About this property
The Shipman family leased 6,324 acres (2,559 ha) of land near the Kīlauea volcano in 1937 from the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate, which they called the Ainahou Ranch . The name ʻaina hou means "new land". An older ranch called Keauhou (not to be confused with the community of Keauhou, on the western side of the island) had been established here in 1921, so a primitive trail existed, and the Chain of Craters Road had recently been built within a few miles. Herbert C. Shipman built a house on the remote ranch in 1941 for the family as a refuge for the anticipated Japanese invasion of Hawaii. It was used as a working cattle ranch, raising beef for the military during World War II. After a tsunami in 1946 devastated the Puna Shipman property, killing half the endangered nēnē he was raising there, he built pens at Ainahou to continue raising them.
Location
Federal Designation
The National Register of Historic Places, administered by the National Park Service, is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical, architectural, archaeological, engineering, or cultural significance. Listing on the National Register recognizes a property's importance to American history but does not place restrictions on private owners; it does, however, make properties eligible for federal historic preservation tax incentives and enables consideration in federal planning decisions. This property is recorded in the National Register under reference number 94001619. It was listed on February 8, 1995.
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Ainahou Ranch listed on the National Register?
Ainahou Ranch was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 8, 1995.
What type of historic resource is Ainahou Ranch?
Ainahou Ranch is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Ainahou Ranch?
The period of significance for Ainahou Ranch is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1921.
Can I research the history near Ainahou Ranch?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Ainahou Ranch will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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