Hawaiianology

Spencer Fullerton Weaver (1911-1996) Spencer Fullerton “Spence” Weaver Jr, was born on May 18th 1911, New York, USA. Hawaii restaurateur, visionary, entrepreneur, and pioneer of the Hawaiian hospitality industry. He introduced several developments in the service industry with the limitations of an island and sustainable tourism before there was a term for it. He was the driving force behind Spencecliff Restaurants, a dominant restaurant and entertainment chain in Hawaii from the 1940s to the 1970s. He was known for his pioneering approach to themed dining and immersive guest experiences. Today, the name Spencecliff suggests not just the men, Spence Fullerton Weaver & Clifton Stokes Weaver, but a whole era of Hawaiian popular culture. Taking in dining, entertainment, iconic venues, and a global influence on the very nature of hospitality with a sense of Hawaiian authenticity. This was from all the research Spence would do as he learned from his Father (Spence Fullerton Weaver Sr) an...

"The Crossroads of the Pacific, Affordable Luxuries, and Cosmopolitan Pleasures" In the 1920's, there was a growing demand for air travel with aviation technology finally taking off so to speak. People were wanting to travel by air and it increased inn popularity where there was a need for a larger airport with the necessary facilities to accommodate larger aircraft for both visitors and the military. The construction of John Rogers Field was also part of a broader effort to establish Honolulu as a major hub for trans-Pacific flights. The Territory of Hawaii named it after the World War I aviator “John Rogers” who did the first non-stop flight to Hawaii from California to Hawaii in 1925 and was a recognizable name in Aviation history. The same year the Territory used funds to establish an airport with a single runway and was critical in the war effort during World War 2 where it was designated “Naval Air Station Honolulu” where it was run by the United States Navy branch....

Every soul who arrives on our shores, stepping off the moku lele—the flying ships—at what we now call the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, enters a space steeped in layers of history, a narrative often obscured by the roar of jet engines and the bustle of modern travel. This gateway would be a way to globally connect Hawaii with the rest of the world. It rests upon lands that once had different kinds of life, a different kind of essence. Beyond the concrete and steel, the unseen currents that flow beneath the runways stretches the Keʻehi Lagoon. It was a vibrant wahi pana—a storied place—for Native Hawaiians. It was a rich ecosystem, a productive fishing ground, and a vital resource for sustenance and spiritual connection. The shallow waters and surrounding wetlands were integral to the traditional Hawaiian way of life, a testament to the intimate relationship between our people and the natural world.

In 1936, the Cost of a Ticket to Hawaii from California was $5,500 (2023 currency. $114,840) with weekly passenger service, carried cargo, airmail, with a demand of 1000 people applying to go on the first trip over with only seven being selected. The landing zone would be by Middle Loch where the ships went to retire and it was just off from Pearl City where many would head over to the world famous “Pearl City Tavern” as it was a place to get some great local oriental food, american food, and monkey entertainment. Another point of arrival and take-off was Keehi Lagoon in Kalihi that was utilized by the military. People really had to have a lot of money to go on a flight and it wasn’t simply travel but it was an entire experience package of luxury that not just anyone could go on and was incredible at the time with any trip anywhere being the trip of a lifetime in comparison to these days travel is for travel-sake and made typical instead of exclusive to the rich. In 1940s (The Jet Age)...