History
In the 1500’s, Ka`ululä`au, the mischievous son of a Maui chief named Kaka`alaneo, accidentally destroyed an entire crop of the island’s breadfruit trees. As punishment for this careless mishap, his father banished him to the nearby and uninhabited island of Lāna‘i.
Lāna‘i was believed to be the home of evil spirits, and was a place no one would willingly go. However, Ka`ululä`au had no choice, so he paddled across the waters in his canoe and arrived on Lāna‘i. Upon arriving, he explored the island, and rid it of such evil spirits. He sent the good word back to Maui, and the island became populated with now-willing residents.
Building an economy on the island, however, proved to be a challenge. By the turn of the 20th century, it was apparent that staples such as cattle and sugarcane weren’t going to succeed on Lāna‘i, and many frustrated residents left Lāna‘i.
Enter James Dole in 1922, who purchased the entire island of Lāna‘i(140 square miles) for $1.1 million, with the intent of turning it into a pineapple plantation. The crop flourished, and Dole started to can the then-exotic island fruit to the mainland. The crops grew, and the plantation expanded operations, ultimately making Lana`i the producer of ¾ of the world’s pineapple at one point.
As the business grew, more and more people arrived on Lāna‘i to work the prospering pineapple fields. In order to accommodate these workers, Dole built a plantation camp in the flatlands. This plantation camp is now known as Lāna‘i City. The island thrived, the city was abuzz and Lāna‘i became known as “The Pineapple Island.”
Things, however, took a turn in the late 1980’s. The pineapple business was no longer the once flourishing profit-maker it had been, and the plantation closed, many workers left for other islands and the town became a sleepy little village once again.
Lāna‘i is now home to just 3,000 residents, and has adopted the now suitable nickname of “The Private Island.”
Mr. David Murdock purchased 98% of the island in 2000, with a vision of reviving the island and training and employing the remaining residents (mainly former plantation workers) in the field of hospitality. In building the two resorts, Mr. Murdock has contributed greatly to the residents of Lāna‘i as well as the elite travelers of the world.
Lāna‘i has now re-emerged, this time as a world-class vacation destination. Four Seasons Resort Lāna‘i at Manele Bay and Four Seasons Resort Lāna‘i, The Lodge at Koele, along with their two championship golf courses are the anchors to limited luxury residential development on this mostly private island.
