Kapapala Ranch

In 1848, yielding to pressure of Western ways, the lands of Hawaiʻi were divided in the Great Mahele. The ahupuaʻa of Kapāpala officially became the property of Kamehameha III and after his death in 1854 was passed to his heir, Kamehameha IV. In 1860 it was leased to W.H. Reed and C. Richardson for 17 years. 

Cattle had arrived in 1793 with Captain Vancouver and left to multiply. When Reed and Richardson acquired Kapāpala there were a reported 20,000 cattle on the island with only 8,000 considered domestic. A market for butter, cream, meat and hides was thriving in Hilo and Honolulu.

 In 1883, Julian Monsarrat became manager of the ranch for the Hawaiian Agricultural Company who had Kapapala for the next 99 years.

Kapāpala Ranch