The Robin Masters Estate (Pahonu)

[Rembrandt's Girl]

Here's a glimpse into the life of Eve's mother, as well as a mention of their "country place" so I'm going to post this under the Pahonu thread as well as the Eve Anderson thread.

Eve's mother attended Lasell College (http://www.lasell.edu) just outside Boston, which at that time was an all girls school, and she started there at age 15. Upon graduation the excerpt below was printed in the school newspaper dated June 1932. Note that this is a year before the completion of Pahonu, so this leaves questions. Does this mean there was another house on their property while Pahonu was being built...or maybe their country home was somewhere else?...

"Best aloha," closes Eva Grossman's, ('27-
'29, '30-'31), recent report of herself to Mrs.
McDonald. "What am I doing? I can hear
you asking that question. Well, to be really
definite I truly couldn't say. As usual I am a
lady of leisure—attending meetings, parties,
etc. I am now in the throes of moving over to
our country place where we will spend the rest
of the summer as well as a few months before
it. I have been asked to join the Junior League
here in Honolulu, so for the past weeks have
attended lectures as every provisional member
is wont to do. Our exam comes shortly so
then I shall become, an actual active member.
This summer am giving two hours a week
for social service work which should prove
intensely interesting. This, of course, counts
for hours for the League Member. Have
just taken up kindergarten work, nutrition,
etc., which all have been extremely interesting
work." Busy and happy seems to sum up
the informal note of this far away "old girl."

More information on Eve's mother at Lasell is in the Eve Anderson thread.

[Rembrandt's Girl]

"I think the Pahonu fans will find this quite fascinating." That’s Higgins speaking, so this is an understatement.....are you sitting down? Today I found two maps of Pahonu with historical information we’ve never seen before.

According to the title of the image below, this map is dated 1949. From this we can see neighboring parcels as well as some faint parcel division lines on Pahonu’s parcel that look perhaps erased. In other words, Pahonu looks like it was a compilation of smaller parcels. This is further evidenced by the second map down below. We can also see the high water line and the estate’s grass edge line are both much further out than present day. The pier is shown as well.



This survey map of Waimanalo from 1916 shows what looks like multiple houses or parcels on Pahonu's parcel behind the turtle enclosure, probably confirming the assumption above. A very interesting side note: the surveyor, Walter E. Wall, is Ormond Wall’s (Eve’s step-grandfather’s) brother! (Thank you Kenji for confirming that!)

[KENJI]

Another great find RG!
It took the Shriners 18 yrs to buy and trade the 10 parcels of land that the Beach Club stands on today(1.25 acres). Pahonu could've consisted of possibly 6 parcels (maybe more) itself. I wonder if Pahonu was 3 acres and totally complete in 1933 or did it follow in the Shriner's footsteps and was slowly added to over a few more years. The same goes for the additional buildings that are spread out on the property i.e. the boathouse and gatehouse. Maybe the boathouse was built a few years later, lets say 1935 after buying that plot of land and then the gatehouse was built a year later when the plot was purchased. All guesses, but it did happen next door. I can`t stop looking at those maps. It`s great to see the pier location that we have also seen on HFO.

[Pahonu]

"I think the Pahonu fans will find this quite fascinating." That’s Higgins speaking, so this is an understatement.....are you sitting down? Today I found two maps of Pahonu with historical information we’ve never seen before.

According to the title of the image below, this map is dated 1949. From this we can see neighboring parcels as well as some faint parcel division lines on Pahonu’s parcel that look perhaps erased. In other words, Pahonu looks like it was a compilation of smaller parcels. This is further evidenced by the second map down below. We can also see the high water line and the estate’s grass edge line are both much further out than present day. The pier is shown as well.



This survey map of Waimanalo from 1916 shows what looks like multiple houses or parcels on Pahonu's parcel behind the turtle enclosure, probably confirming the assumption above. A very interesting side note: the surveyor, Walter E. Wall, is Ormond Wall’s (Eve’s step-grandfather’s) brother! (Thank you Kenji for confirming that!)

Fantastic RG!

[Rembrandt's Girl]

Today I found the approved Land Application Map for Pahonu in the name of Julia Grossman Wall, Eve's grandmother, which was approved on July 25, 1932! Interesting that it's in Julia's name and not one of her husbands', but perhaps she was willed the land from her first husband, Moses Grossman. Another possibility...Julia's father was a prominent and wealthy businessman in the railroad supplies industry in Chicago, so she could have been financially well-off because of this.

The Nohokula Grant parcel (where the boathouse is located) and the R.P. (Royal Patent) Pahanua parcel (approximately where the main house is located) appear to have both been land grants to individuals, "Nohokula" and "Pahanua". (https://www.waihona.com/previewDoc.asp? ... ocId=64386). I found a date for Pahanua's grant, which was September 1851.

To view this map clearly to see more great information, you can download the pdf by going to http://ags.hawaii.gov/survey/map-search/, then in the top box "Land Court Application No." type in 997.

[KENJI]

Incredible find RG!!!
I found this 1930 article which fits perfect with the dates of your find. It mentions the following words Pahonu, Pahanua, Territory Of Hawaii, 7618 Nohokula, Waimanalo, and Kalanianole AND it mentions dollar amounts. The problem.....the article is in Hawaiian!!!!! Any interpreters out there? We might have the purchase of Pahonu here or more supporting evidence for RG's find, maybe the dollar amounts pertain to the easement work.
http://www.papakilodatabase.com/pdnupep ... txNU------#

[Pahonu]

Today I found the approved Land Application Map for Pahonu in the name of Julia Grossman Wall, Eve's grandmother, which was approved on July 25, 1932! Interesting that it's in Julia's name and not one of her husbands', but perhaps she was willed the land from her first husband, Moses Grossman. Another possibility...Julia's father was a prominent and wealthy businessman in the railroad supplies industry in Chicago, so she could have been financially well-off because of this.

The Nohokula Grant parcel (where the boathouse is located) and the R.P. (Royal Patent) Pahanua parcel (approximately where the main house is located) appear to have both been land grants to individuals, "Nohokula" and "Pahanua". (https://www.waihona.com/previewDoc.asp? ... ocId=64386). I found a date for Pahanua's grant, which was September 1851.

To view this map clearly to see more great information, you can download the pdf by going to http://ags.hawaii.gov/survey/map-search/, then in the top box "Land Court Application No." type in 997.

Damn, I wish I had access to this map when I started my SketchUp model. I just measured the two against each other. I was working from an aerial photograph of the property when I started and it was hard to see the property lines because of all the foliage. I didn't do to bad estimating the depth of the property. I was only off by about 10 feet out of 390 on the east side and a just slightly more on the west. Some how, though, I'm off by 50 feet on the width of the property! The three buildings are all placed correctly relative to the walls they are near, there just needs to be about 50 more feet of lawn between them. It would be an immense amount of work to fix this. Oh well!

[KENJI]

You've done a great job Pahonu!!!

I just found two more articles relating to Pahonu.....again it's in Hawaiian!
http://www.papakilodatabase.com/pdnupep ... txNU------

Also....http://www.papakilodatabase.com/pdnupep ... txNU------#

[Rembrandt's Girl]

Incredible find RG!!!
I found this 1930 article which fits perfect with the dates of your find. It mentions the following words Pahonu, Pahanua, Territory Of Hawaii, 7618 Nohokula, Waimanalo, and Kalanianole AND it mentions dollar amounts. The problem.....the article is in Hawaiian!!!!! Any interpreters out there? We might have the purchase of Pahonu here or more supporting evidence for RG's find, maybe the dollar amounts pertain to the easement work.
http://www.papakilodatabase.com/pdnupep ... txNU------#

I have a Hawaiian language dictionary and I think I've made out the general idea of the headline(s)...the large letters say "On A Will" and the second headline says something like "To Spread Kingdom Land". Seeing how long that took and the length of the article, I don't know if I really want to tackle the rest of it!

[red308]

Very interesting stuff.

[ConchRepublican]

Great finds RG!!

[Rembrandt's Girl]

Thanks so much red308 & Conch! It's sure a lot of fun finding this stuff. Say Conch, I was thinking about you last night...I bet Flemingo Key was hoppin'!

[ConchRepublican]

Thanks so much red308 & Conch! It's sure a lot of fun finding this stuff. Say Conch, I was thinking about you last night...I bet Flemingo Key was hoppin'!

Unfortunately Flemingo Key has been quiet since Memorial Day. We had the bright idea to renovate our kitchen and bathroom at the same time (we own a two family and the upstairs was vacant so the time was right!) . . . now almost 11 weeks into a 4 to 5 week project . . . yeah. We aren't happy campers. We had a Memorial Day respite but access has been limited, we didn't think it wise forthe workers to have access to a tiki bar during the day.

We're looking at finally being done with final touches this weekend so Flemingo Key should be raring to go by the following weekend. It's been a VERY slow start to the summer season . . .

[Duke]

FYI: I spoke to the listing agent about a purchase. She said the main house needed to be, "completely gutted," and that it was "un-salvageable." She guessed about a million to renovate. She said that the sea wall was stable, but that the boat house was collapsed. The beach entrance steps were still functional, but in need of regular maintenance (sweeping back the sand). She refused to provide me with any photos of the property, claiming that it was in such a state of disrepair, that she would only show it in person. She did not want the photos, "out there," to turn away potential buyers without her being able to speak to the buyers, herself. She did give me three documents I have yet to see on this forum. If someone can clue me in to how to attach .pdf files to a reply, I will upload them.
Thanks, Duke

[308GUY]

Welcome Duke.

Anxious to hear more about and of any new exchanges with the agent.

What you've posted so far makes it sound like the main house could be used as the shell for a new dwelling, unless I'm reading it wrong.

Also sounds like the boathouse is toast.

Good to hear about the sea wall, that was one of the main things I've been wondering about. If that's not in good enough shape, then the entire property could be in jeopardy. Just the fact that the beach entrance steps are still "functional" I'd take as a huge plus.

Please keep us posted with any new info you get.

Can't tell you in detail how to attache your pdf. files, but you can read how to on the FAQ page (upper right hand corner of this and just about every other forum page) in the "How Do I...." section. I'm sure there will be somebody else along directly that's a little more computer savvy than myself, that can tell you step by step, how to go about posting pdf. or any other type files in your posts. Here's an excerpt from the FAQ page on posting images, but a quick perusal of the page didn't produce any results specifically addressing ".pdf" files, that I saw.

» Can I post images?
Yes, images can be shown in your posts. If the administrator has allowed attachments, you may be able to upload the image to the board. Otherwise, you must link to an image stored on a publicly accessible web server, e.g. http://www.example.com/my-picture.gif. You cannot link to pictures stored on your own PC (unless it is a publicly accessible server) nor images stored behind authentication mechanisms, e.g. hotmail or yahoo mailboxes, password protected sites, etc. To display the image use the BBCode [img] tag.

Again, I will point out that I'm not up on all the in's and outs of posting and/or adding attachments, but there are a number of members who are, hopefully, one of them will chime in and point you in the right direction.

Again, welcome aboard!