The Old Parker Homestead
Posted on Aug 29, 2009 under Big Island History |Early Life at Hawaii’s Infamous Parker Ranch.
For a glimpse into the day-to-day life of one of the largest and oldest cattle ranches in the United States, take time to see the two beautifully preserved Parker Ranch homes and gardens during your next visit through the upcountry town of Waimea. The history of the Parker family dynasty, from John Palmer Parker to the last descendent, Richard Smart, is a colorful one that spans 160 years and six generations.
Mana Hale. Patriarch John Palmer Parker and his two sons built the original Cape Cod-style home in 1847 using koa wood for the interior. The Parker Ranch home began on just two acres of remote pastureland 12 miles from the center of Waimea. In the 1850s Parker’s wife, Kipikane, was granted an additional 640 acres of ranchland by her grandfather, King Kamehameha I. Thereafter the Ranch’s holdings grew, reaching 500,000 acres at one point, to become the largest cattle ranch in the U.S. under single ownership.
Next to inherit the Ranch after John Parker I was Parker’s second son, Ebenezer, a handsome young man who died a very tragic death. Ebenezer’s son, Sam Parker, then became next heir to the Ranch upon the death of Parker I. Sam was a gregarious fellow who loved to entertain but was apparently incompetent in the administration of the cattle business. Sam and his wife, Panana, held lavish parties featuring many prominent world figures. Under Sam’s management between 1871 and 1906, Mana Hale became the center of Hawaiian socialite society.
Puuopelu. John Parker II’s growing dissatisfaction with the way Sam was running things led him in 1879 to purchase another home in the center of Waimea called Puuopelu. Puuopelu (“folding hills”) was originally built in 1862 with a classic Hawaiian Victorian style. Since the Parker family was now split between the two homes, the Parkers’ cattle operation was relocated from Mana Hale to its current location near central Waimea. Since John II and his wife, Hanai, had no children, they adopted one of Sam’s sons, John III, to be next heir.
John III and his wife had a girl named Thelma, then next in line to inherit the Parker estate. In yet another tragedy to befall the Parker clan, however, Thelma and her husband Gaillard Smart died at a young age. That left their son Richard, just two years old, sole heir to the Parker Ranch.
Richard Smart (1913 to 1992), the final descendent to resume the Ranch’s ownership, lived in Puuopelu from 1960 until his death in 1992. Smart, a Broadway theater performer, implemented major restorations to the old dwelling in order to accommodate his massive art collection. Today, his original European heirloom furniture, impressionist paintings and Chinese pottery fill the nearly 8,000 square-foot mansion. During his tenure Smart made a number of positive contributions to the Waimea community such as the creation of the Kahilu Theater.
The Parker Ranch Historic Homes tour is available Monday through Saturday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. with a small admission fee. No reservations are needed. The homes are easily accessible off Highway 190 just south of Parker Center. Look for the green Parker Ranch Historic Homes and Gardens sign on your right as you drive south, or on your left (about a block from the Parker Ranch Headquarters) as you drive north along Mamalahoa Highway. The tour takes about 90 minutes. For more information call (808) 885-7655.
