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1970 Map of Kauai

Name: 1970 Topographic Map of Kauai
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

Kauai and Niihau Island appear here during a period of established conservation and specialized military use. The interior of the Garden Isle is dominated by massive protected areas like the Lihue-Koloa Forest Reserve and the Na Pali-Kona Forest Reserve, framing the dramatic Waimea Canyon. Along the western coast, the Pacific Missile Range Facility at PMRF Barking Sands highlights the island's strategic role during the Cold War era.

Settlement patterns follow the coastal perimeter, from the county seat at Lihue to smaller villages like Puuwai on Niihau and Mana near the western cliffs. Large-scale agriculture is evident in the presence of plantations near Numila and Koloa. The map also captures several state parks, including Wailua River State Park and Polihale St Pk, illustrating the balance between burgeoning tourism, local industry, and environmental preservation in the early 1970s.