Haleakala Ranch History

Haleakalā Ranch History

The history of Haleakalā Ranch and Maui have long been intertwined. Many of today’s upcountry Maui families are descendants of those who once worked for, or with, the Ranch.

On September 1, 1888, Haleakalā Ranch was incorporated in the Kingdom of Hawai‘i during the reign of King David Kalākaua. Shortly following incorporation, Henry Perrine Baldwin, co-founder of Alexander & Baldwin, became a shareholder and invested substantially in the 33,817-acre Ranch, which included Haleakalā Crater.  H.P. was also elected as the Ranch’s president.

Shortly after, the Ranch hired its first manager, W.F. Pogue, who would be assisted by New Zealander Louis von Tempsky. Within a short time, von Tempsky assumed the management role and the Ranch opened the island’s first dairy, planted 10,000 trees, voluntarily fenced 7,000 acres as forest reserve to protect watersheds, and introduced polo to the Maui community.

As the Ranch moved into the 20th century, Harry Baldwin became the Ranch’s president and his brother Sam succeeded von Tempsky as manager. In 1925 the two consolidated ranch ownership and built it into the enduring community institution it is today.

In 1927 the Baldwin brothers agreed to a land exchange that would allow the Territory of Hawai‘i to acquire Haleakalā Crater from the Ranch to create Haleakalā National Park. Because they understood the special nature of Haleakalā, the family strongly supported its designation as a national park.

After Sam passed away in 1950, Harry’s son-in-law, J. Walter Cameron, assumed ranch management. Eighteen years later Sam’s son, Manduke, became the president. Manduke Baldwin was known for his prowess as a cattleman, having grown up on a horse riding alongside Ranch cowboys.

During the 1970s, the Ranch suffered from extended drought conditions and a tragic loss of cattle. Manduke retired in 1976 and was succeeded by his son, Peter D. Baldwin who would preside over the Ranch for nearly 25 years.

Under Peter’s watch, with strong family support from his cousin Colin C. Cameron, the Ranch conveyed a conservation easement of 5,230 acres of pristine rainforest to the Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i in 1983. Since then, the partnership has successfully preserved a rare habitat for many endangered native insect, plant and animal species. In 1991 the Ranch helped to establish the pioneering East Maui Watershed Partnership to protect Maui’s main source of water. The Ranch also became a partner in the Maui Research & Technology Park in Kīhei.

When Peter retired in 2000, the Ranch hired Willard “Buzz” Stluka, its first president from outside the Baldwin family. During his six-year tenure the Ranch became a member of Maui Cattle Co. and joined the Leeward Watershed Partnership to help protect 43,000 acres of land from Makawao to Kaupō.

In 2006 another non-family professional, Don Young, was selected as president. In the years since, the Ranch has perpetuated its deep commitment to ranching while expanding its conservation work through a robust web of public and private partnerships. The Ranch has added new ventures including agreements with tourism companies like Skyline Eco Adventures, leases to agricultural businesses, and commercial real estate investments to help subsidize land stewardship programs.

The Ranch’s latest conservation work includes battling invasive species such as Axis deer, gorse and Madagascan fireweed, restoring native koa trees and protecting Nēnē habitat on Ranch lands. The Ranch is also helping to restore the Pu’u Pahu Reserve’s 1,200-acre alpine shrub ecosystem as a buffer zone for Haleakala National Park.

In 2013 the Ranch celebrated its 125th Anniversary. Today Haleakalā Ranch remains a family-owned business still guided by the values of Harry and Sam Baldwin.

The full history of Haleakalā Ranch is detailed in John Harrisson’s book Haleakalā Ranch: Celebrating the 125th Anniversary (link to Amazon)

HALEAKALĀ RANCH TIMELINE

  1. 1888Haleakalā Ranch is incorporated in the Kingdom of Hawaii during the reign of King David Kalakaua
  2. 1890Henry Perrine (HP) Baldwin invests substantially in the Ranch; expanded land holdings of 33,817 acres include Haleakalā Crater; elected Ranch president and hires W.F. Pogue as first Ranch manager
  3. 1896Haleakalā Ranch opens the first dairy on Maui
  4. 1898New Zealand-born Louis von Tempsky succeeds Pogue as Ranch manager
  5. 1900Louis von Tempsky introduces polo to Maui
  6. 190510,000 trees planted including Eucalyptus, Monterey cypress and more
  7. 1906Haleakalā Ranch voluntarily fences 7,000 acres at Waikamoi as forest reserve to preserve rainfall patterns and protect watersheds
  8. 1909Ralph Hosmer and Haleakalā Ranch initiate experimental timber tree plantings that can still be seen in Hosmer’s Grove today
  9. 1911Harry A. Baldwin is named Ranch president
  10. 1916Samuel A. Baldwin, Harry’s brother succeeds von Tempsky upon his retirement
  11. 1924Haleakalā Ranch begins growing pineapple for California Packing Company
  12. 1925Ranch ownership is consolidated to brothers Harry and Sam Baldwin
  13. 1927Haleakalā Ranch deeds Haleakalā Crater to the Territory of Hawai‘i in exchange for land in Kama‘ole and Kīhei to enable establishment of the national park
  14. 1929Pineapple operations are spun off to Maui Pineapple Co.; experimental cashew and pecan trees planted
  15. 1934Manduke Baldwin (Sam Baldwin’s son) named Ranch manager
  16. 1946Sam Baldwin named Ranch president following the death of his brother Harry
  17. 1950Sam passes away and J. Walter Cameron is named Ranch president
  18. 1965Ranch and dairy operations separate; the Ranch donates land in Kēōkea for a park to honor Chinese revolutionary Dr. Sun Yat-Sen
  19. 1968Manduke Baldwin becomes Ranch president
  20. 1970Ranch suffers loss of cattle due to extended drought conditions
  21. 1976Peter D. Baldwin succeeds his father Manduke as Ranch president
  22. 1980The Ranch places 5,000 acres of native forest watershed in Waikamoi into perpetual conservation easement to be managed by The Nature Conservancy; Haleakalā Ranch becomes a partner in the Maui Research & Technology Park in Kihei
  23. 1988Haleakalā Ranch celebrates its centennial anniversary
  24. 1989Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Park in Kēōkea is dedicated to commemorate the Chinese revolutionary with Maui ties
  25. 1991Haleakalā Ranch joins East Maui Watershed Partnership to protect 100,000 acres of forest habitat and Hawai‘i’s largest single source of water
  26. 2000Peter Baldwin retires as Ranch president and is succeeded by Willard “Buzz” Stluka, the company’s first president from outside of the Baldwin family
  27. 2002Haleakalā Ranch becomes a member of Maui Cattle Company; Skyline-Eco Adventures opens the nation’s first zipline tour on Ranch land
  28. 2003The Ranch joins Leeward Watershed Partnership to help protect 43,000 acres of land from Makawao through Ulupalakua to Kaupō
  29. 2006Don Young succeeds “Buzz” Stluka as Ranch president; a multi-species grazing program is implemented to promote healthy, diverse forage and to manage invasive plant species and conservation efforts are expanded
  30. 2011The Ranch set aside 5 acres of land out in Waiopa‘i to establish a Nēnē refuge, which is managed by the Hawai‘i Department of Forestry and Wildlife.
  31. 2013Haleakalā Ranch celebrates its 125th Anniversary by planting native plants in a Commemorative Grove
  32. 2015The Ranch completed a fence project, Pahu Reserve, which protects approximately 1,200 acres of native sub-alpine shrublands from 6,000’ to 8,000’ elevation