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1995 Map of Kalae

Name: 1995 Topographic Map of Kalae
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2000
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2000

About this map

Kalae, the southernmost tip of the Big Island, is the primary focal point of this coastal survey. The landscape is defined by the sharp transition from the volcanic flows to the Pacific Ocean, where names like Wai'ō'ahukini and Kamilo Point mark the interface between land and sea. This 1995 revision reveals a mix of traditional land divisions and modern maritime infrastructure, including an Astronomic Station and the Coast Guard Reservation.

Further inland, the Kama'oa Homesteads show the distribution of land above the bluffs, while numerous ancient rock walls crisscross the terrain, tracing old boundaries through districts such as Ki'olaka'a and Kawela. The presence of scattered water tanks and corrals suggests a continuity of pastoral life in this exposed environment. Historic bay names like Ka'alu'alu Bay and Mahana Bay indicate the long-standing significance of these rare coastal indentations for access and resource gathering.