1966 Map of Punaluu

About this map

Punaluu and the adjacent Ninole-Wailau Homesteads represent a critical intersection of indigenous Hawaiian history and the industrial sugar era in the Kau District. Along the coast, the presence of the Kaneeleele Heiau and Kaieie Heiau near Koloa Beach marks ancient cultural sites situated just yards from the Old Railroad Grade and Punaluu Harbor. This landscape is physically defined by volcanic activity, most notably the massive Kahuku Lava Flow of 1950 that scarred the western upland near the Kau Forest Reserve. Inland, the map documents the labor geography of the region through named plantation settlements like Higashi Camp and Middle Moaula Camp. These camps, along with numerous water tunnels and tanks, illustrate the complex infrastructure required to support agricultural life on the slopes of Moaula and Puu Enuhe.