For a century and a half, grove farm has built its proud legacy on the oncethriving sugar industry and the value of hawaiian land. Especially helpful were librarian bob kajiwara and the staff at the kauai community colleges learning resource center. In a tour shows multiple historic buildings,the history of kauais sugar cane industry, social history and economic development. Grove farm, the 10th largest landowner in hawaii and third largest on kauai with 33,294 acres, recently partnered with ebay founder and billionaire pierre omidyars ulupono initiative to build a. Touring this gracious home and gardens teaches you how the birth of the sugar industry changed kauai and what it was like to be a pioneer in the islands development. Sep 30, 2003 if you are a traveler to kauai hi this is a must read. Kauai books, kauai history, story of koloa, ancient place. Wilcox house, nawiliwili road state route 58, lihue, kauai county, hi enlarge view 33 images in sequence.
Grove farm homestead museum, originally built in 1864 and opened as a living museum in 1978, is located in the former plantation home of a sugarmill owner. Broadbent, a history of the lihue plantation sugar mill and numerous other volumes. The book also provides insights into the historical development of kauai and. The story of grove farm plantation and its owner, george norton wilcox. Today in the same spirit of innovation and community building the company founded by george norton wilcox is still a pioneer in preservation, renewable energy and diversified agriculture. During the american civil war, the demand for hawaii sugar grew, but widemann supported the confederate states. We will be adding more books on a regular basis so please keep checking back with us or call or email us with your special requests. During the american civil war the demand for hawaii sugar grew, but widemann supported the confederate states. After leasing grove farm to its manager george norton wilcox 18391933 in. Grove farm, one of the earliest sugar plantations and the former home of george n. The building is wellpreserved with koa walls and staircases.
A visit to the grove farm homestead in lihue provides visitors with a fascinating look into the islands past. To show our appreciation, grove farm has decided to offer a free booth to vendors who. The grove farm homestead museum is the former home of george wilcox, son of missionaries and founder of one of kauai s largest plantations. Grove farm would break from the traditional system of housings its workers in rented, plantation houses and pioneered a home ownership program. Named for a kauai westside stream, wahiawa was built in 1921 for the kauai railway company, was sold to mcbryde sugar plantation in 1938 and to grove farm company in 1947. History related programs and field trips were offered on a regular basis. Wilcox, and of his descendants, who played important roles in.
Feb 25, 2015 the newly published book, grove farm, kauai. Grove farm working to build a more sustainable kauai. Sugar cane was the chief agricultural industry on kauai for over 150 years. The grove farm homestead museum is the former home of george wilcox, son of missionaries and founder of one of kauais largest plantations. Twohour guided tours of the homestead start at the original plantation office and include the twostory main home, still. Classes from various elementary, intermediate, and high schools embark on a multiday excursion to different sustainable sites around kaua.
Visitors to hawaii can experience some of the islands history with visits to an ancient temple at polihale heiau or an old sugar plantation at grove farm homestead museum. Grove farm homestead offers a two hour tour of kauais first sugar plantation. Providing one of the last authentic experiences of kauai s sugar cane heritage, grove farm continues today in its arrangement and operation as it did as a developing center of a 19th century hawaii sugar plantation. Lihue plantation railroad bridge, nawiliwili stream near. Billionaire approached grove farm to purchase kauai ag land. Located in the heart of lihue, visitors to the farm will see the original plantation house, an owners cottage, an old office, a guest cottage, and plantation workers homes. Arryl kaneshiro of grove farm will share historical information regarding kooloa mill and allan smith who served in various leadership positions in the sugar industry and retired as a senior vice president for grove farm co. Hawaiis booming sugar plantation industry in the late 1800s had its origins on kauai. Combine it with a visit to grove farm, a kauai plantation familys hometurnedmuseum, and visitors can learn about a hawaiian life beyond the beach. We visited the grove farm museum and would highly recommend this tour to everyone.
Wilcox, and of his descendants, who played important roles in hawaiis history. Grove farm sugar plantation museum lihue 2020 all you need. Take a trip back in time to a traditional kauai sugar plantation at the grove farm homestead museum. Touring this gracious home and gardens teaches you how the birth of the sugar industry changed kauai and what it.
What makes this museum so interesting is that it truly is the history of a people and way of life. Farm guano hackfeld hanalei hand haole harbor hawaii hawaiian head henry baldwin honolulu horse islands judge widemann kaipu kalakaua kauai knew koloa lanai land legislature lihue plantation loading looked lucy luther manager. Grove farm museums sugar plantation locomotive interactive learning park. Wilcox house, nawiliwili road state route 58, lihue, kauai county, hi habs hi,4lihu,116. Also if you are on the island a visit to the historic grove farm should not be missed. Over the past five years, numerous community swap meet events have been held at our grove farm park in puhi. Wilcox and his nieces who came to the island in 1864. Learning the roots the garden island kauais newspaper. May 10, 2017 grove farm as it looked in the 1870s photo courtesy of grove farm museum its hard to imagine grove farm museum without bob schleck. Grove farm sugar plantation museum, lihue step back in time to the plantation era. Shortly thereafter, it was sold to the manager, george norton wilcox, and it remained in his family for over 100 years. The 80acre living museum was the site of one of kauais oldest plantations, founded in 1864 by george wilcox.
View all hotels near grove farm sugar plantation museum on tripadvisor. Grove farm is located on the western edge of lihue, the central island community, on nawiliwili road between the kukui grove shopping center and nawiliwili harbor. Look back through the sugar era at koloa plantation days. The plantation ceased sugar operations in 1974, however, and the house has not been occupied for many years. Grove farm sugar plantation museum lihue all you need to. Significant changes in hawaiis sugar industry and in the development of grove farm plantation on kauai are covered in this new, expanded, and updated edition of this colorful history of grove farm and biography of its founder, george n. Lihue is the seat of kauai community college founded 1928 as kalaheo vocational school, part of the university read more. Uhm library hawaiian collection hspa plantations lihue. On the second thursday of every month, scott johnson fires up paulo or wainiha, one of grove farm museums four vintage steam locomotives, and takes passengers on a 45minute ride back in time. Tennessee billionaire buys thousands of acres on kauai from. Feb, 2020 we visited the grove farm museum and would highly recommend this tour to everyone. The life and times of elsie wilcox of kauai, by judith dean gething hughes, university of hawaii press, honolulu, 1996. Grove farm sugar plantation museum lihue 2020 all you. Oct 30, 2004 grove farm is a historic agricultural site on kauai in the hawaiian islands.
Please mark this date and share the news with other potential participants. His previous books include a biography of former grove farm manager e. Hspa hawaiian sugar planters association plantation archives. Grove farm managers house 2007 historic hawaii foundation. The hanamaulu mill was closed in 1920 and some of the equipment used to improve the lihue mill, which was grinding cane from grove farm and kipu plantation as well as its own. Jan 10, 2014 grove farm, the 10th largest landowner in hawaii and third largest on kauai with 33,294 acres, recently partnered with ebay founder and billionaire pierre omidyars ulupono initiative to build a. Tennessee billionaire acquires over 3,000 acres of land on kauai. Widemann 18221899 started one of the first sugarcane plantations in hawaii known as grove farm in 1854. This book tells the biography of this plantation which has a very colorful history. Providing one of the last authentic experiences of kauais sugar cane heritage, grove farm offers guided tours of this pristine. Johnson is the mechanic for those rare artifacts, which date between 1887 and 1925. Widemann 18221899 in 1854 started one of the first sugar plantations in hawaii, which was chopped out of a large grove of kukui trees and was therefore called the grove farm.
You could be trying to escape the rain or filling the hours between checkout and a late night flight. Wilcox was a key figure in the development of grove. Whatever the reason, grove farm museum is a unique look at life on kauai in the 19th and 20th century. It contains the original missionary family mansion, workers quarters and extensive gardens of tropical. It contains the original missionary family mansion, workers quarters and extensive gardens of tropical flowers and trees. Tennessee billionaire brad kelley has recently purchased over 3,000 acres of agricultural land on the island of kauai, the pacific business news reports. We will book the tour at the homestead now that we know it is in fact different than the kilohana plantation. The gift shop at grove farm museum opened with an evening reception on. Grove farm museum is a 100acre homestead commemorating the legacy of kauais sugar cane production. Lihue the book is a bridge to history of kauai families.
He was the science writer and kauai bureau chief for the honolulu advertiser. Look for the grove farm sign on the left side of nawiliwili road as you travel toward the harbor. In 1923, a lease of wailua lands prompted work on a project to bring water form the south branch of the hanalei river for irrigation and hydroelectric power. I appreciated learning the history of the sugar plantation world on kauai and seeing how this one family was an integral part of making kauai what is it is today. Grove farm as it looked in the 1870s photo courtesy of grove farm museum its hard to imagine grove farm museum without bob schleck. Explore kauai museums interesting attractions in kauai.
Perhaps you are interested in the history of the sugarcane industry on this tropical island. Providing one of the last authentic experiences of kauais sugar cane heritage, grove farm continues today in its arrangement and operation as it did as a developing center of a 19th century. Lihue plantation railroad bridge, nawiliwili stream near kaumualii highway, lihue, kauai county, hi. Dining room, looking southeast, door in center goes to lanai and cook house grove farm, g. By 1955, 177 plantation employees owned their own homes. Grove farm homestead the grove farm homestead 4050 nawiliwili rd. After working at the historic sugar plantation homestead nearly 50 years more than 20 of which he served as director. Wilcox bought the original 900acre grove farm from a german immigrant in 1864 and turned it into a successful sugar plantation. Grove farm company donated these locomotives, which it had stored for twenty years, to mabel wilcox s newly developed grove farm museum in 1975. Bringing history to life, the kauai historical society houses a vast collection of hawaiian books, maps, photographs, drawings, plantation records and personal papers from local families and organizations. Billionaire approached grove farm to purchase kauai ag. This museum is in the plantations main home which belonged to george n. If you are a traveler to kauai hi this is a must read.
After leasing grove farm to its manager george norton wilcox 18391933. Grove farm plantation the biography of a hawaiian sugar. Grove farm homestead museum museum, lihue, kauai, hawaii. Jan tenbruggencate is a veteran hawaii journalist and author. Smallscale tours show fields, factory and history of. Grove farm is a historic agricultural site on kauai in the hawaiian islands. Kauai historical society is located inside the county bldg.
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