Kona Coffee is a cultural tradition that's been carried on since Samuel Ruggles first brought arabica coffee to Kona in 1828. This plant was amazingly adaptable to all situations in the Kona area. Even in the beginning Americans and Europeans realized what a wonderful marriage took place between Arabica coffee and Kona's calm, unique climate and rich volcanic soil. Mark Twain was so impressed with this marriage, that in his book Letters From Hawaii he stated " I think kona coffee has a richer flavour than any other." As early as 1842 there was a duty tax imposed on all foreign coffee brought into the Kingdom of Hawaii. This protective measure wasn't enough because the crop was still devastated by the white scale blight in the 1850's. This pest would eventually be brought under control with the introduction of the Australian beetle. Still, Hawaiians forged ahead with the first coffee mill in Napoopoo in 1850
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