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1956 Map of Kulani

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Kulani
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Recent geological activity on the slopes of Mauna Loa is clearly defined by the Lava Flow of 1852 and the Lava Flow of 1942, which cut wide swaths across the island's interior. This high-elevation terrain is characterized by massive forest reserves, including the Upper Waiakea Forest Reserve and the Kilauea Forest Reserve, where human infrastructure is limited to specialized camps and water catchment systems. The Kulani Project stands as a focal point of development in this remote area, connected to the outside world by the Stainback Highway.

For local historians, the map documents several lost or specialized sites, such as the Mauna Loa Boys School (Abandoned) and the Waiakea Camp (Site). The scarcity of surface water is evident through the reliance on features like Solomons Water Hole and various labeled rain sheds and water tanks. The intersecting boundaries of the North Hilo, South Hilo, Kau, and Puna districts provide a formal administrative layer over the complex volcanic landscape of Puu Kipu and Puu Lalaau.