Banyan Drive Totally Explained

Everything about Banyan Drive totally explained

Banyan Drive, Hilo, Hawaii, is also known as the "Hilo Walk of Fame." Throughout the years celebrities in all walks of life have planted small banyan sapling to have them grow into the giant memorials that still stand in their honor. These trees have withstood natural disasters such as the several tsunamis that have devastated the town of Hilo, located on the Big Island of Hawaii. The drive circles the Waiakea Peninsula, near the Hilo International Airport, and boasts some of the largest hotels on the Eastern side of the Big Island. In 1933, several park commissioners decided that it would be a good idea to have celebrities plant banyan tree saplings along the peninsula. In 1934, with the arrival of President Franklin Roosevelt in Hilo, it was decided to build a drive through the trees, then only of crushed coral. At the time, the peninsula hosted the Hilo Yacht club and several homes. In late 1933, Cecil B. DeMille was on the island filming "Four Frightened People". Several of the actors along with Mr. and Mrs. DeMille, all planted trees in their own honor. According to records, 8 trees were planted in October of 1933. In addition to the movie stars, one tree was also planted by the famous baseballer, George Herman "Babe" Ruth.
Planting of trees by celebrities continued with an additional 10 trees planted in 1934, 15 in 1935, 6 in 1936, 5 in 1937, 4 in 1938. Two trees were planted in 1941, one in 1952 by Senator Richard Nixon, and two in 1972, one by Pat Nixon to replace the tree planted by her husband and lost in an election year storm and the other to honor her as first lady. In 1991 Polly Mooney replanted a tree lost to a tsunami honoring Civitan International leader Courtney Shropshire. Mrs. Mooney was also honored by being the first woman president of the previously male-dominated Civitan. The tree bears both their names.
Considered one of the natural beauties of Hilo, most of the trees still thrive along Banyan Drive, having grown into a wonderful canopy through which a walking tour is recommended. The trees, which still bear the names of the planters, still honor a wide variety of people. Movie stars, religious leaders, political leaders, famous authors, adventurers and local Hawaiians honored for their achievements.

Movie Stars

Movie stars (and directors) include Cecil B. DeMille and his wife Constance, Mary Boland, William Gargan, Edna Best Marshall wife of Herbert Marshall who also planted a tree, and Leo Carillo.

Adventurers

Adventurers who planted trees include pilots Amelia Earhart, Knefler McGinnis and famed Arctic and Antarctic explorer, Lincoln Ellsworth.

Religious Leaders

Religious leaders were also honored by planting banyans in Hilo. These include then president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Heber Grant, Roman Catholic Bishop Stephen Alencastre, Monshu of the Hongwanji Buddhists Kosho Ohtani, Methodist leader Bishop Gerald Kennedy who planted a tree along the drive but it wasn't a banyan tree, Japanese Christian reformer Toyohiko Kagawa, Y.M.C.A. Training School President Dr. L.L. Doggett, and Dr. Daniel Poling, once pastor of the Marble Collegiate Church.

Politicians

Politicians that planted banyans include Franklin D. Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, Treasurer Henry Morgenthau, War Secretary George Dern, Postmaster James Farley, National Guard Chief George Leach, Hawaii County Chairman Helene Hale, Hawaii County Chairman Samuel M. Spencer, Secretary of the Interior Oscar Chapman, and Hawaii Territorial Governor Oren Long.

Notable Hawaiians

Hawaiians were often honored on Arbor Day, celebrated in Hawaii on the first Friday of November. Residents of the Territory and later State of Hawai'i include Virginio A. Carvalho, Otto Rose, famed vulcanologist Dr. Thomas Jaggar, Hawaiian Princess Abigail Kawananakoa, James McCandless, Dr. Grover Batten, Judge David McHattie Forbes, Dr. Benjamin Bond, son of the famed Hawaiian Missionary, hotelier William Kimi, and hotelier George Lycurgus. Father "Louis" Aloysius Borghouts founded the Father Louis Boys' Home for orphans and ran it for 36 years.

Others Honorees

Other people honored by banyan tree planting include musician Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong, radio celebrity Arthur Godfrey, First Lady Pat Nixon, Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren, Eastern Star's William A. Duvall, Sr., American Legion's Ada Mucklestone and Ray Murphy, author Lewis Browne, Civitan's Courtney Shropshire and Polly Mooney Forestier, Philippine labor and cult leader Hilario Moncado, Boy Scout Executive James West, Cleveland College Sociologist Henry Busch, authors Vicki Baum and Fannie Hurst, China's Premier Sun Fo, author and illustrator Hendrik Willem van Loon, Professor of Chinese culture P.C. Chang and famed cruise director of the RMS Franconia, Ross Hunt Skinner.

Trees Planted in Honor of Others

Some of the banyan trees were planted in honor of other people. This list include King George V in honor of his silver jubilee, Hawaiian Park Ranger Albert MacKenzie by his wife on Arbor Day, Girl Scout founder, Juliette Low, by a local Girl Scout troop. Trees were also planted honoring the new Commonwealth of the Philippines by Rev. Yadao and the Shriners.

Banyan Drive Today

Some of the trees were lost due to tsunamis and tidal wave actions that once devastated the Hilo coast line. Fifty trees still line Banyan Drive, marked with wooden plaques. Several of the banyan trees in the adjoining golf course may have been planted by honorees.

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