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1927 Map of Kaohe

Name: 1927 Topographic Map of Kaohe
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Keamuku Lava Flow and other massive volcanic deposits dominate this high-elevation landscape on the Island of Hawaii during the late 1920s. This survey records the distinct boundaries of historical eruptions, including the Lava Flow of 1859 and the Lava Flow of 1843, which cut across the Hamakua District and North Kona District. These geological events shaped the available land, leaving behind islands of vegetation like Kipuka Kalawamauna amidst the basalt.

Transportation through this demanding terrain was limited to primitive routes such as the Humuula Road and the specialized Mauna Loa Volcano House Trail. The southern portion of the map covers the Hawaii National Park Kau District, where numerous cinder cones and peaks like Puu Koohi and Na Puukulu serve as prominent landmarks. The survey captures a moment when the volcanic identity of the Big Island was being systematically documented by surveyors J.B. Leavitt and E.G. Wingate.