Kai Ioh | Oct 2025
Some homes tell stories. This one tells the story of Hawaiʻi itself.
Perched along the rugged coastline of Kailua-Kona is a remarkable property known as the Thurston Estate, or by its older name, Laniākea—“immense heaven.” With roots tracing back over two centuries, this estate is more than just a beautiful place. It’s a rare and tangible link to Hawaiʻi’s missionary era, the political shifts that followed, and the evolving relationship between land, culture, and legacy.
Now listed for $49 million, the estate once again invites us to reflect—not only on what it is, but what it represents.
(courtesy of Aloha Sotheby’s International Realty)
A Homestead with a Mission
The story begins in 1820, when Reverend Asa Thurston and his wife Lucy arrived in Kailua-Kona with the first wave of Christian missionaries from New England. Back then, this part of Hawaiʻi was a fishing village; quiet, unhurried, deeply rooted in tradition.
They were granted a 5.26-acre parcel by Governor Kuakini, where they built a stone-walled homestead and began planting the seeds of what would become Hawaiʻi’s Protestant Missionary movement. They called their home Laniākea, inspired by a nearby cave of the same name, now part of the property’s enduring identity.
The estate quickly became more than a residence. It was a place of worship, education, and transformation—first a thatched hut for prayer, later a larger meeting house, and ultimately the birthplace of Mokuʻaikaua Church, the first Christian church in the Hawaiian Islands, just a short walk from the estate.
Lucy Thurston’s letters describe the home’s practical layout and its early stone enclosures, blending missionary functionality with a deep respect for Hawaiian land and lifestyle. It’s a reminder that the early years were not about grand structures, but about purpose, perseverance, and cultural encounter.
From Missionaries to Political Power
The Thurston family’s influence did not end with Asa and Lucy. Their grandson, Lorrin A. Thurston, would go on to play a controversial and pivotal role in Hawaiʻi’s history—helping to orchestrate the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893 and eventually pushing for the islands’ annexation to the United States. It is ironic that Thurston Estate sits adjacent to Kamakahonu, the Royal Compound of Kamehameha the Great, who unified the Kingdom.
Lorrin was also a publisher and conservationist. Under his stewardship, the estate remained a center of influence.
By the 1970s, transcripts describe community blessings on the family’s care of the land, with Hawaiian elders acknowledging the property’s enduring significance, not just as a private home, but as a piece of living history.
🌊 A Legacy That Endures
Over time, the estate expanded beyond its original footprint. Today it spans over 21 acres, complete with ocean views, landscaped grounds, and one of the only private lagoon in the state of Hawaiʻi. It’s seen ownership by figures like Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, and now Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI—signs of how historic Hawaiian properties have become intertwined with the modern era of wealth and technology.
But while the features have changed—helipad, tennis court, theater, security systems—the soul of the property remains grounded in something deeper. Beneath the manicured lawns and architectural upgrades lies a cultural legacy that shaped the islands as we know them.
More Than a Luxury Estate
There’s no question that the Thurston Estate is one of Hawaiʻi’s most exclusive properties. But it’s also something rarer: a living artifact, bridging Hawaiʻi’s spiritual beginnings, its political upheavals, and its modern reinvention.
As the estate seeks its next chapter—and its next steward—it’s worth pausing to honor the chapters already written here. In a time when luxury homes are often valued for their amenities, Laniākea reminds us of something different: the immeasurable value of place, memory, and story.
Because in the end, the most meaningful homes are the ones that carry the past with them—quietly, powerfully, and with reverence.
🌴 Thinking of Owning a Piece of Kona’s Legacy?
If you’re drawn to more than just ocean views—if you’re seeking history, meaning, and timeless roots in Hawaiʻi—this is a home worth knowing.
Let’s talk about the legacy you want to build here on the Big Island.