlotte (Rice) Cooke.

After preliminary schooling in Honolulu and at Hotchkiss in Lakeville CT, Cooke attended Yale University (his roommate was Sophie’s brother, Charles S Judd Sr.) He received his BA degree in 1905, returning to Honolulu to take the position of stock and bond clerk for the Hawaiian Trust Co, Ltd, continuing with that institution until 1908.

He married Sophie Boyd Judd (granddaughter of missionaries Gerrit Parmele Judd and Laura Fish Judd, daughter of Albert Francis Judd and Agnes Hall Judd) (April 4, 1906.) (They had six children, Dora, George Paul, Jr., Francis Judd, Thomas Hastings, Stephen Montague and Phoebe Cooke.)

At that time, American Sugar Company began sugar cane production on the lands. Cooke became bookkeeper for the American Sugar and Molokai Ranch.

About 10-years later (December 1908,) the land was bought out by Cooke and his father; George Cooke took over the operation; George, Sophie and daughter Dora moved into the former manager’s house, composed of ‘three plantation houses put together’.

“The development of this property as a sugar cane plantation failed for the reason that the pumps, which had been installed in surface wells to irrigate the cane fields, were of such large capacity that they soon exhausted the sweet water, and pumped water with such a high salt content that it could not be used for cane culture.” (Cooke) The sugar plantation was abandoned.

“My father and I determined upon a policy to increase the revenue of Molokai Ranch and to improve its value. We planned to pay off the debt incurred when the sugar plantation failed; to develop water sources and extend pipe lines; …”

“… construct new buildings and a new camp; raise fodder; prevent overstocking by dividing the range into smaller pastures and increase the planting of trees in the forest area.” (Cooke)

“The first attempts at dry-land agriculture were made at the nine hundred foot elevation at Kualapuʻu. Here, Father CB Andrews of the Sandwich Islands Mission raised wheat and Irish potatoes to supply the miners of the California Gold Rush days. Here also, Kamehameha V had planned a sugar plantation. Our first attempts at agricultural experiments were in the same locality.” (Cooke)

“In keeping with our policy of development, an arrangement was made in 1909 with the U.S. Experiment Station in Honolulu to find crops suitable to our conditions. We were to supply the land, provide the labor and retain the crops. The Station was to furnish all seeds and planting material and report their findings of all crops obtained.” (Cooke)

Three types of corn were planted (they succumbed to the weevil;) three grains (they to cut worms;) three cottons (they to the boll-worm;) and three types of legumes (they to the aphis.)

“Alfalfa was grown there successfully for many years. Alfalfa hay made in our fields invariably was awarded first prize at many County of Maui Fairs and Territorial Fairs on Oahu because of its fine green color and its leaf-holding quality and length of stem. This hay received very favorable comments from the Judges.” (Cooke)

They raised cattle, planted sweet potato and wheat crops and produced honey. It became the second largest cattle ranch in Hawaiʻi and a major producer of beef.

Cooke was a Representative from Maui to the Legislature, 1911 to 1913, and served Hawaiʻi as a Territorial Senator for 34-years (becoming President of the Senate.)

The Molokai Ranch was out of debt and on a paying basis. The Cookes moved to Honolulu to aid in war work (World War I) and to educate their children. They started Hanahauʻoli School (happy, joyous work) in 1918 for their six children and those of many of their friends (it started with 16-children from ages 6 to 11 years old.)

It was a small school, from kindergarten through sixth grade where all the children cooperated as in a large family; it’s in the same location on the corner of Nehoa and Makiki Streets.

Cooke was first in the movement to make the island of Molokai a source of food supply for Honolulu. He established a model dairy ranch at Mapulehu, Molokai, in 1920, and constructed the “Leleiona” and later the “Pualele,” motor propelled sampans, to make deliveries of crops and milk to Honolulu, proving beyond question his theory that such an undertaking was feasible.

He was also the first Executive Secretary of the Hawaiian Homes Commission, where he was empowered to execute the Act; he “initiated leases and regulations, prepared the lands for settlement, distributed domestic and irrigation water and helped to select the first homesteaders.” (Cooke)

He also encouraged research into water resource development and management, geological knowledge and the cataloguing of native and exotic plants, all with an eye to finding crops that would improve the economy of Molokai.

Cooke was manager of Molokai Ranch for 40 years; when he left, he took with him a reputation as an honest and fair businessman, and the respect of the Hawaiian cowboys with whom he worked from the saddle. (hicattle)

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Cooke Family-Horses-1913-Cooke

George_P_Cooke

Ranch Office Kualapuu-1908-Cooke

Manager’s House Kualapuu-1913-Cooke

Molokai Ranch Employees-1913-Cooke

Manager’s House Kualapuu-1908-Cooke

Hanahauoli-First_Buildings-1921-(hanahauoli)

George_P_Cooke-Makaiki_Heights_Bungalow-(Paradise_of_the_Pacific)-1918

Cooke_House-remodeled in 1945 as Seaside Inn-remodeled in 1950 as Pau Hana Inn-1940

Cooke Home Kualapuu-1933-Cooke

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Leleiona-Cooke

Land_Office_Map_of_the_Island_of_Molokai,_Hawaii-1897

March 12, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Kaluakoʻi

It was “a desolate land, a land of famine.” (Kamakau)

Aia ke ana ko‘i i Kaluako‘i
At Kaluako‘i is an adze quarry (Gon)

Kaluakoʻi (the adze pit) is the largest ahupuaʻa on Molokai, containing an area of 46,500 acres. It’s on the western portion of island.

It’s in the rain shadow of east Molokai making the area very arid (thus the first line.) The upland of Kaluakoʻi was well known for the fine grained basalts used for adze manufacture (thus the latter.)

“Kaluakoʻi was probably permanently occupied late in prehistory, and that its access to fishing grounds and adze quarries meant that it was integrated into island-wide society …”

“Presence of extensive occupations in the uplands and of major specialized features such as heiau (temples) and holua (sledding courses) in the lowlands holua provide evidence that the Kaluakoʻi area had permanent, perhaps socially stratified, occupants.”

“Traditional wisdom among archaeologist has also concluded that this region would have been settled only after sweet potato was available, and after population densities had risen in the wetter areas, probably no earlier than about ad 1500.” Cultivation of ʻuala (sweet potato) and offshore and deep sea fishing provided the primary sustenance. (Dye)

Kaluakoʻi was returned and retained by the Government at the Māhele. (Ulukau) Then, “Minister Gibson, read memorando from the records regarding the sale of certain lands in 1874-5, and that the sales had been made to meet current expenses of Government.”

“On March 5, 1874, there was a deficiency, and it was proposed to borrow $47,000. On May 15, 1874, it was proposed to meet the deficiency by selling the land of Kaluakoʻi, on Molokai. A resolution, however, was adopted, which read: ‘Resolved, Not to sell the land of Kaluakoʻi to Mr. Bishop at present.’”

“On May 26, 1874, the Cabinet approved of selling Kaluakoʻi to Mr. Bishop for $5,000, the King withholding his decision till next day.” The 46,500 acres was sold to Bishop, on January 26, 1875, by Royal patent 3,146. (Report of Hawaiian Legislative Assembly, 1886)

Bishop ranched the land; then in 1893, all the land, leaseholds and livestock were transferred by Charles Bishop to the Trustees of the Bernice P Bishop Estate and in 1897 Molokai Ranch was formed and bought Kaluakoʻi from the Estate.

Maunaloa is a former pineapple plantation town built in 1923 by Libby, McNeill and Libby (later a Dole corporation). After pineapple operations ended in 1976, the former pineapple fields surrounding the town became grazing land for Molokai ranch. (Dye)

In 1977, Molokai tourism was enhanced with the opening of the 198-room Kaluakoʻi Resort and condo complex on the West End. However, by the early 1980s it was virtually abandoned. (Brady)

Many hoped that the opening of the Beach Village in 1996 and the Lodge in 1999 would resuscitate Kaluakoʻi, attracting tourists and adding jobs. Later announcements of renovations provided further hope. (Brady)

The hotel and the golf course were permanently closed in January of 2001; the 149 privately owned condominium units continued to operate, some of them under the “The Villas” rental group and some rented by the individual owners.

In 2006, the company announced that it would renovate the hotel as part of a master development plan that included the sale of 200 homesites (at $600,000 each) along Laʻau Point on the southwestern tip.

Local reaction was negative, forceful, and immediate. The most visible display of residents’ opposition to the plan was the hand-painted signs reading ‘Save Laʻau’ that were posted across the Island. (Brady)

With that project failure, in May 2008, the Ranch reduced its operations on the island. Today, Molokaʻi Ranch encompasses about 53,000-acres which is roughly one-third of the island.

In 2012, under new management, Molokai Ranch announced plans to develop a new strategy focusing on four strategies: animal husbandry, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy and green improvements to existing infrastructure.

In a statement related to this, a Ranch representative noted, “Our focus is currently on ensuring the success of our newly re-launched ranching operations and our efforts to re-open existing facilities, such as the Maunaloa Lodge, in an effort to create opportunities for the island.”

Their website notes, “Molokai Ranch is working toward responsible tourism, creating an authentic cultural experience of Molokai and building the foundation for a thriving local economy.”

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