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1956 Map of Makahalau

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

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The high slopes of the Big Island's volcanic interior define this 1950s survey, marking the transition from ranching lands to the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve. Small settlements like Mana and Makahalau are centers of activity in this upland landscape, supported by a specialized infrastructure of water management. Numerous pump stations, including the Makahalau Pump Station and Puu Io Pump Station, along with various troughs and tanks, illustrate the necessity of piped water in this porous volcanic terrain.

The map reveals the division between the South Kohala District and Hamakua District, crossing through cinder cones such as Puu Makahalau and Puu o Kale. The lower reaches of the Paauhau Gulch and the presence of a Cem near Mana provide specific points of interest for genealogists and local historians tracking the early residential and agricultural footprint of the area before modern developments changed the character of these high-elevation slopes.