Neal Blaisdell
Encyclopedia
Neal Shaw Blaisdell served as Mayor of Honolulu
from 1955 to 1969 as a member of the Hawaii Republican Party
. As chief executive of City and County of Honolulu
, Hawaii
, Blaisdell oversaw one of the largest construction booms in city and county history, working closely with Governor
John A. Burns
.
ancestry.
His father was William Wallace Blaisdell II (who served as fire chief of Honolulu), and mother was Maliaka "Malie" Alaneao Merseberg.
A maternal great-grandfather was John Adams Cummins
.
A paternal great-grandfather John Blaisdell (1812–1889) came from Maine
to the Hawaiian Islands
in 1849.
.
He attended Bucknell University
in Lewisburg
, Pennsylvania
where he was quarterback of the school's football team, graduating in 1927. He received Bucknell's Alumni Award for Meritorious Achievement in 1968. Although Blaisdell also played both basketball and baseball, he was inducted into the Bucknell Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988 under the category of football. He was also a golfer who started his day with push-ups. Blaisdell returned to Honolulu to become a teacher, high school coach and athletic director.
in 1945, and the territorial senate in 1947 and 1949.
In 1950 he ran for Mayor of Honolulu
, but withdrew after suffering from tuberculosis
.
Blaisdell ran against Frank Fasi
and was elected mayor in 1954, taking office in 1955. As mayor, Blaisdell saw the construction of the John H. Wilson Tunnels
through the Koʻolau Range from Kalihi Valley, and erected the Hawaii International Center, a multi-purpose complex with concert hall, convention center, exhibition hall and sports arena. After Blaisdell's death, his successor Fasi renamed the complex in his honor. It is now known as the Neal S. Blaisdell Center
.
From 1965 to 1966, Blaisdell was president of the United States Conference of Mayors
.
for 28 years.
Blaisdell suffered a stroke while doing yard work and died November 6, 1975. He was buried at Oahu Cemetery
.
A park of 25.9 acres (10.5 ha) located on the shore of Pearl Harbor
at 21°23′11"N 157°57′17"W was named for him.
Mayor of Honolulu
The Mayor of Honolulu is the chief executive officer of the City and County of Honolulu and considered the third most powerful official in the U.S. state of Hawaii, behind the Governor of Hawaii and the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii...
from 1955 to 1969 as a member of the Hawaii Republican Party
Hawaii Republican Party
The Hawaii Republican Party is the state affiliate of the Republican Party of the United States. Based in Honolulu, the party is a central organization established for the promotion of the party platform as it is drafted in convention every other year...
. As chief executive of City and County of Honolulu
Honolulu County, Hawaii
The City and County of Honolulu is a consolidated city–county located in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The municipality and county includes both the urban district of Honolulu and the rest of the island of Oahu, as well as several minor outlying islands, including all of the Northwestern Hawaiian...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Blaisdell oversaw one of the largest construction booms in city and county history, working closely with Governor
Governor of Hawaii
The Governor of Hawaii is the chief executive of the state of Hawaii and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 1 through 6. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state...
John A. Burns
John A. Burns
John Anthony Burns served as the second Governor of Hawaii from 1962 to 1974. Born in Fort Assinniboine, Montana, Burns was a resident of Hawaii from 1913....
.
Early life
Blaisdell was born in Honolulu and had European and HawaiianNative Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
ancestry.
His father was William Wallace Blaisdell II (who served as fire chief of Honolulu), and mother was Maliaka "Malie" Alaneao Merseberg.
A maternal great-grandfather was John Adams Cummins
John Adams Cummins
John Adams Kuakini Cummins was a member of the nobility of the Kingdom of Hawaii who became a wealthy businessman, and was involved in politics as the kingdom was overthrown.-Life:John Adams Kuakini Cummins was born March 17, 1835 in Honolulu....
.
A paternal great-grandfather John Blaisdell (1812–1889) came from Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
to the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
in 1849.
Education and athletics
Known as "Rusty", Blaisdell played basketball, football, and baseball at Saint Louis SchoolSaint Louis School
Saint Louis School, located in the town of Kaimuki in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a historic Roman Catholic college preparatory school for boys founded in 1846 to serve the needs of early Hawaiian Catholics in the former Kingdom of Hawaii...
.
He attended Bucknell University
Bucknell University
Bucknell University is a private liberal arts university located alongside the West Branch Susquehanna River in the rolling countryside of Central Pennsylvania in the town of Lewisburg, 30 miles southeast of Williamsport and 60 miles north of Harrisburg. The university consists of the College of...
in Lewisburg
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
Lewisburg is a borough in Union County, Pennsylvania, United States, south by southeast of Williamsport and north of Harrisburg. In the past, it was the commercial center for a fertile grain and general farming region. The population was 5,620 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Union...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
where he was quarterback of the school's football team, graduating in 1927. He received Bucknell's Alumni Award for Meritorious Achievement in 1968. Although Blaisdell also played both basketball and baseball, he was inducted into the Bucknell Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988 under the category of football. He was also a golfer who started his day with push-ups. Blaisdell returned to Honolulu to become a teacher, high school coach and athletic director.
Public service
He was elected as representative of the 4th district to the legislature of the Territory of HawaiiTerritory of Hawaii
The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 7, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when its territory, with the exception of Johnston Atoll, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii.The U.S...
in 1945, and the territorial senate in 1947 and 1949.
In 1950 he ran for Mayor of Honolulu
Mayor of Honolulu
The Mayor of Honolulu is the chief executive officer of the City and County of Honolulu and considered the third most powerful official in the U.S. state of Hawaii, behind the Governor of Hawaii and the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii...
, but withdrew after suffering from tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
.
Blaisdell ran against Frank Fasi
Frank Fasi
Frank Francis Fasi was a United States politician having the distinction as the longest serving Mayor of Honolulu in Honolulu, Hawaii. He also served as a territorial senator and member of the Honolulu City Council...
and was elected mayor in 1954, taking office in 1955. As mayor, Blaisdell saw the construction of the John H. Wilson Tunnels
John H. Wilson Tunnels
The John H. Wilson Tunnels are a pair of highway tunnels passing through the Ko‘olau Range on the island of O‘ahu. The tunnels are located on Likelike Highway , which connects Kāneʻohe with Honolulu, and are 2775 feet long westbound and 2813 feet long eastbound, at .The tunnels are named after...
through the Koʻolau Range from Kalihi Valley, and erected the Hawaii International Center, a multi-purpose complex with concert hall, convention center, exhibition hall and sports arena. After Blaisdell's death, his successor Fasi renamed the complex in his honor. It is now known as the Neal S. Blaisdell Center
Neal S. Blaisdell Center
The Neal S. Blaisdell Center in downtown Honolulu, Honolulu CDP is a community center for the City & County of Honolulu. Constructed in 1964 on the historic Ward Estate and originally called the Hawaii International Center, the center was renamed after Mayor of Honolulu Neal S. Blaisdell...
.
From 1965 to 1966, Blaisdell was president of the United States Conference of Mayors
United States Conference of Mayors
United States Conference of Mayors, sometimes referred to as the United States Council of Mayors, is the official non-partisan organization for cities with populations of 30,000 or more. The cities are each represented by their mayor or other chief elected official...
.
Death and legacy
Blaisdell married Lucy Thurston on October 23, 1926. Daughter Marilyn Blaisdell Ane married another football coach and taught at Punahou SchoolPunahou School
Punahou School, once known as Oahu College, is a private, co-educational, college preparatory school located in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu in the U.S. State of Hawaii...
for 28 years.
Blaisdell suffered a stroke while doing yard work and died November 6, 1975. He was buried at Oahu Cemetery
Oahu Cemetery
The Oahu Cemetery is the resting place of many notable early residents of the Honolulu area. They range from missionaries and politicians to sports pioneers and philosophers. Over time it was expanded to become an area known as the Nuuanu Cemetery....
.
A park of 25.9 acres (10.5 ha) located on the shore of Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
at 21°23′11"N 157°57′17"W was named for him.