Keawaiki Bay
Encyclopedia
Keawaiki Bay is on the western coast of Hawaii Island
.
It is the site of a residential complex built for Francis Hyde Īī Brown (1892–1976) who was a champion golf
player and legislator.
The area to the north was covered by an 1859 lava flow from Mauna Loa
. It was the site of an ancient temple (heiau
) and settlement of ancient Hawaii
destroyed by the 1859 eruption.
Brown was a grandson of native Hawaiian historian and judge John Papa Īī. His mother was
Irene Kahalelaukoa Īī (died 1922), and father was Charles Augustus Brown (born 1856).
He was born in Honolulu September 16, 1892 and attended Punahou School
and Fessenden School
in West Newton, Massachusetts
.
The lands that John Īī had been awarded were put into a trust called the John Īī Estate, Limited.
After his parents divorced in 1898 his mother remarried, which was the subject of a lawsuit due to ambiguity in the original will.
During World War I
Brown served as an ambulance driver in France
.
He married Stephanie Wichman in Honolulu on January 30, 1919.
He became a involved in several sports, including baseball, swimming, tennis, polo, and golf.
He won the Hawaiian Amateur golf championship nine times. In 1924 he set a course record at the Old Course at St Andrews
and in 1927 he set the course record at Pebble Beach Golf Links
.
As a member of the Republican Party of Hawaii, he was elected to the Territory of Hawaii
house of representatives in 1925, and the senate from 1927 through 1947, except when an automobile accident in 1935 prevented him from participating in 1936.
He purchased 15 acres (6.1 ha) on Keawaiki Bay from the territory between 1926 and 1931 as the houses were constructed. Buildings include a main house with two bedrooms, two guest houses, a caretaker house, and other structures. They were built from local lava rock. Swimmer Duke Kahanamoku
spent his honeymoon
in a guest house and helped design swimming pools on the property.
Helen Desha Beamer composed a song about Keawaiki.
In 1932 Brown also bought a small cottage built for James Frank Woods
and Eva Parker at Kalahuipuaa about 8 miles (12.9 km) to the north. The cottage is preserved as a museum in the Mauna Lani resort.
The resort named its golf course for Brown.
The Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail
runs past the property.
The complex was abandoned during World War II
in 1941, and Keawaiki was sold to nephew Zadoc White Brown (1917–2006).
Zadoc Brown founded the first mutual fund
in Hawaii.
Several animal pens near the beach were destroyed in the April 1, 1946 tsunami
.
Until 1974 the only access to the bay was by boat or on foot. A private unpaved road now leads from the Hawaii Belt Road that runs inland of the bay.
Brown died in 1976 in Pebble Beach, California
.
He was called "Mr. Golf of Hawaii" when inducted into the Hawaii Sports Hall of fame.
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
.
It is the site of a residential complex built for Francis Hyde Īī Brown (1892–1976) who was a champion golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
player and legislator.
History
The bay is located at 19°53′16"N 155°54′22"W.The area to the north was covered by an 1859 lava flow from Mauna Loa
Mauna Loa
Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes that form the Island of Hawaii in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean, and the largest on Earth in terms of volume and area covered. It is an active shield volcano, with a volume estimated at approximately , although its peak is about lower than that...
. It was the site of an ancient temple (heiau
Heiau
A heiau is a Hawaiian temple. Many types of heiau existed, including heiau to treat the sick , offer first fruits, offer first catch, start rain, stop rain, increase the population, ensure health of the nation, achieve success in distant voyaging, reach peace, and achieve success in war . Only the...
) and settlement of ancient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii refers to the period of Hawaiian human history preceding the unification of the Kingdom of Hawaii by Kamehameha the Great in 1810. After being first settled by Polynesian long-distance navigators sometime between AD 300–800, a unique culture developed. Diversified agroforestry and...
destroyed by the 1859 eruption.
Brown was a grandson of native Hawaiian historian and judge John Papa Īī. His mother was
Irene Kahalelaukoa Īī (died 1922), and father was Charles Augustus Brown (born 1856).
He was born in Honolulu September 16, 1892 and attended Punahou School
Punahou School
Punahou School, once known as Oahu College, is a private, co-educational, college preparatory school located in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu in the U.S. State of Hawaii...
and Fessenden School
Fessenden School
The Fessenden School is an independent day and boarding school for boys, founded in 1903 by Frederick J. Fessenden, and located at 250 Waltham Street, West Newton, Massachusetts, United States, on a campus....
in West Newton, Massachusetts
West Newton, Massachusetts
West Newton is a village of the City of Newton, Massachusetts and is one of the oldest of the thirteen Newton villages. The postal code 02465 roughly matches the village limits.-Location:...
.
The lands that John Īī had been awarded were put into a trust called the John Īī Estate, Limited.
After his parents divorced in 1898 his mother remarried, which was the subject of a lawsuit due to ambiguity in the original will.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Brown served as an ambulance driver in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
He married Stephanie Wichman in Honolulu on January 30, 1919.
He became a involved in several sports, including baseball, swimming, tennis, polo, and golf.
He won the Hawaiian Amateur golf championship nine times. In 1924 he set a course record at the Old Course at St Andrews
Old Course at St Andrews
The Old Course at St Andrews is the oldest golf course in the world. The Old Course is a public course over common land in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland and is held in trust by The St Andrews Links Trust under an act of Parliament...
and in 1927 he set the course record at Pebble Beach Golf Links
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Pebble Beach Golf Links is a golf course located in Pebble Beach, California, on the west coast of the United States.Pebble Beach is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful courses in the world. It hugs the rugged coastline and has wide open views of Carmel Bay, opening to the Pacific Ocean,...
.
As a member of the Republican Party of Hawaii, he was elected to the Territory of Hawaii
Territory of Hawaii
The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 7, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when its territory, with the exception of Johnston Atoll, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii.The U.S...
house of representatives in 1925, and the senate from 1927 through 1947, except when an automobile accident in 1935 prevented him from participating in 1936.
He purchased 15 acres (6.1 ha) on Keawaiki Bay from the territory between 1926 and 1931 as the houses were constructed. Buildings include a main house with two bedrooms, two guest houses, a caretaker house, and other structures. They were built from local lava rock. Swimmer Duke Kahanamoku
Duke Kahanamoku
Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku was a Hawaiian swimmer, actor, lawman, early beach volleyball player and businessman credited with spreading the sport of surfing. He was a five-time Olympic medalist in swimming.-Early years:The name "Duke" is not a title, but a given name...
spent his honeymoon
Honeymoon
-History:One early reference to a honeymoon is in Deuteronomy 24:5 “When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him...
in a guest house and helped design swimming pools on the property.
Helen Desha Beamer composed a song about Keawaiki.
In 1932 Brown also bought a small cottage built for James Frank Woods
James Frank Woods
James Frank Woods was a major landowner during the Kingdom of Hawaii who was related to royalty and many civil leaders.-Life:His father was James Woods, who was born in Liverpool, England in 1845, and came to the Hawaiian Islands in 1860 to work for Janion & Green James Frank Woods (1872–1930) was...
and Eva Parker at Kalahuipuaa about 8 miles (12.9 km) to the north. The cottage is preserved as a museum in the Mauna Lani resort.
The resort named its golf course for Brown.
The Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail
Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail
Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail is a long trail located on the island of Hawaii. It is not yet a continuous "trail", but can be accessed at several broken segments along the coastline of the Big Island. The trail was established to access the traditional Ancient Hawaiian culture along with...
runs past the property.
The complex was abandoned during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1941, and Keawaiki was sold to nephew Zadoc White Brown (1917–2006).
Zadoc Brown founded the first mutual fund
Mutual fund
A mutual fund is a professionally managed type of collective investment scheme that pools money from many investors to buy stocks, bonds, short-term money market instruments, and/or other securities.- Overview :...
in Hawaii.
Several animal pens near the beach were destroyed in the April 1, 1946 tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
.
Until 1974 the only access to the bay was by boat or on foot. A private unpaved road now leads from the Hawaii Belt Road that runs inland of the bay.
Brown died in 1976 in Pebble Beach, California
Pebble Beach, California
Pebble Beach is an unincorporated community in Monterey County, California. It lies at an elevation of 3 feet . Pebble Beach is a small coastal resort destination, home to the famous golf course, Pebble Beach Golf Links....
.
He was called "Mr. Golf of Hawaii" when inducted into the Hawaii Sports Hall of fame.