Pahala, Hawai'i
Encyclopedia
Pahala is a census-designated place
(CDP) in Hawaii County, Hawaii
, United States. The population was 1,378 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), all of it land.
plantation
. The area selected to house the sugar refinery
had several key features:
In Hawaiian
, Pāhala refers to the ashes of leaves from the hala tree (Pandanus tectorius
). Long ago, when cracks were found in the sugarcane fields, workers would stuff them with hala leaves and burn them.
For years, Pahala consisted of a managers house, several plantation homes, a general store and the sugar refinery. Many of the sugarcane workers were housed in small camps in and around Pahala and in camps situated throughout the outer lying sugarcane fields. Many of these camps were self sufficient. They consisted of 8 to 12 plantation dwellings with a small store. Some camps had specialty shops such as a blacksmith
or a simple barbershop. As time passed some installed gas stations.
In 1881, the first public school in the district of Kau was established in Kapapala. The humble campus consisted of just two buildings. Some years later the school and its two buildings were relocated to Pahala and called Pahala High and Elementary School. In 1959, as Hawaii Territory
became the State of Hawaii, the last class of the Pahala High School held commencement ceremonies. The school then became Kau High and Pahala Elementary School. Kau High and Pahala Elementary School is the second oldest public school in the state of Hawaii, behind Lahainaluna School in Lahaina. Still in use today at Kau High is Kapono Building, the oldest public school building west of the Rocky Mountains
. The only other public school in the district of Kau is Naalehu Elementary and Intermediate School. Naalehu once had a high school. Today, students attend grades Kindergarten through 7th grade at in Naalehu.
As time progressed, Pahala became the focal town of the northeastern side of the district of Kau; Naalehu became the other focal town to the south of the district. Businesses from outer camps migrated to Pahala to set up shop. With social and economic changes came the demands for convenience. Soon, more stores opened up. A bank and gas stations were built. For leisure, a town hall or "Club House" was built and used by the plantation and the community to hold meetings and parties. In the early 1940s Pahala Theatre was built.
By the early 1960s, C Brewer had decided to phase out all of the camps and move homes and other structures to Pahala. At this time C Brewer explored other alternatives to diversify into, eventually settling on macadamia
nuts. Considered a weed in their native Australia, macadamia trees flourished into a new niche market for Hawaii.
The early 1970s demonstrated how influential the world's economy can be to Pahala. The 1970s brought about fuel shortages
and developing nations
began to produce cheaper sugar. It was during the '70's C Brewer was proposed the perfect opportunity to diversify. A gentleman by the name of Bob Shleser had proposed to Doc Buyers (then CEO of C Brewer) the idea and technology to convert the Pahala Sugar Mill to produce ethanol fuel
from sugarcane. Bob also proposed the idea that the city and County of Hawaii
pass a bill that would require 25% of all vehicles on the island would be retrofitted to use ethanol by the year 1985. This proposal would have been monumental had it been carried out. For whatever reason, Doc Buyers let his short sightedness get the best of him and at the last minute got cold feet and decided against it.
By the late '70's with sugar's looming demise C Brewer instead decided to expand its macadamia nut operations. They began to phase out sugarcane fields that encircled Pahala, converting them to grow macadamia nuts.
By the mid '80's it was apparent sugar had seen its heyday. Honuapo's mill had long closed in 1972 and its workers transferred to Pahala. But other sugar plantations around the island began to close as well. Still, the Pahala Sugar Mill continued to produce record tons per acre, but at a steep price. At the time it cost $1.50 to produce 1 lb (0.45359237 kg), which would then sell for $0.60. Congress
had proposed bills that placed huge tariff
s and tax
es on imported sugar. But economically, even those measures could not stave off the inevitable.
In the '90's, it was all too evident that sugarcane had lost its lustre. C Brewers' investors were getting older and demanded Doc Buyers cut their losses and liquidate. In 1994, Doc made a last ditch effort to keep the mill running. But it required all workers to take drastic pay cuts; most would have to accept minimum wage. The workers refused. That sealed the faith of sugar legacy in Pahala. The last sugarcane was hauled and processed at the mill. Over the next 2 years the mill was dismantled and sold as parts to other manufacturing plants around the world. The sugar plantation and mill shut down in April, 1996.
Many who lived and worked in Pahala moved on to other jobs around the island. Some took jobs in the hotel industry. Some commute up to 5 hours a day to and from jobs at resorts along the Kohala
coast. Some moved to Maui and Kauai and worked at sugar plantations there. Others moved to the mainland to try a fresh start. Many old timers that have generations of family ties to Pahala had passed on. Many in the younger generation have chosen not to return.
Still, there are those that have remained. There are those that have found their roots and figured out a way to remain in Pahala. In fact, unlike many other places where the larger plantation homes were purchased by outsiders coming to live in Hawaiʻi, the manager homes in Pahala were mostly purchased by local people who have stepped up to the new economy and have such jobs as doctor, bakery manager, fisherman, policeman, painting contractor and other jobs important to the community. Some new people have also moved in, restored the historic homes and established their roots and now call Pahala home.
There has also been a movement to preserve the shoreline near Pahala, called the Kau Coast, which is known to be the longest uninhabited coast in Hawaii. Its 80 miles (128.7 km) now includes 235 acre (0.9510121 km²) of ocean front park for which the community raised more than $4 million to purchase and set aside forever. Another 750 acres (3 km²) along the coast called Kawa is likely to be preserved. Inland, more than 115000 acres (465.4 km²) have been added to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
, which now circles Pahala in the mountains above the village.
Ka'u farmers and Pahala residents have recently been plagued by the ill-effects of sulfur-dioxide laden "vog", due to the area's proximity to the very active volcanoes at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Plantation houses, from small cottages to large homes and the former plantation manager's home, have been restored around the village center near the campus of Ka'u High and Pahala Elementary School. The village has a post office, public library, swimming pool, restaurant, fire station, and several stores. There is a hospital and medical clinic, a Catholic and Buddhist church and a Tibetan Buddhist temple just up the mountain. Pahala Plantation Cottages are open for visitors to stay among the houses in the village. The Ka'u District's regional newspaper - the Ka`u Calendar - with offices in Pahala, is printed monthly.
, and 32.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.31% of the population.
There were 443 households out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.6% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.08 and the average family size was 3.51.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 21.0% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $30,243, and the median income for a family was $31,548. Males had a median income of $25,375 versus $21,023 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $11,450. About 17.9% of families and 24.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.8% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Hawaii County, Hawaii
Hawaii County, Hawaii
Hawaii County is a county located in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Hawaiian Islands. It is coterminous with the Island of Hawaii, often called the "Big Island" to distinguish it from the state as a whole. As of the 2010 Census the population was 185,079. The county seat is Hilo. There are no...
, United States. The population was 1,378 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Pahala is located at 19°12′15"N 155°28′44"W (19.204109, -155.479005).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), all of it land.
History
Pahala was created by a sugarcaneSugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
plantation
Sugar plantations in Hawaii
Sugarcane was introduced to Hawaii by its first inhabitants in approximately 600 AD and was observed by Captain Cook upon arrival in the islands in 1778. Sugar quickly turned into a big business and generated rapid population growth in the islands with 337,000 people immigrating over the span of a...
. The area selected to house the sugar refinery
Sugar refinery
A sugar refinery is a factory which refines raw sugar.Many cane sugar mills produce raw sugar, i.e. sugar with more colour and therefore more impurities than the white sugar which is normally consumed in households and used as an ingredient in soft drinks, cookies and so forth...
had several key features:
- a flat plateauPlateauIn geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
on a sloping mountainous region. - direct access to a water well
- a strategic central location to sugarcane fields.
In Hawaiian
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
, Pāhala refers to the ashes of leaves from the hala tree (Pandanus tectorius
Pandanus tectorius
Pandanus tectorius is a species of Pandanus that is native to Malesia, eastern Australia, and the Pacific Islands. Common names include Thatch Screwpine, Hala , Bacua , and Vacquois ....
). Long ago, when cracks were found in the sugarcane fields, workers would stuff them with hala leaves and burn them.
For years, Pahala consisted of a managers house, several plantation homes, a general store and the sugar refinery. Many of the sugarcane workers were housed in small camps in and around Pahala and in camps situated throughout the outer lying sugarcane fields. Many of these camps were self sufficient. They consisted of 8 to 12 plantation dwellings with a small store. Some camps had specialty shops such as a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
or a simple barbershop. As time passed some installed gas stations.
In 1881, the first public school in the district of Kau was established in Kapapala. The humble campus consisted of just two buildings. Some years later the school and its two buildings were relocated to Pahala and called Pahala High and Elementary School. In 1959, as Hawaii Territory
Territory of Hawaii
The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 7, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when its territory, with the exception of Johnston Atoll, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii.The U.S...
became the State of Hawaii, the last class of the Pahala High School held commencement ceremonies. The school then became Kau High and Pahala Elementary School. Kau High and Pahala Elementary School is the second oldest public school in the state of Hawaii, behind Lahainaluna School in Lahaina. Still in use today at Kau High is Kapono Building, the oldest public school building west of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. The only other public school in the district of Kau is Naalehu Elementary and Intermediate School. Naalehu once had a high school. Today, students attend grades Kindergarten through 7th grade at in Naalehu.
As time progressed, Pahala became the focal town of the northeastern side of the district of Kau; Naalehu became the other focal town to the south of the district. Businesses from outer camps migrated to Pahala to set up shop. With social and economic changes came the demands for convenience. Soon, more stores opened up. A bank and gas stations were built. For leisure, a town hall or "Club House" was built and used by the plantation and the community to hold meetings and parties. In the early 1940s Pahala Theatre was built.
By the early 1960s, C Brewer had decided to phase out all of the camps and move homes and other structures to Pahala. At this time C Brewer explored other alternatives to diversify into, eventually settling on macadamia
Macadamia
Macadamia is a genus of nine species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, with a disjunct distribution native to eastern Australia , New Caledonia and Sulawesi in Indonesia ....
nuts. Considered a weed in their native Australia, macadamia trees flourished into a new niche market for Hawaii.
The early 1970s demonstrated how influential the world's economy can be to Pahala. The 1970s brought about fuel shortages
1970s energy crisis
The 1970s energy crisis was a period in which the major industrial countries of the world, particularly the United States, faced substantial shortages, both perceived and real, of petroleum...
and developing nations
Developing country
A developing country, also known as a less-developed country, is a nation with a low level of material well-being. Since no single definition of the term developing country is recognized internationally, the levels of development may vary widely within so-called developing countries...
began to produce cheaper sugar. It was during the '70's C Brewer was proposed the perfect opportunity to diversify. A gentleman by the name of Bob Shleser had proposed to Doc Buyers (then CEO of C Brewer) the idea and technology to convert the Pahala Sugar Mill to produce ethanol fuel
Ethanol fuel
Ethanol fuel is ethanol , the same type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. It is most often used as a motor fuel, mainly as a biofuel additive for gasoline. World ethanol production for transport fuel tripled between 2000 and 2007 from 17 billion to more than 52 billion litres...
from sugarcane. Bob also proposed the idea that the city and County of Hawaii
Hawaii County, Hawaii
Hawaii County is a county located in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Hawaiian Islands. It is coterminous with the Island of Hawaii, often called the "Big Island" to distinguish it from the state as a whole. As of the 2010 Census the population was 185,079. The county seat is Hilo. There are no...
pass a bill that would require 25% of all vehicles on the island would be retrofitted to use ethanol by the year 1985. This proposal would have been monumental had it been carried out. For whatever reason, Doc Buyers let his short sightedness get the best of him and at the last minute got cold feet and decided against it.
By the late '70's with sugar's looming demise C Brewer instead decided to expand its macadamia nut operations. They began to phase out sugarcane fields that encircled Pahala, converting them to grow macadamia nuts.
By the mid '80's it was apparent sugar had seen its heyday. Honuapo's mill had long closed in 1972 and its workers transferred to Pahala. But other sugar plantations around the island began to close as well. Still, the Pahala Sugar Mill continued to produce record tons per acre, but at a steep price. At the time it cost $1.50 to produce 1 lb (0.45359237 kg), which would then sell for $0.60. Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
had proposed bills that placed huge tariff
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
s and tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
es on imported sugar. But economically, even those measures could not stave off the inevitable.
In the '90's, it was all too evident that sugarcane had lost its lustre. C Brewers' investors were getting older and demanded Doc Buyers cut their losses and liquidate. In 1994, Doc made a last ditch effort to keep the mill running. But it required all workers to take drastic pay cuts; most would have to accept minimum wage. The workers refused. That sealed the faith of sugar legacy in Pahala. The last sugarcane was hauled and processed at the mill. Over the next 2 years the mill was dismantled and sold as parts to other manufacturing plants around the world. The sugar plantation and mill shut down in April, 1996.
Many who lived and worked in Pahala moved on to other jobs around the island. Some took jobs in the hotel industry. Some commute up to 5 hours a day to and from jobs at resorts along the Kohala
Kohala, Hawaii
thumb|right|300px|The districts of the [[Hawaii |Big Island]]. From Northernmost, clockwise; Kohala , [[Hamakua|Hāmākua]], [[Hilo, Hawaii|Hilo]], [[Puna, Hawaii|Puna]], [[Kau, Hawaii|Kaū]], [[Kona District, Hawaii|Kona]]...
coast. Some moved to Maui and Kauai and worked at sugar plantations there. Others moved to the mainland to try a fresh start. Many old timers that have generations of family ties to Pahala had passed on. Many in the younger generation have chosen not to return.
Still, there are those that have remained. There are those that have found their roots and figured out a way to remain in Pahala. In fact, unlike many other places where the larger plantation homes were purchased by outsiders coming to live in Hawaiʻi, the manager homes in Pahala were mostly purchased by local people who have stepped up to the new economy and have such jobs as doctor, bakery manager, fisherman, policeman, painting contractor and other jobs important to the community. Some new people have also moved in, restored the historic homes and established their roots and now call Pahala home.
There has also been a movement to preserve the shoreline near Pahala, called the Kau Coast, which is known to be the longest uninhabited coast in Hawaii. Its 80 miles (128.7 km) now includes 235 acre (0.9510121 km²) of ocean front park for which the community raised more than $4 million to purchase and set aside forever. Another 750 acres (3 km²) along the coast called Kawa is likely to be preserved. Inland, more than 115000 acres (465.4 km²) have been added to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, established in 1916, is a United States National Park located in the U.S. State of Hawaii on the island of Hawaii. It encompasses two active volcanoes: Kīlauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, the world's most massive volcano...
, which now circles Pahala in the mountains above the village.
Economy
Pahala's main industries include macadamia nut orchards, coffee farming, horticulture, family-owned farms and ranching. Kaʻu Coffee has gained a reputaion that makes it competitive with Kona coffee, winning recent international coffee tasting competitions.Ka'u farmers and Pahala residents have recently been plagued by the ill-effects of sulfur-dioxide laden "vog", due to the area's proximity to the very active volcanoes at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Plantation houses, from small cottages to large homes and the former plantation manager's home, have been restored around the village center near the campus of Ka'u High and Pahala Elementary School. The village has a post office, public library, swimming pool, restaurant, fire station, and several stores. There is a hospital and medical clinic, a Catholic and Buddhist church and a Tibetan Buddhist temple just up the mountain. Pahala Plantation Cottages are open for visitors to stay among the houses in the village. The Ka'u District's regional newspaper - the Ka`u Calendar - with offices in Pahala, is printed monthly.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,378 people, 443 households, and 334 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,635.9 people per square mile (633.4/km²). There were 487 housing units at an average density of 578.1 per square mile (223.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 8.78% White, 0.07% Native American, 47.68% Asian, 10.45% Pacific Islander, 0.51% from other racesRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 32.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.31% of the population.
There were 443 households out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.6% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.08 and the average family size was 3.51.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 21.0% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $30,243, and the median income for a family was $31,548. Males had a median income of $25,375 versus $21,023 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $11,450. About 17.9% of families and 24.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.8% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.