Uncertainty over the future of one of O'ahu's most historically and culturally significant spots has been resolved with the sale of Moanalua Gardens by the Estate of Samuel Mills Damon to an heir who intends to keep it open to the public.

John Philip "JP" Damon, a great-grandson to the namesake of the $900 million estate, bought the 22-acre, one-time home of Prince Lot, who became Kamehameha V, for $5.05 million. Damon, 45, took title to the property Friday.

One of Hawai'i's earliest public parks, it hosts the annual Prince Lot Hula Festival, the largest noncompetitive hula festival. It also is home to the so-called "Hitachi tree," one of two exceptional monkeypod trees on the property that are on the National Historic Register. The tree's nickname comes from its use in television commercials by Japan's Hitachi Corp., making it a popular photo stop for Japanese visitors here.

The historic site has been operated by the Damon Trust for public use since 1924, but the impending dissolution of the trust has had many worried that it could fall into the hands of an entity that would be insensitive to its role as a place for public respite, disrespectful of its past, or both.

The new owner does not intend to make any such changes , said Jim Wright, his attorney.

"Under the will, the trustees kept it open to the public and the trust paid the expense," he said, noting that the gardens cost about $600,000 annually to maintain.

"The buyer has retained all of the (five to 10) employees and is working on a plan with corporate sponsorship to continue to operate the park and keep the facility open to the public as it has been."

Wright said details of the plan will be provided this month.

PAUAHI GIFT

The property, as was the entire Moanalua Valley, was willed by Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop when she died in 1884 to Samuel Mills Damon, her husband's business partner and a close friend of the couple.

Damon, a banker and the son of missionaries, died in 1924. His will stipulated that the trustees of his estate make the gardens available during the existence of the trust. The estate ended in November 2004 at the death of his last grandchild and is in the process of being dissolved.

JP Damon, in a prepared statement, said: "The (g)ardens have always been a part of my life. I am honored to be taking on this responsibility to the community."

Among the parties that had been interested in purchasing the property was the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs, which has been buying parcels with historic, cultural and natural value across the state in recent years from O'ahu's Waimea Valley to the Wao Kele o Puna Rainforest on the Big Island.

STENDER DISAPPOINTED

Yesterday, trustee Oswald Stender said he was disappointed that OHA was not successful in its Moanalua bid.

"(JP Damon's) mission is preservation, which is what we want to do," Stender said. "After he's gone, then what happens?"

If OHA was able to purchase the property, either the agency or a Native Hawaiian entity would be responsible for using its resources to keep the facility open to the public in perpetuity, he said.

Stender said he hopes the new owner will be able to do the same, as well as continue hosting the Prince Lot Hula Festival.

"It is the buyer's hope and expectation that there will be a face-to-face discussion with trustee Stender and others at OHA who share his interest," Wright said.

Tim Johns, Damon's chief operating officer, said price was the biggest factor in the decision to sell it to JP Damon. "The trustees have the obligation to get the best value they can for the beneficiaries," he said.

But trustees and family members also are concerned about the future of the gardens. And while the purchaser is under no obligation to keep it public, "they're hopeful that the new owner will respect the legacy (of the site)," he said.

SEVERAL ATTRACTIONS

Other attractions at the gardens include a taro patch and koi pond, as well as historically significant buildings, including Lot's former summer cottage. Later, Samuel Mills Damon imported an entertainment hall from China, now known as the Chinese Hall, as well as a Japanese teahouse and garden.

JP Damon said he also is considering restoring the summer cottage and the Chinese Hall.

"This property has been part of the Damon family for nearly 123 years," he said. "I hope my children will also choose in time to take on this responsibility."

The Moanalua Gardens Foundation runs the Prince Lot Hula Festival, conducts tours of Moanalua Valley and maintains an office at the gardens.

Foundation president Alex Alika Jamile said in a statement that he was pleased with the sale.

"This continues the legacy established by Samuel Mills Damon to preserve a very special place ... one that has historical and cultural meaning," Jamile said. "We look forward to working in partnership with the new owner and to continue MGF's environmental education and cultural programs."

OTHER LAND FOR SALE

The estate also has been in the process of selling 3,714 acres in the back of Moanalua Valley. Johns said yesterday that the Trust for Public Lands and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources are under contract to purchase the valley and he expects that deal to close in the next four months.

Kamana Nui and Kamana Iki valleys are known collectively as Moanalua Valley. The area is considered a sanctuary for endangered and rare birds and plants. In the 1600s, the area was designated by O'ahu's King Kakuhihewa as the center of hula and chanting.

It is believed that Kamehameha the Great rested in Moanalua following the major battles of Nu'uanu and Kahauiki during his conquest of O'ahu.

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.