Loading map...

1956 Map of Umikoa

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Umikoa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

The high slopes of Hawaii Island are defined here by the massive Mauna Kea Forest Reserve and the active ranching landscape of the mid-1950s. At the heart of this upland economy is Umikoa (Kukaiau Ranch), where a network of rain sheds, water tanks, and a corral demonstrate the infrastructure required for high-altitude livestock management. This is a landscape of profound elevation change, transitioning from the dense forest of the Hamakua Forest Reserve to the cinder cones or "puu" that punctuate the volcanic terrain, including Puu Kea and Puu Mali.

Evidence of historical transit and utility is visible in the long-winding Keanakolu Road and a critical pipeline that traverses the ridges. Several older locations are noted, including the Waikamakapo (Site) and the settlement at Hanaipoe. Numerous deep gulches, such as Holuokawai Gulch and Kalopa Gulch, carve through the terrain, illustrating the dramatic drainage patterns of the Hamakua district.