1978 Map of Kapaa

About this map

The coastal settlement of Kapaa and the community of Hanamaulu occupy the eastern shores of Kauai in this late 1970s orthophotoquad. This unique format combines aerial imagery with traditional topographic labels, offering a photographic record of the land use patterns along the Pacific Ocean. The imagery reveals a landscape shaped by water management and agriculture, centered on the Wailua River as it winds toward the coast. Farther inland, the Kapaia Reservoir and the drainage of Kealia Stream define the transition from the coastal plain to the more complex interior terrain. The dense pattern of fields and irrigation infrastructure visible from the air provides a clear view of the island's mid-century rural development and the established residential footprints of the eastern shore during this era.