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The area known as Ocean View and Ka'u was once part of Kahuku Ranch's vast pasturelands. The original developer of HOVE was the Crawford Oil Company consisting of Walter and Lillian Crawford and their two sons, Donald and Jack. Lillian Crawford named all of the 156 miles of roads! The few early residents of HOVE were hardy pioneer types, like the Roths, who established the HOVE Evangelical Church on Leilani Circle, which became a meeting place.

These "pioneers" saw the need for a community organization and eventually incorporated as Hawaiian Ocean View Estates Community Association, Inc. in May of 1969. As more and more people moved to the area, businesses began to pop up, such as H. McKee Realty, the former South Point Restaurant, and a small country store operated by Jim Freeman in the Ranchos. In the early 1980's we acquired a service station and a rental building where Ken Arbo started the first Hardware Store. The new Rancho Ace Home Center is across the street in the Town Center which was developed in 1989. The HOVE Road Maintenance Corp. was formed and began an extensive rebuilding program of the roads in HOVE and the surrounding areas.

The town was expanding rapidly and shortly thereafter the Ocean View Development Corporation started the new market which included the Laundromat and Restaurant. Ocean View now has two thriving shopping centers, Pohue Plaza and the Town Center.

With the work and diligence of quite a few people Ocean View was finally awarded its own Postal Zip Code and the growth of the area now has the town in need of a larger Post Office! These past few years have seen people from all over the world moving to Ocean View, loving the views and wide open spaces and wanting to help in the further development of this rural area.

The community now known as Ocean View includes not only HOVE but also Kahuku Country Gardens, Kula Kai View Estates, Kona Gardens, Keone's Ranchos, Kona South Estates and Kona View Estates. There are approximately 1300 homes built at this time with more new faces being seen everyday.

One of the strengths of this area are the people, known for being "rugged individualists", they are also the most artistic, creative, and hard working! We have a beautiful new Fire Station, built totally by volunteers and the Ocean View Community Center, which was also built by volunteers, and has become a meeting place for all ages and interests. TheOcean View-Ka'u Chamber of Commerce, along with the Community Association hold Town Meetings at the Center where residents can all join in discussing the various interests of our town.

As we experience the growing pains of our small community, we are actively petitioning the State and County Government for additional services, as we need them. In the future we hope to see a larger post office, a local well, a bank, a police station, and somewhere along the way our own school system. 

Photo by Genny Gilantes

"Malama Aina Community Cleanup Day"

The Ocean View Youth Group, along with Officer Bill Doar from the Ka`u Police Station picked up litter at the Scenic Outlook just South of Ocean View. This spot is a very popular stopping point for tourists. After Bill started counting the cigarette butts he was picking up, the kids started doing the same and they say that they each picked up at least 200!  Now you can actually see the lava rocks. They did a great job and the community is very grateful!

In January, 2004, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park  purchased the property on the South side of Ocean View on the Mauka side of the road (upslope), previously known as Kahuku Ranch. This purchase has almost doubled the size of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and all of us are excited by the endless possibilities for Ocean View. In the next few years Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is hoping to open the park to restricted tours and camping. The additional business opportunities for our area are boundless! The new area is known as "The Kahuku Extension" of Volcanoes National Park, please watch for development news on the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park website.

They had a lot to keep them busy! Their main concerns at that time were the Telephone and Power service to the community. There were the issues of water, home insurance, property rights, and agricultural land utilization. They wanted to implement plans to improve recreation, education, emergency services and the environment, and of course they were very concerned about the conditions of the roads.

One of their first accomplishments was the "Ocean View Parade of Homes", organized for realtors and interested buyers from throughout the island and the State. Contractors in the area were asked to participate in formulating and funding a booklet that described some of the very beautiful new homes that had been built in Ocean View.

There was a proposal for a Business Directory which would help the community acquaint itself with all the many services available along with the many cottage industries. The original Ocean View Business Directory was published in 1993, there are now well over 100 businesses advertising in the 2005 Directory.  The Ocean View Business Association became the Ocean View Chamber of Commerce in 1996 and is adding new members every month. In 2007 the membership voted to change the name to the Ka`u Chamber of Commerece so we could represent the entire district.

Early Members of the OVBA: Bob Abel, Ken Arbo, Rozy Arno, George Auhoy, Miriam Baker, Brian Baxter, Colleen Bennis, Beverly Byouk, Gene Calvert, Larry Cush, Stew Dawson, Jack Delaney, Walt Fisher, Brad Freeman, Kate Gesell, Michael Gibson, William Goodloe, Shirley Gouveia, James Grady, John Green, Lillian Harper, Rick Howsley, Merle Martin, Randy Newberg, Don Nitsche, Barry Northrop, Dwain Odom, June Rauch, Mike Reichert, John Reynolds, David Robison, Ray Rosenthal, John Rodriguez, Marvin Royce, Dean Schneider, Jim Steenburg, Donna Temple, John Turner, Carl Winge, Jerry Chang, Ron Phillips, Virginia Isbell, Elizabeth Hardy, Jeff Bovee, Lena Perez, Henry George, William H. Graham. Jack Brown, Trudy Mcadam, Eugene Dudoit, Tom Carson, Joan Hughes, Norm Lewis, Jimmy Meigg, Judy Mallis, Mary Anne Maigret, Ann Maxwell, Norman Olesen, Bill Roedersheimer, Kathy Sauer, Greg Santo, Dave Mohler, Lane Ewan, Ric Elhard, and Roger Bason.

We would like to thank all of the local business people who contributed to these articles.