Keawaiki Bay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Francis H. Ii Brown House
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 Location in Hawaii
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| Nearest city | Waimea, Hawaii County, Hawaii |
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| Area | 15 acres (6.1 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 86001616 |
| Added to NRHP | August 21, 1986 |
Keawaiki Bay is a special place on the western coast of Hawaiʻi Island. It was once the home of a famous Hawaiian, Francis Hyde ʻĪʻī Brown (1892–1976). He was a champion golf player and also a legislator, which means he helped make laws for the government.
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Keawaiki Bay's Ancient Past
Keawaiki Bay is located at 19°53′16″N 155°54′22″W / 19.88778°N 155.90611°W. Long ago, this area was home to an ancient Hawaiian settlement. There was even a sacred temple, called a heiau, here. Sadly, in 1859, a huge lava flow from the Mauna Loa volcano covered the northern part of the bay. This lava flow destroyed the old settlement and temple.
The Life of Francis ʻĪʻī Brown
Francis Hyde ʻĪʻī Brown was a very interesting person. He was the grandson of Native Hawaiian historian and judge John Papa ʻĪʻī. Francis was born in Honolulu on September 16, 1892. He went to Punahou School in Hawaii and then to Fessenden School in Massachusetts.
During World War I, Francis helped out by serving as an ambulance driver in France. After the war, he married Stephanie Wichman in Honolulu in 1919.
A Champion Athlete
Francis Brown loved sports! He was good at many, including baseball, swimming, tennis, and polo. But he was especially famous for golf. He won the Hawaiian Amateur golf championship an amazing nine times. In 1924, he set a new course record at the famous Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland. Then, in 1927, he set another course record at Pebble Beach Golf Links in California. People called him "Mr. Golf of Hawaiʻi."
Serving in Government
Besides being a sports star, Francis Brown also worked in government. He was a member of the Republican Party of Hawaii. He was elected to the house of representatives for the Territory of Hawaii in 1925. Then, he served in the senate from 1927 until 1947. He took a short break in 1936 because of a car accident.
The Keawaiki Bay Estate
Between 1926 and 1931, Francis Brown bought 15 acres (6.1 ha) of land at Keawaiki Bay. He built a beautiful home complex there. It included a main house with two bedrooms, two guest houses, and a caretaker's house. These buildings were made from local lava rock.
A very famous Hawaiian swimmer, Duke Kahanamoku, even spent his honeymoon in one of the guest houses! Duke also helped design the swimming pools on the property. A well-known Hawaiian composer, Helen Desha Beamer, even wrote a song about Keawaiki Bay.
Francis Brown also owned a small cottage about 8 miles (13 km) north of Keawaiki. This cottage is now a museum at the Mauna Lani resort. The resort even named its golf course after Francis Brown! The Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, a historic walking path, runs right past the Keawaiki property.
Changes Over Time
During World War II in 1941, the Keawaiki complex was left empty. Later, Francis sold Keawaiki to his nephew, Zadoc White Brown (1917–2006). Zadoc Brown was famous for starting the first mutual fund in Hawaii.
In 1946, a big tsunami hit the bay. It destroyed some animal pens near the beach. For a long time, the only way to get to Keawaiki Bay was by boat or by walking. But in 1974, a private dirt road was built from the Hawaii Belt Road, which made it easier to reach.
Francis Brown passed away in 1976 in Pebble Beach, California. He is remembered as a true Hawaiian legend in both sports and public service.
