Neal Blaisdell
| Neal Shaw Blaisdell | |
|---|---|
| File:Neal Blaisdell.jpg | |
| 8th Mayor of Honolulu | |
| In office 1955–1969 |
|
| Preceded by | John H. Wilson |
| Succeeded by | Frank Fasi |
| Member Hawaii Territorial Senate | |
| In office 1946–1950 |
|
| Member Hawaii Territorial House of Representatives | |
| In office 1944–1946 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | November 6, 1902 Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Resting place | Oahu Cemetery |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Lucy Thurston |
| Residence | Hawaii |
| Alma mater | University of Hawaii Bucknell University |
| Profession | Teacher |
| Religion | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) |
Neal Shaw Blaisdell (November 6, 1902 – November 5, 1975) 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.
Contents
Early life
Blaisdell was born in Honolulu and had European and Hawaiian ancestry. His father was William Wallace Blaisdell II (who served as fire chief of Honolulu[1]), and mother was Maliaka "Malie" Alaneao Merseberg.[2] A maternal great-grandfather was John Adams Cummins.[3] A paternal great-grandfather John Blaisdell (1812–1889) came from Maine to the Hawaiian Islands in 1849.[4]
Education and athletics
Known as "Rusty", Blaisdell played basketball, football, and baseball at Saint Louis School.[5] 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.[6] He was also a golfer who started his day with push ups.[5] Blaisdell returned to Honolulu to become a teacher, high school coach and athletic director.[7]
Public service
He was elected as representative of the 4th district to the legislature of the Territory of Hawaii in 1945, and the territorial senate in 1947 and 1949.[8] In 1950 he ran for Mayor of Honolulu, but withdrew after suffering from tuberculosis.[5]
Blaisdell ran against Frank Fasi and was elected mayor in 1954, taking office in 1955.[9][10] 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.[11] 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.[12]
Death and legacy
Blaisdell married Lucy Thurston on October 23, 1926. Daughter Velma Blaisdell Clark married James Kalaeone Clark Jim Clark (American football) and was a teacher for the Hawai`i State Department of Education. Daughter Marilyn Blaisdell Ane married another football coach and taught at Punahou School for 28 years.[13] Blaisdell suffered a stroke while doing yard work and died November 6, 1975.[5] He was buried at Oahu Cemetery.[10]
A park of 25.9 acres (10.5 ha) located on the shore of Pearl Harbor at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. was named for him.[14][15]
References
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- ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Blaisdell Park
External links
| Preceded by | Mayor of Honolulu 1955 – 1968 |
Succeeded by Frank Fasi |
