There is no doubt Hawaii is a popular destination for visitors all over the world.
According to the state’s own data, there are nearly 10 million visitors to these islands every year.
And our Garden Island accounts for over one million of those visitors alone!
People from all spectrums of life and every background come here to discover the beauty, pleasure and culture that all of us who live here get to enjoy every day.
Throughout history, some visitors were well-known to many, and even made history with their visit. Iconic figures such as Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Jack London are just a few that one may already know of.
But did you know about Buster Crabbe (of serials “Flash Gordon” and “Tarzan” fame), Sun Yat-sen (the father of modern China), or Thomas Edison (inventor of the light bulb)?
Newly released by authors Walter Dudley and Pete Hendricks, “Famous Visitors to Hawaii: Authors, Aviators, Actors, and Others Who Visited Hawaii — Where They Went, What They Did, and How It Changed Their Lives” is an entertaining exploration into this interesting bit of Hawaii history.
George Harrison of The Beatles, Bing Crosby, Gen. George Patton, and many more are chronicled in “Famous Visitors to Hawaii,” and it makes a fun read for visitors and residents alike.
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Ed Justus is the owner of the Talk Story Bookstore in Hanapepe. Yuriko and Ed Justus are residents of Kalaheo. The Talk Story Bookstore is open every day.
