Kamehameha III's Birthplace
A monument near the bay marks the royal history of the area
|Location||Kona District, Hawaii|
|Area||0.4 acres (0.16 ha)|
|NRHP Reference #||78001018|
|Added to NRHP||July 24, 1978|
Kamehameha III's Birthplace
A small enclosure is maintained by the Daughters of Hawaii to mark the site of the birth of King Kamehameha III in 1814, the second son of Kamehameha I and Keopuolani. The early part of his reign he was under a regency by Queen Kaahumanu. He was the longest reigning monarch in the Kingdom of Hawaii, until his death December 15, 1854. The site includes the Kauikeaouli stone (his birth name), added to the Hawaii register of historic places as site 10-37-4383 on January 13, 1978. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 24, 1978 as site 78001018.
It is said Kauikeaouli was stillborn, but put on the stone by a visiting Kahuna where he was revived with a sacred chant. The Daughters of Hawaiʻi held a ceremony marking the hundredth anniversary by placing a plaque with Queen Liliʻuokalani in attendance. They acquired the small parcel including the foundation of the house in 1925.
Other historic sites
To the north of this area is the Kahaluʻu Bay Historic District, and uphill (mauka) is the Keauhou Holua Slide built under Kamehameha I. The Holua originally extended into Heʻeia Cove just north of the main bay. To the south is the birth site of the Battle at Kuamoʻo, fought in 1819.
The Keauhou Resort includes the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay, the 22.9-acre (93,000 m2) Keauhou Shopping Center, two golf courses, timeshare, residential and resort condominiums and single-family residences. The largest convention center in Kona is located at the Sheraton, just South of the bay. The 2,400 acres (9.7 km2) of the resort are owned by a subsidiary of Kamehameha Schools which sponsors cultural events at the facilities.
There is a small boat ramp, used for some trips to Kealakekua Bay, and the Keauhou Canoe Club for canoe races. Above the bay the Kona Country Club golf course, built in 1966, was designed by William Bell. Another route south to the town of Kealakekua is the Alii bypass road, a bizarre monument to a conflict between property developers and the County.
- National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
- Hawaiian Dictionary
- Hawaii County Historic Places on state official web site
- John R. K. Clark, Hawaiʻi Place Names: Shores, Beaches, and Surf Sites, published by University of Hawaii Press, 2002, ISBN 978-0-8248-2451-8
- Gary T. Cummins (1973). "Kamehameha III's Birthplace: Kauikeaouli Stone nomination form" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places. U.S. National Park Service. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
- "Kamehameha buys Keauhou hotel" in Honolulu Star Bulletin, April 4, 2006
- Sheraton Keauhou Official web site
- "Kamehameha Schools Announces Keauhou Master Plan" on Kamehameha Schools web site
- Keauhou Canoe Club official web site
- Kona Country Club official web site