Editor’s note: In light of Coco Palms’ recently announced plans to re-open, “Island History” contributor Hank Soboleski decided to profile Grace Guslander, the lovable manager of the once-famous resort. This is Part 1. Part 2 will run a week from today.
When Lyle Guslander bought the Coco Palms Hotel and hired Grace Buscher as manager in 1953, the hotel contained only 24 rooms and employed a staff of four.
But Grace — who would marry Lyle in 1969 — would transform that sleepy, roadside Wailua hotel into the best-known resort in all of Hawai‘i, with 35 acres of property and 393 guest rooms.
The Coco Palms property Grace managed is situated within an area that is one of the oldest inhabited and most sacred places in Hawai‘i.
This area begins where the Wailua River empties into Wailua Bay, and it extends inland up the Wailua River Valley for about two miles on the southern and three miles on the northern side of the river.
Legends tell us that people from Tahiti sailed to Wailua, and returned to Tahiti from Wailua, prior to the 13th century.
Wailua was the home of Kaua‘i’s ali‘i for centuries.
And during the course of time, important heiau were built at Wailua.
Next to Lydgate Park are the ruins of the Hikinaakala heiau, a part of which is Hauola, the Place of Refuge. Those who’d committed offenses could attempt to flee to Hauola to seek safety behind its walls and later be granted freedom to leave unpunished.
The recently uncovered Malae heiau overlooking the Wailua River is Kaua‘i’s largest.
And not far into the valley is the Holoholoku heiau, a place of monthly human sacrifice in ancient times. Further on are the Birthstones, where the kings of Kaua‘i were born, including Kaua‘i’s last king, Kaumuali‘i, born there about 1780. High above the valley near the Opaeka‘a Falls lookout is mysterious Poliahu, where legends say the gods met each month on the night of Kane.
Below, on the Coco Palms property itself, is a lagoon, which Grace promoted as being the Royal Fishponds of Kaua‘i’s rulers.
