Neal Shaw Blaisdell (November 6, 1902 – October 5, 1975) served as Mayor of Honolulu from 1954 to 1968 as a member of the Hawaii Republican Party. As chief executive of Honolulu, Hawaii, Blaisdell oversaw one of the largest construction booms in city and county history, working closely with Governor John A. Burns.
Blaisdell was born in Honolulu and had European and Hawaiian ancestry. He attended Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania where he was quarterback of the school's football team. He was inducted into the Bucknell Athletic Hall of Fame. Blaisdell returned to Honolulu to become a teacher, high school coach and athletic director.
Blaisdell was elected mayor in 1954. As mayor, Blaisdell saw the construction of the Wilson Tunnel, which cuts through a mountainside in Kalihi Valley, and erected the Hawaii International Center, a multi-purpose complex with concert hall, convention center, exhibition hall and sports arena. After Blaisdell's death, his successor Frank 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.
Blaisdell also donated to Punahou School, and currently has a hall named after him.
| Preceded by John H. Wilson |
Mayor of Honolulu 1955 – 1968 |
Succeeded by Frank Fasi |
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   | Political Graveyard: Neal Blaisdell - The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Blais to Blake |
| | Neal Blaisdell on dKosopedia - Neal S. Blaisdell - dKosopedia |
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