1957 Map of Kukaiau

About this map

Mamalahoa Highway winds across the Hamakua Coast in this mid-century survey, connecting a series of sugar-era settlements and agricultural homesteads. The landscape is defined by its deep, parallel gulches—such as Waipunalao Gulch and Gulch—that channel water from the Hamakua Forest Reserve toward the Pacific Ocean. This era shows a transition in local infrastructure, with the old railroad grade still visible along the bluffs while a landing strip appears near the coast.