Auction of Maui Pineapple Cannery marks the end of an era

Hawaiian pineapple first came on the scene in the late 19th century with the development of a "smooth cayenne" variety by Captain John Kidwell. However, the big boost in the industry's popularity came from a young Harvard graduate named James Dole, whose cousin Sanford Dole was at the time territorial governor. James Dole started a small canning operation at his Wahiawa Plantation in 1903, which was relocated to the larger Iwilei Cannery in 1907, currently the site of the Dole Cannery commercial complex on Oahu.

By 1921, pineapple canning was a booming business in Hawaii with pineapple the largest agricultural crop, and pineapple canning Hawaii's largest industry. By 1950, there were eight pineapple canning facilities in the Hawaiian Islands, employing over 3,000 full-time workers, and representing 80% of the world's pineapple production. Over the next ten years, the workforce doubled, adding seasonal workers as well as high school students for peak harvesting and cannery operations.