A timeline featuring important and notable dates in the
history of Lanai Island in Hawaii.
Before 1500's
Probably uninhabited
1700's on Lanai
1792
Captain George Vancouver mentioned Lanai island
by noting its lack of visible villages and population.
1792
On February 25, 1779, Captain Charles Clerke sighted
Lanai Island from the ship HMS Resolution. Clerke
had taken over as captain of the ship after
Cook was killed about 11 days earlier, on
February 14, 1779 at Kealakekua Bay on Hawaii Island.
1800's on Lanai
1810
Lanai Island ceased being a sovereign land
when King Kamehameha united the Hawaiian Islands
into a royal monarchy in 1810. One of the king's
favorite summer fishing retreats was located
at Kaunolu Village, a site that today is an
archaeological site designated a U.S. national
historic landmark.
1862
Walter M. Gibson traveled to Lanai for the purpose
of establishing a Mormon colony. He
acquired most of Lanai island for sheep ranching.
1899
Gibson's daughter and son-in-law formed Maunalei Sugar Company,
headquartered in Keomuku, on the northeast
coast, downstream from Maunalei Valley.
1900's on Lanai
1901
The Maunalei Sugar Company failed in 1901.
1902
Charles and Luika Gay purchased the sugar company’s interests
and put their energies into cattle ranching and limited agriculture
1911
George C. Munro was hired by the Lanai Company in
in 1911 to manage their cattle ranch.
1921
James Dole acquired Lanai in 1921 or 1922 and established on it
the largest pineapple plantation in the world. His
company was originally known as the Hawaiian Pineapple Company
and later was renamed the Dole Food Company.
Today many of the island's
residents are descendants of the
Filipino, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Korean, and Puerto Rican
men and women immigrants who came to Lanai as plantation workers.
1938
George Munro retires from his ranch manager position
and moves to the island of Oahu.
1959
When Hawaii became a U.S. state in 1959,
the island of Lanai was incorporated into the
County of Maui.
1972
Lanai's pineapple plantation was closed due
to rising costs and competition from other countries and regions.
Lanai's last commercial pineapple crop was harvested in October
of 1992. Because it was lo longer ecopnomically reasonable
to raise crops such sugar cane and pineapple on the island
Lanai's economy shifted from agriculture to tourism.
1985
David Murdock acquired Lanai Island when he purchased
Castle and Cook, at that time the owner of the Dole Food Company.
Murdock built two luxury golf reosrts,
the Manele Bay Resort on the coast and the Lodge at Koele in
upcountry Lanai City. he also developed several luxury real estate
properties.
2000's on Lanai
2012
Larry Ellison, the chief executive officer of the Oracle Corporation,
purchased about 98% of the island of lanai. The other 2 percent
is still owned by the state of Hawaii.
The purchase price has not been confirmed, but
it has been reported as between half a million and $600,000.
At the time of the purchase Ellis announced plans
to invest up to $500,000 in improving the island's infrastructure
and creating an environmentally friendly and sustainable agriculture industry.
Summary
1853-1964: Mormon settle in Palawai
1870: Walter Gibson holds most fee simple interest besides the native kuleana land
1899-1901: Gibson’s daughter and son in law open Maunalei Sugar, it closes in 3 years
1902: Charles Gay owns most fee simple interest in Lanai
1910-1950: Lanai Ranch, George C. Munro was a ranch manager
1917: Henry Baldwin purchased Lanai Island for more than $500k,000
1920: Gay plants pineapple as an experiment
1920: Henry Baldwin (fixes?) Lanai's water system
1922: Henry Baldwin sold Lanai to James dor for twice what he paid
1922: James Dole purchases Lanai and establishes the world’s biggest pineapple plantation
1985: David H. Murdock purchases Castle and Cook.
1990: Lodge at Koele is built and opened by Castle and Cook.
1992: Last pineapple harvest, Murdock ushers in the Visitor Industry Era for Lanai
2006: Murdock invests $100 million in renovation and rebranding of its resorts as Four Seasons Lanai
2012: Transfer of Castle and Cook holdings to Ellison’s Lanai Island Holdings
2013: Larry Ellison purchased most of Lanai Island for $615 million
Lanai Island Travel Guide
Other Islands of Hawaii
Visitor Destinations in Hawaii
Hawaii for Visitors
