Hakalau, Hawaii
Encyclopedia
Hakalau is a small unincorporated community
located along the Hamakua coast
about 15 miles (24.1 km) north of Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii
in the U.S. state
of Hawaii
at 19°53′49"N 155°7′35"W.
The Hakalau Stream flows from the slopes of Mauna Kea
, in the area of 19°48′55"N 155°21′55"W and flows into the Pacific Ocean
.
Hakalau was once a thriving, multiethnic sugar plantation town up until the early 1960s when the plantation originally called Hakalau Plantation Company began to decline. In 1963 it was merged into the Pepeekeo Sugar Company, in 1973 merged into the Mauna Kea Sugar Company, and the mill shut down in 1974.
Small family farms now grow tropical fruits, taro, flowers, coffee, or cattle. Some historic sites remain from the plantation era. The privately owned sugar plantation managers home built in the early 20th century still exists, along with two warehouses built in 1920 and an old theater, operating as the Hakalau post office, postal code 96710. Located just below the ocean cliff where the Hakalau stream meets the bay, the old sugar mill ruins are still visible.
During the 19th century the Hakalau Bay was used to transfer goods and passengers from smaller boats to larger ships. Today, the bay is used mostly by local surfers and fisherman. Hakalau now has a small, day use, state owned park with picnic tables and ocean access for recreational use, located at the bottom of the Hakalau gulch.
The Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
protects 32733 acre (132.5 km²), located on the Mauna Kea slopes above the town.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
located along the Hamakua coast
Hamakua
thumb|right|280px|Districts of [[Hawaii |Hawaii island]]: from northernmost, clockwise; [[Kohala, Hawaii|Kohala]], Hāmākua , [[Hilo, Hawaii|Hilo]], [[Puna, Hawaii|Puna]], [[Kau, Hawaii|Kaū]], [[Kona District, Hawaii|Kona]]...
about 15 miles (24.1 km) north of Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
at 19°53′49"N 155°7′35"W.
The Hakalau Stream flows from the slopes of Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea is a volcano on the island of Hawaii. Standing above sea level, its peak is the highest point in the state of Hawaii. However, much of the mountain is under water; when measured from its oceanic base, Mauna Kea is over tall—significantly taller than Mount Everest...
, in the area of 19°48′55"N 155°21′55"W and flows into the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
Hakalau was once a thriving, multiethnic sugar plantation town up until the early 1960s when the plantation originally called Hakalau Plantation Company began to decline. In 1963 it was merged into the Pepeekeo Sugar Company, in 1973 merged into the Mauna Kea Sugar Company, and the mill shut down in 1974.
Small family farms now grow tropical fruits, taro, flowers, coffee, or cattle. Some historic sites remain from the plantation era. The privately owned sugar plantation managers home built in the early 20th century still exists, along with two warehouses built in 1920 and an old theater, operating as the Hakalau post office, postal code 96710. Located just below the ocean cliff where the Hakalau stream meets the bay, the old sugar mill ruins are still visible.
During the 19th century the Hakalau Bay was used to transfer goods and passengers from smaller boats to larger ships. Today, the bay is used mostly by local surfers and fisherman. Hakalau now has a small, day use, state owned park with picnic tables and ocean access for recreational use, located at the bottom of the Hakalau gulch.
The Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is one of two units, along with the Kona Forest National Wildlife Refuge that is managed as part of the Big Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex...
protects 32733 acre (132.5 km²), located on the Mauna Kea slopes above the town.