Parker Ranch is a working cattle ranch on the Island of Hawaii

Hawaii (island)

The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...

 in the state of 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...

, now run by a charitable trust

Charitable trust

A charitable trust is an irrevocable trust established for charitable purposes, and is a more specific term than "charitable organization".-United States:...

.

History

The ranch was founded in 1847 and is one of the oldest ranches in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, pre-dating many mainland ranches in Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

 and other southwestern states by more than 30 years. Spreading across approximately 135000 acres (54,632.6 ha) of the island, Parker Ranch is also among the nation’s largest cattle ranches.

A cowboy

Cowboy

A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...

 on the ranch is called a paniolo (Hawaiian language

Hawaiian language

The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...

 pronunciation of ), since the first cowboys were Spanish-speaking and came from California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. The Hawaiian language does not have the "s" sound.

During World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, part of the ranch was used as a United States Marine Corps

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

 training base called Camp Tarawa

Camp Tarawa

Camp Tarawa was a training camp located on the big island of Hawaii constructed and used by the 2nd Marine Division during World War II. The grounds of the camp were situated between the volcanic peaks of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. Marines were sent straight from the bloodly Battle of Tarawa to the...

. The Fifth Marine Division conducted training maneuvers there in preparation for the assault of Iwo Jima

Iwo Jima

Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...

.

The founder of the Ranch was John Palmer Parker

John Palmer Parker

John Palmer Parker was the founder of the Parker Ranch on the island of Hawaii in Hawaii.-Life:John Palmer Parker was born May 1, 1790 in Newton, Massachusetts. His father was Samuel Parker and mother was Ann Palmer Parker ....

 who assisted Kamehameha I

Kamehameha I

Kamehameha I , also known as Kamehameha the Great, conquered the Hawaiian Islands and formally established the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810. By developing alliances with the major Pacific colonial powers, Kamehameha preserved Hawaii's independence under his rule...

 in ridding the island of feral bulls and was granted land on which he established the ranch. From 1899 to 1937 it was managed by Alfred Wellington Carter

Alfred Wellington Carter

Alfred Wellington Carter was a lawyer and judge in the Republic of Hawaii and the Territory of Hawaii who managed the Parker Ranch.-Life:...

 (1867–1949).
The last owner of the ranch, the actor Richard Smart

Richard Smart (actor)

Richard Palmer Kaleioku Smart was a musical theatre actor and singer who became owner of the largest private ranch in Hawaii.-Early life:...

, died in 1992, after which the Ranch was governed by the Parker Ranch Foundation Trust.

Two of the ranch's historic homes, Puuopelu and Mana Hale, are open for tours. A visitors center is located at the Parker Ranch shopping center, 67-1435 Mamalahoa Highway.

The ranch headquarters and a racetrack are located off the Hawaii Belt Road at coordinates 20°0′34"N 155°40′17"W.