Hau‘oli Lā Hānau: Celebrating Local Company Anniversaries—March Edition

Every month, we celebrate the anniversaries of local companies and organizations. This month: A romantic pink getaway, higher learning and a bar fit for a king.

March 14, 2017

Michael Keany,

Royal Hawaiian Hotel The perfect backdrop for beach boys

Photos: Courtesy of Royal Hawaiian Hotel

Royal Hawaiian Hotel

Walking around the grounds of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, it’s easy to imagine yourself in the idyllic, romantic Hawai‘i of yesteryear. The Royal might be surrounded these days by high-rise buildings, but, when it opened its doors in 1927, it was the largest, most luxurious resort in Waikīkī by far, with an unprecedented 400 rooms, each with its own balcony, and acres of lush landscaping. The Pink Palace quickly became a haven for the rich and famous—Clark Gable, Shirley Temple and Carole Lombard, Bing Crosby, the Rockefellers and the Roosevelts—and helped establish Waikīkī as the elegant center of Hawai‘i tourism.

Early visitors to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel often shipped their own cars over from the Mainland.

The University of Hawai‘i

The University of Hawai‘i started small, as a college of agriculture and mechanical arts. Regular classes first began in temporary quarters on Young Street next to Thomas Square, with five freshmen, five preparatory students and 13 faculty. UH wouldn’t move to Mānoa until five years later. Today, UH boasts three universities and seven community colleges, with 18,000 undergraduate and graduate students—quite the expansion!

The complete faculty of the University of Hawai‘i, in 1907.

Photo: Courtesy of University of Hawai‘i

Murphy’s Bar & Grill

Don Murphy took over the Royal Hawaiian Saloon in 1987, turning it into the Murphy’s Bar & Grill we know and love today. But there’s been a bar on this corner since the mid-19th century, when it was called the Royal Hotel. Next time you visit, take a look around the place where merchants, ship captains and even King Kalākaua would come to knock back a pint or three.

The building we know as Murphy’s Bar & Grill was built in 1890.

Photo: Michael Keany

Manago Hotel

For a century now, Manago Hotel in Captain Cook has been offering visitors low-key, old-school charm at affordable rates. Three generations of the Manago family, beginning with Kinzo and Osame Manago, have grown the Kona-side hotel from offering two cots plus futons into a 64-room establishment. And you don’t even have to spend the night to enjoy the place—visit the restaurant and enjoy one of Manago’s renowned pork chops, a longtime local favorite.

Have an upcoming anniversary to share? Letters@honolulumagazine.com.